Winemaker Profiles

Chief Winemaker - Rod Hooper

Rod's winemaking career started with a vintage at Penfold's Wines in 1980. Graduating from Roseworthy with a degree in Oenology he spent time working in California, France and Germany. Rod was the first technically qualified winemaker to work in Queensland before heading to Western Australia to work at Goundrey Wines in the late 1980's for a couple of vintages. For five years Rod took on the Operations Manager role at Charles Sturt University Winery at Wagga Wagga in NSW. In 1996 Rod returned to South Australia where he worked as Senior Winemaker for Leasingham in the Clare Valley.

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Winemaker - Danny Toaldo

Danny began his wine career with the original Rossetto Family wine company (now Beelgara) in 1985, having started in the cellar during the vintage wine making season. In 1998, with an intricate knowledge of the workings of the winery, Danny moved into a wine making role. Danny's role as vintage winemaker sees him pore over each parcel of fruit developing it into the wine styles and blends that make up the extensive Beelgara portfolio.

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Winemaker - Sean Hampel

Joining what was Rossetto Wines straight out of school, Sean had set his mind on a wine making career early in life. With a number of vintages under his belt and six years on, Sean has finished a degree in Viticulture and Wine Making from University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury campus, and returned to Beelgara to build on his knowledge and his career. Sean believes that wine, like life, is to be enjoyed, not over analysed, he wants to produce wines that make people happy and that can be enjoyed everyday.