Sarah first met Max—a spirited farm dog—while visiting the Barossa. She quickly fell for the dog, and soon after for his owner, Phil. Sharing a deep connection to the land and a desire to live closer to it, they decided to make Boongarrie Estate their home and build a life together here.

When Phil and Sarah took over Boongarrie Estate in 2002–2003, the vineyard—planted in 1998—consisted of young, poorly established Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Through two decades of careful management and hard work, they brought the two Shiraz blocks and the better Cabernet block into full, healthy production. In 2020–2021, the lower-performing upper Cabernet block was removed and replanted with Riesling, Grenache, and Gamay—varieties better suited to the site. Today, we make small-batch wines from these estate vines alongside carefully selected Riesling, Grenache and Pinot Noir from trusted Eden Valley growers. Each release reflects the distinct character of its parcel and the conditions of the season.

Boongarrie Estate is our home and workplace. We manage the vineyard and olive grove alongside grazing land for our Australian White sheep and two alpacas, all part of a balanced, low-impact farming system. The 'wine shed' sits among these blocks, allowing us to oversee every step from vine and tree to bottle.