Peter Gago

Who is Peter Gago?

Peter Gago is a British- Australian winemaker and author, and the current custodian of Penfolds Grange, possibly the best known Australian wine.

He was born in Newcastle, England, where he lived until the age of six before emigrating to Australia, settling in Melbourne. He became a high school teacher of mathematics and chemistry in the early 1980s after graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science. At age twenty-nine, he undertook a Bachelor of Applied Science degree at Roseworthy College, graduating as dux. He started a job with Penfolds Wines in 1989, initially producing sparkling wine before moving on to reds, and eventually being made Penfolds Red Wine Oenologist. In July 2002, at age forty-five, Gago succeeded John Duval as Penfolds Chief Winemaker, becoming only the fourth person to hold the position since Max Schubert was first appointed in 1948. He has been involved with the market promotion of Penfolds wines since the early 1990s, travelling extensively to attend wine shows and conduct tastings and master classes. In 2005, he was named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.