Bart Van Olphen
Australia
Dutchman who came here 15 years ago for one vintage! Fell in love with the vines, and a fellow winemaker.
- Bart van Olphen’s wine journey is totally unique. Born and raised among the windmills and tulips of his native Holland, he learned his winemaking craft in Germany’s Pfalz region, honed it in the USA, handmade mighty reds alongside the legend that is Steve Pannell for eight years in McLaren Vale before settling in Victoria.
- Bart is married to Kim Chalmers of the famed Chalmers vineyards and it’s from these excellent family-grown grapes that he sources the most delectable, pristine fruit to power his Angel-exclusive B.V.O range of deliciousness!
- Bart is very much a minimal interventionist winemaker: grow the best fruit, let it talk and stay hands off as much as possible. And with the huge array of Chalmers grapes available to choose from Bart is like a kid in a candy store!
Kym Carr
Australia
Chosen by Angels to get back into the winemaking game after a 5 year break
21,134 Ratings
3,164 Followers
- In 2015, we put the power in your hands to vote for the first ever Angel chosen winemaker. It took just 4 hours and 16 minutes for Angels to give Kym Carr the thumbs up.
- Kym's story was one of incredible talent, utter heartbreak and unwavering determination... As a young winemaker, Kym had a winemaking world at her feet. She was winemaking for award-winning wineries Vasse Felix and Deep Woods Estate, leading to a nomination for young winemaker of the year in 2006.
- A few years later, Kym's life was monumentally changed by the passing of her younger sister. Her sister's final wish was that she carry on with life, making the most of each day by working towards her passion.
- Now a mother of two, Kym reached out to Naked as she still harboured dreams of jumping back into the wine game to create her own boutique label, packed with unique wines that are happily just a little far left of field for the big wineries.
Judy & Glen Kelly
Australia
An energetic couple thinking outside the box and setting the next Aussie wine trends!
20,641 Ratings
2,588 Followers
- Judy & Glen are serious front runners in the rankings of Australia's most forward-thinking, versatile winemakers.
- They have let their passion lead their numbers, planting over 17 alternative Mediterranean varietals in both their Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills vineyards.
- Aussie wine drinkers are setting the trend when it comes to the next generation of favourites, so jump in to Chateau Coco's world of fun today.
Luke Tocaciu
Australia
Award-winning Coonawarra winemaker proudly continuing his family legacy
35,684 Ratings
5,678 Followers
Born and raised in Coonawarra, SA, Luke makes sensational wines that shout of his 'terra rossa' region, injecting his own vision and personality along the way. He's won numerous awards including 7 trophies, dozens of phenomenal Halliday ratings and a place in the Top 50 Young Guns of Wine.
As a kid, he earned his pocket money helping out in the family vineyards. It wasn’t long before he was bitten by the wine bug, and a degree plus vintages in South Australia and Sonoma (USA) soon followed. Ready to make his mark, he returned to the family business to develop drops alongside his Dad, local legend Patrick.
But in 2013, Patrick suddenly passed away, leaving the family bereaved and the winery without its chief winemaker and CEO. Not even 30 yet, Luke had to shoulder a ton of extra responsibility if the business was to continue. So Angels stepped in and gave Luke the assurance to continue his family legacy and keep making the wine he loves - which he does to this day.
Rob Paulazzo
Australia
Talented winemaker with a passion for NSW wine regions.
130,316 Ratings
16,881 Followers
- Having worked for McWilliams, Orlando and Giesen, Rob has bucket-loads of experience and is excited to use this knowledge to make wines under his very own label. What's more, his winery has achieved rock star status from top wine critics.
- Each drop he creates draws on incredible international experience... he's been everywhere a winemaker could want to work - Burgundy, Tuscany, Napa Valley, Niagara Peninsula and even magical Marlborough.
- Born and bred in the NSW Riverina region, and nominated for young winemaker of the year in 2008, Rob's got access to some seriously amazing fruit. And he's thrilled to be making wines exclusively for Angels!
