Meet The Team
Jane says she and Claire have survived the Eight at the Gate Wines journey thus far because they share passion, resolve, and the ability to cope with chaos.
Passion; Jane says you wouldn’t enter this business if you weren’t passionate about the land. If you’re seeking a fast or secure return on investment, it’s not the wisest idea to put your money into growing grapes and making wine.
Resolve; Not everybody has the DNA for seeing through the highs and lows of living on the land whilst raising a young family. To survive, you need to share resolve with everybody involved to make things work, no matter what.
Touch of chaos; With so many family, staff, and friends helping at the vineyard, Jane says it’s not uncommon to be feeding 20+ people after a hard day’s work. The main fare consists of pot meals like curries and spaghetti bolognese, with roast lamb also common given the sisters’ property is also a Black Suffolk sheep stud.
Eight at the Gate Wines are produced by
Claire Davies
Vigneron
Tom Davies
Vineyard manager
Grace
Hospitality worker at the local pub and the Naracoorte Caves and drives a tractor when needed
Anna
School student, tractor driver and vineyard hand
Prue
School student, livestock and wire management
Sam
School student, livestock and wire management
Jane Richards
Wine producer, marketing, sales and export.
Emma
Studying to be a primary school teacher, helps out with social media, event sales and general farm duties
Jack
Studying to be an electrician, vineyard hand, deliveries and event sales
Meg
School student, social content, vineyard hand and organising anything
Max
School student, livestock and wire management
Peter Douglas
Winemaker with decades of experience to bring to the team
Jill Harvey (Mum) and Pam Venus (her sister)
Vine training team, guardians of nursery (plants and children), equally at home in vineyard or kitchen
Richard Venus (Pam’s husband)
Vineyard hand and designer of marketing collateral, graphic designer and photographer
Darryl Harvey (Dad)
Water consultant, farming and livestock consultant (taught Jane and Claire how to look after land and water), drives a tractor (a lot)
Adam
Mechanical genius and vineyard hand
Ben
Event sales and deliveries
Next time you drink an Eight at the Gate wine, please raise your glass to the many, many people who've all had a hand in producing your fine drop from Wrattonbully, South Australia.
