In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, host Anna Webster sits down with Rohan Smith, Chief Winemaker at Medhurst in the Yarra Valley, to talk about his unconventional path into wine, what it really takes to “speed-run” a winemaking career, and why the single most important decision in the winery happens before the grapes even arrive: picking.

Rohan shares how a classical music background shaped his approach to interpretation and craft, then gets practical on vineyard and cellar decisions, from diurnal shift differences between Yarra and Mornington, to building pinot noir and chardonnay blends through repeated classification tastings. He also breaks down the detail work behind Medhurst’s signature rosé, including press extraction choices, ferment temperature, and juice turbidity targets.

Along the way, you’ll hear about sustainability certification work, wine show judging (including Rohan’s role at Melbourne Royal), the value of regional wine shows for the community, and what’s ahead for the 2026 Yarra Valley vintage.

The Halliday Wine Companion Podcast is hosted by Halliday editor Anna Webster.

Medhurst Wines

Medhurst on Instagram

Rohan Smith on Instagram

Halliday Wine Companion

Halliday Wine Companion on Instagram

Halliday Wine Club

Buy the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion

LANGTONS

LANGTONS on Instagram

Plumm

Plumm on Instagram

Chapters:
00:35 Meet Rohan Smith, Chief Winemaker at Medhurst (Yarra Valley)
00:45 From musician to winemaker, and the “interpretation” link between music and wine
02:10 Early wine influence, collectors at home, curiosity and tasting young
02:55 The career pivot: cellar door and vineyard work, taking the pay cut
04:25 Learning from the ground up: vineyards, soil, vine metabolism
05:10 First vintages, wine chemistry, and building real capability
05:45 Studying wine science while working, graduating with a medal
07:05 Mornington vs Yarra: what actually changes in the glass and why
10:00 Working with fruit from multiple regions and what it teaches you
11:30 Sustainability certification and why it matters (in practice)
13:00 Taking over at Medhurst: following a long-term winemaker, changes without ego
14:40 The Medhurst site: slopes, soils, altitude shifts, and block differences
20:10 Entry level vs estate vs reserve, and how classification tastings work
27:10 Chardonnay winemaking: whole-bunch press, full solids, wild ferment, oak
29:10 The signature rosé: extraction, turbidity, cool ferments, and why it’s “fiddly”
33:00 Winemaking philosophy: intervention when needed, taste every ferment
34:50 The single biggest decision: picking dates and phenolic ripeness
36:00 2026 Yarra vintage check-in: conditions, timing, what to expect
37:10 Alternative varieties and what could work in the Yarra
39:10 Wine show judging: why it accelerates learning, community value
42:00 Len Evans Tutorial: why it’s so formative
44:40 The Yarra Valley community and why it works
46:45 Call to action: support cellar doors and Australian wine