Cynthea & David Feldheim
Australia
Resourceful couple making small batch Tassie wonders
19,325 Ratings
3,209 Followers
This canny couple from the Tamar Valley has captivated Angels with their Gypsy Caravan offerings of tiny volume, hand-made deliciousness. The name reflects freedom, the ‘wild’ way the wines are made and the close relationship they have with this pristine place.
Cynthea has been making wine magic for 23 years. Bitten by the wine bug when her parents moved from San Francisco to Tassie and planted their own vineyard, she ended up studying winemaking and wine marketing. Then the world became her vinous oyster!
It’s hard to find great Tasmanian wines by little family winemakers like these outside of cellar doors and fancy restaurants. The Feldheim's exclusive access to parcels of lovingly tended fruit from mature vines means their Tamar Valley tipples are the next level in quality and value. Angel support has been so powerful, they’ve been able to take over the family vineyard - the first Tasmanian cellar door - and return it to its former glory.
Adam Barton
Australia
Hugely talented winemaker from the Clare Valley
191,605 Ratings
24,477 Followers
- Adam Barton began his winemaking journey largely as a result of tasting a glass of the 1965 Lindemans Hunter River Burgundy, which he described as "magic". He was already a master craftsman when we found him, creating tiny amounts of his own premium label wines and winning big at the wine shows.
- Based in the Clare Valley, Adam has the freedom to explore different variteals and keep pushing the boundaries of experimentation to the delight of Angels' taste buds. We knew from the start he was a wine genius and Angels would love him!
- Adam's Rabbit & Spaghetti range of wines are snapped up by Angels, year in, year out. Carefully selected vineyards, passionate grower partners & lots of care and attention to the smallest detail in the winery make them an amazingly good drop.
Jen Pfeiffer
Australia
Just sold her two millionth bottle exclusively to Naked customers, crafted at one of Victoria's most renowned family vineyards.
348,387 Ratings
40,745 Followers
- With the help of funding from Naked Wines, Jen is making wines the way she wants. This is a huge win for all involved, since Jen took home the Wine Society's Young Winemaker of the Year Sommelier's Choice Award in 2009!
- One of Jen's favourite things about being a Naked winemaker is chatting with you, the people who drink her wines. So go ahead! Ask her anything.
- Before she made wines for Naked, Jen earned her family's winery a 5 Star rating from James Halliday and her meticulous approach ensures she will bring the very best out of all the grapes that she works with.
Adrian & Rebecca Santolin
Australia
A dynamic Yarra Valley duo creating stunning European-style wines
337,523 Ratings
38,895 Followers
- Adrian and Rebecca Santolin have been involved in winemaking for more than 20 years. Their dream was to one day make their own wine — but how? In a no guts, no glory move, this plucky pair used their hard-earned savings to make one barrel of Pinot Noir. The outcome was life changing...
- Their talent shone through right from the start and we snapped them up as our first Naked winemakers back in 2012. This dynamic duo are among our most popular winemakers, adored by thousands of wine-drinkers who love their European approach to the grape.
- Since those early days, the talented pair have gone from strength to strength, fuelled by their admiring Angels and a passion for crafting sensational wines. Over the first 10 years of being Naked, they scooped up 13 trophies, 55 gold medals and countless silver and bronze. And they show no signs of stopping!
Ashley Horner
Australia
Naked's first fully certified organic winemaker!
93,186 Ratings
12,449 Followers
- Born and bred in the Upper Hunter Valley, Ash worked in local vineyards while helping to establish his Family Vineyard.
- He's one of the most passionate people we've ever met! When asked what he loved most about his job, his answer was "Everything! I love the action during vintage and the progression of grapes becoming a bottle to enjoy. I love the diversity and the abstract thinking you can put into creating a wine product. I also love the diversity of the people that work in the industry and how winemaking makes me feel complete in my life".
- What's the difference between Ash and the rest? His grapes are from organic vineyards and are made using fully certified organic practices!
