Winemaker
Simon Black
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Mornington Peninsula, Australia
- Venue
- Montalto · Winery
i. Biography
Simon Black is chief winemaker at Montalto Estate in the Mornington Peninsula, Australia, where site carries through to the glass. His work is tied to fruit from five vineyards, and to the discipline of letting each parcel speak in its own register. At Montalto, the wines are not treated as abstractions; they are shaped with restraint so the estate’s character remains legible.
The Path
Chief winemaker at Montalto Estate is the role that frames Simon Black’s working life, and it keeps him close to the rhythm of the property. The title carries responsibility, but the work itself is about attentiveness: to vineyard, to fruit, and to the distinctions that emerge when a winemaker stays close to place. The five vineyards provide both range and structure for the wines he helps shape.
The Work Today
As chief winemaker, he uses techniques intended to complement the qualities of the best parcels of fruit from the estate’s five vineyards. The aim is to enhance rather than mask, and to leave the differences between sites intact. That approach depends on precision, but also on a broader idea of what wine is for: something that belongs with conversation, curiosity and pleasure. His own words place wine beside that wider cultural life, where travel, art, food and wine are part of the same frame. In that sentence, Simon Black makes clear that the wines are made to be experienced within a larger context, not only assessed on technical terms.
Acclaim
Recognition is tied to the team he leads: an award-winning winemaking group at Montalto Estate. The acknowledgement reflects collective standards as much as individual skill, and it points to a cellar culture where site, fruit and craft are held in careful alignment. For Simon Black, that recognition sits with the estate itself.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Simon
What is Simon Black's current role?
As of 2026, Simon Black is Chief Winemaker.
What is Simon Black known for?
He heads up an award-winning winemaking team.
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