Former Penfolds chief winemaker Don Ditter dies

Don Ditter, chief winemaker at Australian icon Penfolds and custodian of Penfolds Grange during the ‘70s and ‘80s, has died at home in Sydney aged 89.

Ditter took the helm at Penfolds from the legendary Max Schubert in 1975 and worked as chief winemaker for the company until 1986, though continued to consult for the company long after he retired.

During his tenure, Ditter oversaw the consolidation of Penfolds winemaking and raised the quality of the wine made at the company, including the jewel in its crown, Penfolds Grange.

He also developed a number of lines within Penfolds range, including Koonunga Hill, Magill Estate and special bin bottlings, and revived Bin 707 Cabernet from extinction.

Raised in the Barossa Valley, Ditter began his career as a lab assistant at Penfolds’ Magill Estate in Adelaide in 1942, rising up through the ranks and eventually taking the top job from Schubert in 1975.

Ditter steered Penfolds during a difficult time of ownership changes and tough market conditions and helped bring the company into the pink by the mid-‘80s.

While working for Penfolds, differ implemented a number of key changes to the management of its vineyards, including a creating a system of tracking individual grape lots from across the company’s diverse vineyards sites.

While the custodian of Grange, Ditter developed the wine into to fresher, more fruit-driven style. His last vintage, 1986, is considered one of the greatest Granges of all time.

Penfolds’ current winemaker, Peter Gago, described Ditter as “a gentleman in every sense.” Ditter died on Wednesday.