From flute to ferment: Medhurst’s Rohan Smith on changing careers, making rosé, and the art of picking.

About this episode

Rohan Smith discusses his journey from classical music to winemaking, emphasizing the importance of grape picking and the intricacies of producing rosé at Medhurst.

In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast , host Anna Webster sits down with Rohan Smith , Chief Winemaker at Medhurst in the Yarra Valley , to talk about his unconventional path into wine, what it really takes to “speed-run” a winemaking career, and why the single most important decision in the winery happens before the grapes even arrive: picking . Rohan shares how a classical music background shaped his approach to interpretation and craft, then gets practical on vineyard and cellar decisions, from diurnal shift differences between Yarra and Mornington, to building pinot noir and chardonnay blends through repeated classification tastings. He also breaks down the detail work behind Medhurst’s signature rosé , including press extraction choices, ferment temperature, and juice turbidity targets. Along the way, you’ll hear about sustainability certification work, wine show judging (including Rohan’s role at Melbourne Royal ), the value of regional wine shows for the community, and what’s ahead for the 2026 Yarra Valley vintage . The Halliday Wine Companion Podcast is hosted by Halliday editor Anna Webster.   Medhurst…

People in this episode

Host: Anna Webster

Guest: Rohan Smith

Topics covered

• winemaking
• career change
• sustainability
• wine tasting
• rosé production

Keywords

• Yarra Valley
• pinot noir
• chardonnay
• fermentation
• wine show judging

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Medhurst rosé

Places: the Yarra Valley, Yarra, Mornington, Yarra Valley, Yarra

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