THE co-founder and chief executive of Hanging Rock Winery was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, being awarded Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM, for his service to the oenology industry.
Having founded the winery in 1983 with his wife Ann, John Ellis is an experienced winemaker with a career spanning more than 50 years and has been recognised for his outstanding contributions, dedication and impact on the Australian wine industry.
Mr Ellis has served in a range of different positions within the industry, working as the vice president of the Winemakers Federation of Australia, WFA, chairman of WFA Small Winemakers Committee, executive officer of Victorian Wine Industry Association and president of Macedon Ranges Vignerons Associations, as well as more than 30 years of national wine show judging and tourism committees.
He is also arguably one of the first people in Australia to have made a merlot, cabernet merlot, cool climate chardonnay and fumé blanc.
Mr Ellis said he was honoured to have received the award that reflected on some of his greatest achievements.
“I’d say it was the early days of the Victorian Wine Industry Association [when] we were given the task of defining Victoria’s Geographic Indications. I was the executive officer at the time,” he said.
“The really tricky regions were initially the Macedon Ranges and the King Valley. Later I was given the task to help officially split Heathcote from the Bendigo region, which was the hardest of them all … it took a lot of negotiating.”
Mr Ellis graduated from Roseworthy College as dux of his class before beginning his career in the Barossa Valley, going on to become the first winemaker at Rosemount Estate and Tisdall Wines before founding the Hanging Rock Winery.
His OAM acknowledges his expertise, innovation and influence on the oenology industry, which has contributed to Australia’s global reputation as a leading wine producer.
“I couldn’t have done it all without the help of my family, in particular my wife Ann. Without her holding the fort at the winery, none of this would have been possible,” Mr Ellis said.
Hanging Rock Winery can be found at 88 Jim Road, Newham and is open from 10am to 5pm seven days a week.
