ABOUT US

About Zig Zag Rd.  |  The Story  |  The French Project  |  The Vision  |  In the media

We would like to acknowledge and extend our appreciation for the Dja Dja Wurrung People, the Traditional Owners of the land that we are farming on today.

About Zig Zag Rd.

Zig Zag Rd. Vineyard and Winery is a 10 acre vineyard just outside of the beautiful village of Malmsbury in the Macedon Ranges. On Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Set looking over the vines, then the Belltopper Forest, it’s a tucked away patch of beauty that delights all who find us.

We grow riesling, pinot noir, cabernet, shiraz, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc – see the wines we make.

Zig Zag Rd Wines cellar door and vines
Zig Zag Rd Wines tea cosy
Zig Zag Rd Wines Kind Folk Winemaking

The Story

We’re Henry, Harriet and family. We moved to the vineyard in 2018, and were new to winemaking, viticulture, and parenting. We stripped off our corporate suits and cut through our safety nets (with babe coming the next week), and jumped headfirst into this epic adventure. Skin fully in the game.

Why?

We’re asked this often, and sometimes at 3am we ask ourselves.

Perhaps the best articulation of this, is a piece written by Harriet a year before we took the plunge – when we were starting to dream – called “Longing For Joy”. Harriet was wrestling with that quiet voice saying she needed big, hand-in-the-soil change and working through the courage to jump out of a successful corporate job, and into the unknown. With a bit of hindsight, we can now see through this written piece how a thread from her “wool bundle” was leading us here to create this story.

It was a big risk, potentially foolhardy, but there was something gnawing at us to slow down, get off the good ship “progress”, and use our hands and our hearts to create something real. To move towards small and local, and away form something huge and global. To become producers rather than consumers. And to produce in a way that gives life and energy.

The leap was aided by the previous owners, the brilliant Bellchamber family, who we instantly fell in love with and everything they stood for. Eric Bellchambers committed to sticking around for us and eased us into the unknown and his wider family smoothed the transition from town to country by supporting in ways too many to count.

And here we are. Years into it, and starting to get the rhythm and confidence and enjoy the rollercoaster. We’ve been held by our friends and broader community, and welcomed into a brilliant community of winemakers and viticulturalists who share our values and gumption. So much so, we’ve created a new label called Kind Folk: an ode and celebration to those generous people. They truly are the ‘notes’ of the wine.

Our business is thriving and successful, providing us with a secure livelihood and enough resources to lead the life we want to lead. It is a beating heart for people and biodiversity, and provides joy, peace, creativity, inspiration and sustenance for all living beings that encounter it.

The French Project

At the end of 2023, we embarked on a seemingly crackerjack endeavour. We packed up our young family and moved to the south of France.

We bought into a sister vineyard; an established, organic, old vine, high altitude, dry grown vineyard in the Languedoc region.

It’s so like Zig Zag Rd. in its heart and it’s accessible in terms of its size and operation, which is handy, as we will be doing much of the winemaking ourselves!

The plan is to see how these sisters can collaborate, by sending some of our French wine (varietals include grenache, syrah and marsanne) back to our wine club members, cellar door guests and trade partners.

This might all seem romantic, but our motivation is family. We’re looking to spend time with our loved ones who live across England and France.

We are utterly overwhelmed (equal parts excitement and terror) about the challenge ahead but we are looking forward to learning new skills and making new connections in a wine region of France that’s going through a wine making renaissance.

A glass of La Rue de Zig Zag Rd anybody?

We’ll be French side for a few years only, dropping back in for the occasional harvest. As if we could leave for good! It’s not only the 50 year old vines who have roots in this community.

Languedoc Domaine-Pion
Zig Zag Wines Cellar Door Clinking Glasses overlooking the vines

The Vision

We found our feet, and between our son’s naps, scoped out our vision for this place we reside.

It’s actually a holistic context statement, a process pioneered by that regenerative agriculture legend Alan Savory, but acts effectively as a good old-fashioned vision framework. We refer to this template when we make big decisions, and act’s as a guide, or a signpost.

For example, it helped us mould and shape our Wine Folk membership into being more than just a wine club; and guided us to develop our new Kind Folk wine brand. It fast tracked our move from conventional farming to regenerative farming, and has given us the confidence to make low fi wines aligned to our values.

We thought we’d share it with you, and we hope this vision comes alive when you meet us and visit our project. If you share our vision, or something like it, you can get involved through our Wine Folk membership.

Quality of life statements

Our business is strong and innovative, and provides enough comfort and security

Forms of production
  • We have a blue print defining what ‘enough’ is for us and our children’s future. Beyond this, We prioritise joy, connection, community and family
  • Our farm is lean and professional, enabling this holistic context
  • We invest to make a long term return
  • We operate a strategic plan and vision
  • We make excellent, delicious wine that sells (continues to win awards/is innovative)
  • People who interact with Zig Zag Rd. sense the integrity of this holistic context and they are surprised and inspired
  • a % of our annual income is dedicated to experimenting and innovation
We have a thriving space for creativity, community and friendship
Forms of production
  • We have the infrastructure and space that enables like minded friends to rest, be nourished, and create
  • The majority of our customers are local (Macedon Ranges, Melbourne and surrounds) and aligned to this holistic context
  • We build friendships and partnerships with aligned local people and organisations, and celebrate/promote local produce and innovations
  • People love to contribute and work on this venture, and find joy through the shared vision

The land we steward is teeming with wildlife and biodiversity

Forms of production
  • We have the knowledge showing us the historical and geological context of this land, and work within this context
  • We revegetate and reforest the available land in alignment with the context, and protect this trajectory beyond our stewardship
  • We use life-giving, regenerative and sometimes innovative farming (e.g. bio dynamic) and wine making methods
  • The land is known as a sanctuary for birds and biodiversity

We are healthy, nourished, relaxed and spiritually connected

Forms of production
  • We spend at least one day a week as a family, without interruption
  • We draw clear boundaries around our house ensuring our family (and immediate family) have a restful, peaceful space free of visitors when we need it and on a rhythm that suits u
  • We spend 2 months of every year travelling, exploring, and/or in the UK with famil
  • We cook and eat good, local, nourishing and well balanced food
  • Henry and Harriet spend time together as lovers and friends
  • We spend good time (10%) being reflective, creative and nourishing our spirituality
Zig Zag Wines Cellar Door Old Pinot and Vine

In the media

Here are some links to some of the things people are writing about us. A bit egotistical, we know, but as much as anything it’s a nice keepsake for us: