The determination of an immigrant Italian neighbour to grow grapes up his shed wall that bounded Harma’s houselot in Ironwood, Michigan when Eugene was a boy and the veneration their neighbour and his grandpa had for those vines during the short growing season raised the question in Eugene’s mind: What's special about grapes?

Eugene picked them during the snowy winters because they were left and looked like they could be good to eat but was bitterly disappointed. One year his Grandpa’s desperation had Californian grapes shipped to Ironwood to make wine. It matured in an oak cask and was poured for young and old the next winter. They sipped and savoured the beautiful summer that it had preserved. It was Eugene’s first wine kiss.

Now as an Australian and winegrower in cool climate Porongurup, WA, Eugene’s Ironwood Estate Wines fulfils those old mens dreams with beautifully matured grapes for wine.