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Known as ‘the intellectual’ of the winery, Chief Winemaker Rod Easthope oversees Craggy Range’s winemaking. Rod spent much of his childhood working on vineyards in the Dartmoor Valley of Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Inevitable contact with winemakers led to a fascination with wine. At the time, Roseworthy College in South Australia was the leading institution for oenology and viticulture, and he earned a degree in wine science there - opening the door to tenures in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and France. These experiences brought Rod into contact with people who had a profound effect on the winemaker that he is today. Viticulturally, Peter Dry, Steve Smith MW and Phil Freese were the guiding lights. In the cellar, Matt Thomson, Kym Milne MW and John Belsham all had their influence. 

It was visiting the world's greatest vineyards and tasting their wines however, that really altered Rod's view of the vinous world. Much of the credit for these experiences is owed to Alex Dale and Michael Fridjhon in South Africa - whose cerebral and liquid generosity unwittingly turned Rod from a technically minded winemaker into an intuitive, purist winegrower.

Rod lives surrounded by vines near the Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Winery with his wife and two sons. To contact Rod, write to rod.easthope@craggyrange.com