Portrait of Mike De Iuliis
i. Biography
Mike De Iuliis is Owner & Winemaker — De Iuliis (Hunter Valley, Australia), and the work reads as that of someone who has spent years inside the practical end of wine, where decisions are made in sequence and each one matters. When he says, “I’ll never profess to be a viticulturist, I’m a winemaker,” the line lands as a boundary marker: his expertise sits in the cellar-side choices that shape finished wine.
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The Climb
Training at Macquarie University and Roseworthy Campus gave De Iuliis the technical base that later underpinned a career built on repetition, scrutiny, and judgment. The discipline of judging and making has defined that path: work that demands attention to detail, a steady palate, and the ability to read both the single wine and the wider field. Since 2004, he has served as judge / Panel Chair / chair of judges of NSW Small Winemaker's Show; Sydney Royal Wine Show; Hunter Wine Show; other national and international wine shows, while today he is winemaker of De Iuliis. The throughline is accumulation rather than display, with authority earned over time in rooms where standards are set and compared.
Today
He described it plainly: “The opportunity to be Chair of Judges at the 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show is a massive responsibility, and one I do not take lightly.” The statement fits a working profile shaped by service to the trade as much as by production itself.
Signature
2017 Aged Release Semillon sits squarely within De Iuliis's register of measured wine. The name alone points to the sort of wine that relies on patience and control, aligning with a career that values judgment, timing, and the long view over immediate effect.
In Their Words “The ability to give back to an industry that has been so wonderful to me is something I am quite excited for, not a lot of people get the opportunity.” “The opportunity to be Chair of Judges at the 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show is a massive responsibility, and one I do not take lightly.”
Recognition
Scholar, Len Evans Tutorial marks De Iuliis as someone recognised within the trade for learning and contribution. It sits in step with the rest of the record: a winemaker whose standing has been built through years of work, judging, and participation in the broader wine community. He headed to South Australia to pursue my postgraduate studies in Oenology at the Roseworthy Campus in 1999.
FAQ
Asked of Mike
What is Mike De Iuliis's current role?
Mike De Iuliis is Owner & Winemaker.
Where did Mike De Iuliis train or study?
Mike De Iuliis trained at Macquarie University and Roseworthy Campus.
What recognition has Mike De Iuliis received?
Scholar, Len Evans Tutorial (2004).
The Sunday email
Read about winemakers like Mike De Iuliis in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.