Press family launches new brand

Legendary Adelaide Hills wine producers Mike and Judy Press – known for quality wines at affordable prices – are launching a new brand.

Press & Co Wine is expected to be in market from May, with the couple again adopting their “tried and tested formula” of taking their wines direct to the consumer while also supplying independent bottle shops.

After selling Mike Press Wines six years ago to Bob and Yuko Harris, Mike and Judy have remained involved in the business, but say now is the time to create something new and fresh, while remaining true to their principles of “producing great wines that offer fabulous value”.

“We’re excited to return to our heritage as a small family operation and are extremely excited that the next generation of the family will be joining us,” Judy says.

“Mike’s sons Andrew and James, together with his wife Rachel, will be partnering with us in the Press & Co Wine business.”

While it’s a new venture for the Press family, it’s the culmination of a lifetime of winemaking experience for Mike, who has consistently received glowing accolades from some of the country’s best wine critics, and multiple prestigious awards.

After a career that included stints at Penfolds under Max Schubert, Seppelt and finally Mildara Blass as chief winemaker, Mike turned the wine industry on its head in the early 2000s with his cleanskin wines garnering a cult following.

“We were pounding the pavements, dropping flyers in people’s letterboxes and before too long our wines were selling out,” Judy says.

Their cleanskin wines also caused quite a stir in the industry after securing highly coveted awards such as runner-up for the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy.