A hurricane, a fire and a twister couldn’t stop Wendy Heaney and Bruce Preston. Photo: Camilla Myers
By Camilla Myers
I REALISED last week that I’ve been visiting The Gurdies Winery from my friend Liz’s property opposite for the past 30 years. I was reflecting on its evolution because I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening of the huge, beautiful new wine-making shed last Friday.
What a party! Over 200 people joined the celebration, the music poured forth from the excellent Wing-it Brothers, and of course the wine flowed. There were tables of people in the shed and many more outside enjoying the glorious view over Western Port and French Island.
Presiding over it all were Wendy Heaney and Bruce Preston, looking after everyone with their characteristic grace, generosity and serenity.
I REALISED last week that I’ve been visiting The Gurdies Winery from my friend Liz’s property opposite for the past 30 years. I was reflecting on its evolution because I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening of the huge, beautiful new wine-making shed last Friday.
What a party! Over 200 people joined the celebration, the music poured forth from the excellent Wing-it Brothers, and of course the wine flowed. There were tables of people in the shed and many more outside enjoying the glorious view over Western Port and French Island.
Presiding over it all were Wendy Heaney and Bruce Preston, looking after everyone with their characteristic grace, generosity and serenity.
Looking at them that night you would never guess the hurdles they have had to overcome. The summers since they took over have been cool and grey, making ripening the reds difficult and reducing the yield. Nothing too unusual in that for winemakers, but over the past 12 months the weather gods have thrown everything at them.
In February 2024, as the grapes were ripening, a hurricane hit the vineyard tearing the nets off the vines and bringing down trees. Nets and vines were shredded and the support posts and wires were flattened, requiring weeks of painstaking work rebuilding supports, reattaching the vines to the supports, buying new nets and getting them back on before the birds guzzled the whole crop.
In February 2024, as the grapes were ripening, a hurricane hit the vineyard tearing the nets off the vines and bringing down trees. Nets and vines were shredded and the support posts and wires were flattened, requiring weeks of painstaking work rebuilding supports, reattaching the vines to the supports, buying new nets and getting them back on before the birds guzzled the whole crop.
In December, just as the 2025 crop of grapes were beginning to expand, fire hit The Gurdies. Within 30 minutes, the fire had moved from its start near the old sand mine to the Gurdies-St Helier Road abutting the winery. Bruce and Wendy’s first thoughts were for their neighbours, welcoming them in to the relatively safe area around the winery and their home. They made sure the CFA had access to the water in the dam below the vines.
Then they watched as the fire burned down Jade Road towards the winery. They saw their fences and two sheds burned – one with all the new nets and one containing hay for their cattle on the adjoining property.
Thankfully all the other buildings, most of the vines and their cattle survived unscathed. The firies did an extraordinary job saving the winery and vineyard and all the homes in the area.
Then they watched as the fire burned down Jade Road towards the winery. They saw their fences and two sheds burned – one with all the new nets and one containing hay for their cattle on the adjoining property.
Thankfully all the other buildings, most of the vines and their cattle survived unscathed. The firies did an extraordinary job saving the winery and vineyard and all the homes in the area.
Jade Lane, the road to the winery, the day after the fire.
Looking at the devastated forest, the fire scars across the paddocks, and the burnt trees in the various gardens and along the roads, I don’t know how they did it. During the celebration on Friday night Bruce and Wendy provided two enormous meat trays for a raffle that raised $1200 for the CFA.
The mini twister and the dancing nets In January they purchased new nets to put over the vines for the current crop but their troubles were not over. A day before the anniversary of the hurricane of 2024, a mini twister hit the small Heaston Estate block of riesling just below their house. It twisted the nets up and off the vines. They danced in the air before dropping on and around the olive trees. The nets were so entangled they later had to be cut off, and one tree had to cut down. More new nets ….
The winery has always been a welcoming place to visit, but since Wendy and Bruce took over in 2020 they’ve transformed both the cellar door and the outdoor picnic area to create an open and generous space for many more people to enjoy the wines, the view and the company. Bruce, a builder, has done many of the renovations himself, reusing old materials and adding his own idiosyncratic touches to create a unique hospitality setting, a gathering place for the local community as well as visitors.
What really struck me at the grand opening was the atmosphere of friendliness and the wide range of people enjoying themselves: from all walks of life, old locals, new locals, local CFA volunteers, customers old and new, young and old alike.
In the midst of them were Bruce and Wendy smiling, chatting and welcoming everyone. Their resilience and commitment to their winery and to the wider community is remarkable. With their new wine-maker, Ernie, and the brand-new facilities now ready for the 2025 vintage, my fingers are crossed that this season the weather gods are smiling on them.
The winery has always been a welcoming place to visit, but since Wendy and Bruce took over in 2020 they’ve transformed both the cellar door and the outdoor picnic area to create an open and generous space for many more people to enjoy the wines, the view and the company. Bruce, a builder, has done many of the renovations himself, reusing old materials and adding his own idiosyncratic touches to create a unique hospitality setting, a gathering place for the local community as well as visitors.
What really struck me at the grand opening was the atmosphere of friendliness and the wide range of people enjoying themselves: from all walks of life, old locals, new locals, local CFA volunteers, customers old and new, young and old alike.
In the midst of them were Bruce and Wendy smiling, chatting and welcoming everyone. Their resilience and commitment to their winery and to the wider community is remarkable. With their new wine-maker, Ernie, and the brand-new facilities now ready for the 2025 vintage, my fingers are crossed that this season the weather gods are smiling on them.