Dark Horse Winery of the Year

L .A.S. VINO | MARGARET RIVER | WESTERN AUSTRALIA

NIC PETERKIN, the brain behind Margaret River’s L.A.S. Vino, is a descendant of wine royalty. He is the grandson of the late Diana Cullen of Cullen Wines, and the son of Dr Mike Peterkin of Pierro. But he says there was nothing glamourous about growing up in the family business. “Anyone who grows up in a family business knows, you never get the good jobs. I’d think, what’s romantic about sitting in a vineyard, or washing a floor, or cleaning tanks?” It wasn’t until Nic studied winemaking in Adelaide and met a lot of like-minded people who were passionate about wine that he found that spark.

L.A.S. – which stands for luck, art, and science – is one of Margaret River’s most cutting-edge wine labels. Nic makes wine from both emerging and traditional varietals, using creative and unconventional techniques such as fermenting in alternative vessels, submerged in sea water, or extended time on skins.

“I think sometimes it takes a little bit of risk to go, okay, let’s treat this chenin like chardonnay. Let’s handpick it, hand sort it, let’s treat the grape with respect as opposed to a mass product, and let’s see what comes of it.” Nic says sometimes the risk isn’t in the vineyard and the winery, but in the idea. “It’s more just taking the risk on a category that no one’s drinking. And being confident enough to back yourself so you can go out there and educate people about why it is so good.”

The Dark Horse Winery award is given to a winery who is not new to the Companion but who has received a 5-star rating for the first time. Halliday's Erin Larkin says while

Nic was born with winemaking in his blood, his hard work and inventiveness have catapulted L.A.S. Vino to where it is today. “Nic has consistently produced wines that push boundaries and show a penchant for his calculated, out-of-the-box style of thinking.”

For Nic, making wine in Margaret River is all about the lifestyle. “There’s not many other wine regions that have the beach, the food, the temperate climate, the surf, and the art all in one spot. I couldn’t imagine making wine anywhere else, and the deeper I go into the winemaking and the viticulture of the region, it becomes even more special. It’s like, wow, this is an incredibly unique place to grow grapes and make wine and we’re very lucky to be able to do it.

“What I enjoy the most is the holistic view of it. Seeing a vineyard and then translating that season into wine. It’s really rewarding seeing your decisions turn into a final product, and then seeing people enjoy that product.” J’aime Cardillo

TOP-RATED WINES TO TRY

L.A.S. Vino 2020 Wildberry Springs Chardonnay 97 points

$75

L.A.S. Vino 2020 CBDB Chenin Blanc Dynamic Blend

96 points

$50

L.A.S. Vino 2020 Albino PNO Rosé

95 points

$45