Adriana D’Amico and Al Johnson
Longwarry, West Gippsland (Victoria)

Bandicoot Run is a viticultural oasis in West Gippsland, started by Adriana D’Amico and Al Johnson in 2017. The project was born out of their desire to work more closely with nature and the ebb and flow of the seasons, having become disillusioned with the disconnection so often present in modern city life.

They first had their heads turned towards wine while working vintages between 2010-2015 on the half-hectare vineyard Al’s dad planted in Longwarry in the early 2000s. At the time Adriana and Al were training to be architects. They pursued that career for a short time before the pull of getting back to nature became too strong to resist.  To confirm their suspicions that lives as vignerons was their true calling and to develop the skills they would need,  they worked multiple jobs in wineries and vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula over the next few years. After this, there was no doubt. 

In 2017, they expanded the existing half-hectare at Al’s father’s property with two and a half hectares of new plantings over 4 blocks. The property itself was purchased in the early 90’s. It was part of a subdivided dairy farm bare of biodiverstiy. This quickly changed with thousands of endemic plant species established across the property, creating shelter belts and habitat for bird and animal life, which returned to the property soon after and continue to do so in increasing numbers each year. 

The vineyard sits on alluvial soils, with fertile loamy topsoil sitting over layers of silt and sand with granite gravel scattered throughout. This sits over deep yellow and grey clay, essentially a composite of the decomposed hillsides surrounding the farm. 

All work in the vineyard is organic and completed by hand. Adriana and Al focus on building healthy soil microbiology by regularly applying compost tea sprays to improve vine health and fruit quality. They have never sprayed herbicide or cultivated under vine, preferring a constant sward to exist so the soil structure is maintained and insects and other organisms can flourish. 

The vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with smaller amounts of Syrah, Viognier and Tempranillo. Adriana and Al live and work on the property, with the winery and house all within meters of the vineyard and integrated with orchards, veggie gardens and native plantings which extend like fingers between the vineyard blocks. 

Winemaking is minimal intervention, focusing on retaining the vitality and purity of fruit they have painstakingly cultivated during the growing season. The fruit is hand-picked in the cool of the morning, processed without any additions and left to undergo natural fermentation using indigenous yeasts. Elevage is generally completed in a combination of well-seasoned oak barriques and stainless tanks. Wines are bottled on site, unfined and unfiltered, with little to no sulphur depending on the wine.

Whilst the estate wines will always be their focus, Adriana and Al also make cracking negociant wines when the opportunity to learn and develop as winemakers presents itself. 

We have been huge fans of Bandicoot Run for a while now and have watched their wines go from strength to strength as Adriana and Al learn more about their site and themselves as vignerons. Everything they put out is super expressive, vibrant and joyful and we are delighted to be able to help get their wines into your hands.