The Rouleur philosophy is pretty simple
We source exceptional parcels of fruit from quality vineyards and growers to make wine that we, and hopefully you, like to drink. We pick on the earlier side, seeking bright acid, freshness and lift without sacrificing flavor. Our aim is to capture terroir by not messing with the natural order too much, keeping winemaker inputs and additions to a minimum.
Rouleur wines are handmade in small batches, delivering our take on the varieties and vineyards we work with. A delicious and personal perspective on each vintage year.
For me, Rouleur is the merging of my life’s rolling journey in wine. A tilt of the hat to someone lost but not forgotten and a nod to the road less traveled.
“Growing up on a farm, the only way to get around was 2 legs or 2 wheels.
I chose wheels, and this kicked off a lifelong obsession with all things that roll.”
— Matt East, Winemaker
About Matt East
As you’ve probably guessed, cycling also plays a big part in my life!
Rouleur was born from hours spent in the saddle, exploring the terrain of my two favorite places – Yarra Valley, where I grew up and later McLaren Vale, where I worked for several years. Rolling around, stopping at vineyards, talking to people, hearing their story and sharing mine offered a unique perspective on both wine regions.
I still love cycling, particularly in my favorite wine regions. Beautiful places and passionate people, It’s hard not to feel inspired here.
Growing up in the Yarra Valley, son of a grape grower, I guess you could say I had little choice about a career in the wine industry.
My Dad, once 'Marlborough Man' and airline pilot turned farmer, planted a vineyard to Pinot Noir on the Coldstream family property in1984 and set me on course toward a life in wine.
I worked vintages in local wineries as a junior and tinkered with my own wine in the shed using an old crusher-destemmer, basket press and pick bins as fermenters. My work in the vineyard continued, studying along the way and eventually tracking a path in wine sales and marketing.
After returning from a stint overseas, life delivered my family a considerable blow. Dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed away within 12 short months. Before he died, we had a chat about my life and future. Dad urged me to pursue my dreams and I promised that somehow, sometime, I would make wine from the vineyard we planted over 35 years ago.
So in 2015, I left the security of my full-time job in McLaren Vale to focus on turning those dreams into reality. With the help of family, friends and friendly locals, I launched the Rouleur and fulfilled my promise to Dad with the release of our 2015 Coldstream Pinot Noir.
