Julian Langworthy

The Climb

Adelaide University gave Julian Langworthy the technical base that later showed up in his work: discipline in the cellar, instinct under pressure, and a palate sharpened by repetition and scrutiny. From there, the scale of the job moved quickly into one of Western Australia’s more respected wine houses, where the demands were both practical and exacting. Since 2011, he has been Chief Winemaker and General Manager of Deep Woods Estate (Fogarty Wine Group), a role that places Langworthy across both production and business, with the work of winemaking tied to the care of a label with weight.

Today

In 2020, Dalwhinnie added another layer to Langworthy’s remit when he became Chief Winemaker in Pyrenees, Australia. The position extends a career built on precision and patience, but it also asks for a different read on place and tempo. Langworthy has described the wines there as maintaining continuity of style and an amazing sense of place while making pretty epic modern wines, which gets at the core of the work: holding on to what already reads clearly in the wine, while shaping it with a contemporary hand. The first full year at the estate mattered in direct terms for Langworthy: "I am very excited about the 2020 vintage at Dalwhinnie, which was my first full year as winemaker." The line marks more than a date. It identifies the point at which the role became fully operational in his hands, with a complete vintage cycle running under his direction. That gives the work a useful tension: continuity in the site, and a fresh set of decisions in the cellar.

Signature

Julian Langworthy's signature wines include 2014 Deep Woods Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Eagle Shiraz, Nocturne Sub-Region Rose, and Nocturne Single Vineyard Chardonnay. Read together, they show a working range across varieties and site expression: Cabernet Sauvignon with structure, shiraz with depth, and the Nocturne wines on a tighter axis of precision and season. The names differ, but they sit under the same discipline of balance and control.

In Their Words “Not really – it’s more the vibe and a culmination of experience, and having a great network of peers to bounce ideas off and with.” “I’m a bit of a chardonnay fan, and scallops with lots of butter and chardonnay is pretty hard to go past.”

Recognition

Julian Langworthy's honors include Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy (2014).