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What is EKIN?

We are grassroot Wine People trying our hand at being Business People, not Business People trying their hand at wine. We have ‘money can’t buy’ experience.

In 2021 Brad and Mark were on their harvesters for their own businesses deep into a hectic vintage. The vintage was much bigger than expected and their customers were going to have to leave fruit on the vine, as they only had contracts for a certain percentage.

No wine lover wants to see good fruit go to waste – especially the guys that put their blood, sweat and tears into the vineyards every day making sure each vine was producing the absolute best quality. The guys were on the phones to each other with running commentary of what was going to be left on the separate vineyards they were in charge of picking.

Comradery with their valued clients is paramount to the success they enjoyed individually, so there and then they decided to see what they could do to help their friends out. They multitasked and worked through their vast network of contacts – selling the fruit (at market price) while they continued to pick beyond the contracted fruit limits.

Using Texta to write on the harvesters windows they made calls to sell the fruit, booked additional trucks to the vineyards sending bins of would be wasted wine gold all over South Australia for processing.

It was win win for the growers and companies in need of more fruit.

Brad and Mark chatted through the pick about what they would have done with the fruit if they had their own wine label.

EKIN’s first ever meeting was had ‘as unofficial and unintended’ as it was. The seed was planted – and the concept of mates working with mates now extended to these 2 mates working together to develop EKIN Wine Co.

EKIN Sparkling Pinot

Langhorne Creek

Tasting Notes

EKIN Rosé

Adelaide Hills

Tasting Notes

EKIN Pinot Noir

Adelaide Hills

Tasting Notes

EKIN:
Knowing the product
backwards and forwards /
inside out.

With Mark and Brad being the EKINs of the wine industry, there is not much that their combined 60 year’s experience, has not seen nor done. Nevertheless, we are always looking at new ideas and opportunities.

Our physiology is to do a 110% job in the vineyard in growing our grapes, therefore making our wines from nothing but the highest quality grapes.

Who is EKIN?

Mark VellaDirector

Mark Vella is a highly regarded viticulturalist in the industry, with 30 years experience working across multiple wine regions throughout Australia (inc Hunter Valley, Orange and Adelaide Hills). Mark understands the complexity of managing the growing connection between varieties, soils, vineyard aspects, row orientations, irrigation, nutrition and microclimates within each unique vineyard and also understands the complications from different vintage variations and challenges.

Mark’s proactive approach, attention to detail and precision in timing has seen him produce fruit yearly for more than 60 of the top leading wine companies across the country.

Brad CaseDirector

Brad Case, is a highly regarded grower, operator and vineyard contractor in the industry, with 30 years experience working across multiple wine regions throughout Australia (inc Langhorne Creek, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, South East and the Southern Fleurieu).

Brad understands the complexity of managing the contract grower and external client expectations whilst running his own family vineyards and share farmed properties in Langhorne Creek.

Henry Borchardt
Operations Manager (Viticulture & Winemaking)

Henry grew up on his family vineyards and always had a strong desire to join the wine industry from a young age.

While studying his Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology he worked in the vineyards for Brad and Mark’s respective businesses. Once his study was complete he spent a vintage in California. Upon returning to Australia, he worked for Sidewood Estate for 7 years, beginning as a Cellar Hand and finishing as Senior Winemaker and Site Manager.

When the opportunity to rejoin Brad and Mark in 2023 he jumped at the chance and we are lucky enough to have Henry as our Operations Manager, Viticulture and Winemaking.