At 230 meters above sea level, the Steels Gate Home Block Vineyard was established in the late 1970s on an undulating hillside with friable grey loam soils.
Blackberries had taken over the land when it was bought in 2009 by husbands Matthew Davis and Brad Atkins, and the vines needed a lot of care. The goal was to restore the vines to their former splendor after they had been utilized to produce award-winning wines in the past. The Steels Gate winery was founded and is still housed at this location. The vines on the King Lake National Park-adjacent block are split 50:50 between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and they are entirely hand-tended and unirrigated.
In 2017, Matthew and Brad made the decision that they needed to grow their company and leave the corporate sector. They bought a wonderful vineyard with a restaurant and cellar door in Dixons Creek in the early part of 2018 after exhausting all other options.
With the addition of more Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines, more Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, as well as a small number of Cabernet Franc and Merlot vines, this new acquisition increased the size of their estate (now used in their single barrel range).
Matthew and Brad had planned to operate a cellar door serving “cafe”-style food, but when the demand for high-quality food increased, they unexpectedly found themselves in the position of being restaurateurs for the first time.
Matthew Davis & Brad Atkins the Founders of Steels Gate Wines
Co-Directors and Owners of Steels Gate Wines The production of their wine is under the management of Matthew Davis and Brad Atkins. The two are proud to call themselves Vignerons, farming their own fruit, producing the Steels Gate wine, and selling it. They have over 15 years of leadership and managerial expertise in the wine sector.
For the two “blocks” that make up Steels Gate Wine estates, Matthew is in charge of the viticulture, with Brad’s assistance during crucial times of the year. While Matthew is on call to provide assistance as needed, Brad is in charge of the Steels Gate Restaurant and Cellar Door at their Dixons Creek vineyard.
The two partners then collaborate year-round in the winery to create Steels Gate Wines.
If you are in Williamstown, Victoria 3016, and looking for a winery tour to Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, this is the best way to visit us.
Winery Tour Yarra Valley
Unit 201/98 River Esplanade
Docklands, VIC 3008
(03) 7042 3201