....one of the World’s Top Ten Iconic Wine Shops     -     Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Proud Primary Produce

Stuart Proud
Proud Primary Produce
Yarra Valley


Young Gun of Wine 2017 Top 12
Stuart is a viticulturalist by background, working on vineyards between Margaret River and McLaren Vale, before landing in the Yarra. His progression into winemaking has been a natural evolution of understanding the vines. His irreverent personality shines through in the labels of the Proud Primary Produce range of wines, which includes some packaged in a flagon. So retro! Try his 2016 The Eagle Pinot Noir.

Proud Primary Produce
Being a viticulturist by trade means all the efforts are focused on the health of the vineyard. Making small batches of wine for over 10 years from the fruit I grow has led me to produce the style of wines I like to drink myself plus match well with food. The wines are meant to reflect the site they come from, the season they were grown in and the attention given to the vineyard.

The major focus when growing the fruit is based on having healthy and productive soils. The key to good fruit is to have balanced soils ; balance between biology, chemistry and physics. Enhancing the health of the soil and vines is done by keeping a diverse range grasses, clovers and other species growing all year round in the vineyard, mowing and mulching instead of herbicide spraying, addition of natural products such as compost teas, humates, seaweed, kelp and fish emulsions help to increase natural biodiversity. The more that happens above the ground means the more that is happening below the surface. The biology in the soil really drives the plants ability to access more water and absorb nutrients in a plant available format.

Vineyards managed using this approach are healthier and stronger, fruit ripens evenly, while flavours develop with minimal loss of natural acid.

All wines are made with minimal intervention and additions. Only some gentle plunging and pump overs are done during the fermentation process to ensure fruit purity is retained. Minimising the need to intervene with the ferments is the whole philosophy or reason behind making the vineyard the main focus of my attention. This means the wines truly reflect the place they came from and the conditions of that season.