Getting to Know Craig Viney of Murray Street Vineyards

The Barossa Valley is a well-known wine hub, boasting a collection of world-famous wineries that have had an innovative impact on winemaking across the globe. Murray Street Vineyards is one such winery, helped along by Craig Viney.

Craig has worked at Murray Street Vineyards for many years, and has now taken on the key role of winemaker. Within this position, he has shaped and grown both the MSV and Black Label brands, two of the wineries biggest selling products. Over the years, he has been a key figure in developing these flavours, and now takes responsibility for developing both of the award-winning wines further.

The Early Years

Craig began his winemaking career at Two Hands Wines back in 2006. While there, he worked on the vintage collection before he moved to Murray Street Vineyards shortly afterwards.

Pouring Glass of Wine Barossa TBIt wasn’t until 2008 that the pull of overseas winemaking took Craig to Washington State to work in the famous Walla Walla Valley. This was part of a program where two international wineries swapped their key winemakers, and Murray Street Vineyards paired up with L’Ecole No 41 to make the switch happen. During his time in Washington State, Craig learned the ways of American winemaking and improved his technical expertise.

Today, Craig believes that careful nurturing is key to successful winemaking and places a heavy emphasis on attention to detail. His approach is very much hands-on with running the winery and, with his experience, he has the skills to both overlook the technical aspects of winemaking and get stuck into the day-to-day operations that keep it running so smoothly.

Craig has an in-depth knowledge of the Barossa Valley and its wines, which, when paired with his passion for quality winemaking, makes him a key player in the Australian wine world.

Murray Street Vineyards Friends Drinking Wine TBAny trip to the Barossa Valley isn’t complete without touring some of the world-famous wineries on offer. Like at any of the other vineyards in the region, you can take a guided tour at Murray Street Vineyards, tasting some of the most popular flavours and learning more about the winemaking process. While there, you can see the innovative changes Craig has made to the winery and its burgeoning success in the Australian wine world thanks to his dedication to quality winemaking and delicious flavours.

If you’re in the area, be sure to check out Murray Street Vineyards and samples some of their Black Label brands.

Related article: The Wines of Murray Street

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.