After growing up in Mildura, Cindy Heley left for university, thinking her future lay elsewhere. A 12-month stint of winery work drew her back to The Murray region, and she never left. Now, she calls Monak home.
Looking for a practical application for her science background, winemaking wasn’t part of her career plans — “I actually wanted to do wine research”. After missing out on a dream role to a researcher with on-the-ground winery experience, she “thought I'd better go off and do my 12 months in the winery and come back [for the] research position”.
Taking a job at a local Mildura winery owned by a large company, “the opportunities were endless… before long, I was in the winemaking department looking after the white winemaking”.
After starting a family, Cindy and her husband Paul decided to start their winery on the property in Monak they had purchased years earlier.
They’ve just finished their fifth vintage under their label, Monak Wine Co , and pride themselves on their small-scale, family-owned approach. “We’re such a small winery in comparison to the rest of our region…we wanted to showcase just how well wines can be made in this region and choose varieties and, harvesting times that really show great expression of the styles that we make here. … We're trying to do something maybe a little bit different.”
That something different includes a focus on sustainability. Monak Wine Co’s vineyards, and those of their local growers, don’t hold the typical chardonnay, shiraz, and cabernet sauvignon the Murray Darling wine region is known for, but instead grow alternatives well-suited to the area.
Cindy and Paul established a cellar door to welcome visitors a little over two years ago. When they sank shipping containers into the earth for a temperature-controlled barrel maturation area, the rustic charm ensured it ended up as a space for tastings and events. The unique setup is a drawcard, but their personal touch and day-to-day involvement set them apart for visitors.
While she’s now the winemaker she never intended to be, it’s clear the wine researcher is still there beneath the surface. Cindy talks in depth about the versatile varieties grown on their property — Mataro, touriga nacional and viognier — along with those from other local growers utilised in their wines.
Cindy’s passion for The Murray region extends beyond the ideal growing conditions.
“We love being on the river…I think we all like it for different reasons. I really love it for the peacefulness of it, my husband is very much an outdoorsy type, and my kids love it for the recreation. So they love skiing, they love swimming.” Nearby national parks are a family favourite, but she also speaks to the people of The Murray.
With “lots of favourite spots” and a tight-knit community to welcome her, coming home to the region was the right choice for Cindy.
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This is the third blog in our Mates of The Murray series, and we’ll be introducing you to three more of our mates over the coming weeks. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to discover more of The Murray, or subscribe to our emails and get the latest straight to your inbox.
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