It’s often said viticulturalists are the unsung heroes of the wine industry but that’s just fine with Marty Edwards. He’s had more than enough heroics to last anyone a lifetime.
Diving from a remote zodiac in full scuba gear to find submerged explosives 50 metres under water when you can’t see your hand in front of your face isn’t the usual kind of requirement for running a great vineyard.
Marty joined the Australian Navy as a young man and trained for one its highest risk jobs as a member of its elite clearance divers unit, getting himself into some of the most dangerous places a human being could find themselves.
You would think that the Adelaide Hill’s, a place of rolling hills and bountiful valleys, would be as far removed from the murky misery of the dangerous depths.
And most of the time you’d be right.
But on those cool winter mornings when there’s pruning to be done and Marty contemplates wearing a wetsuit to work in the family vineyard, they don’t seem so different after all.