Valentina Moresco comes from a winegrowing family in Montà, Piedmont, and studied viticulture and oenology in Alba, directly between Piedmont’s star regions of Barolo and Barbaresco. Rather than returning to her ancestral stomping ground after finishing her degree, she headed off to New Zealand, where the winemaking approach differs starkly. “In Italy, especially in Piedmont where I am from, winemakers are deeply rooted in their ways, often reluctant to change,” she says. “However, my craft was refined in New Zealand, where I learned the art of precision in winemaking. This balance – between tradition and technical mastery – defines my approach. I have learned to challenge convention and question long-standing practices.”
Moresco is a rationalist at heart. “I believe there is always a better, or at least a more efficient, way,” she says. “My approach is grounded in chemistry, science, and facts – always striving for improvement, precision, and a deeper understanding of the winemaking process.” The result is a rigorous drive for quality and an impressive work ethic. “I chase perfection in every wine I make,” she says. “I refuse to settle for mediocrity or compromise. I craft wines that I love to drink … this pursuit can be exhausting, but the reward is always worth it.”
She’s found like-minded fellow travellers in the Hunter’s Krinklewood Estate. Moresco points to the estate’s organic and biodynamic certifications – hard work in the humidity and disease pressure of the region – as evidence of their commitment to a shared set of ideals. “Krinklewood has been practicing organic farming since 2005 and became fully certified organic and biodynamic in 2007,” she says. “This approach has had a profound impact on the fruit, enhancing its purity and balance while allowing the vineyard to truly express its unique character. It’s a philosophy that not only nurtures the land but also shapes the wines we craft.”
“Since I came to Australia, I have only worked in the Hunter Valley. The climate here can be demanding, but the challenge is part of what makes it so rewarding.”
It’s not just Krinklewood that suits her philosophy – it’s the region as a whole. “Since I came to Australia, I have only worked in the Hunter Valley, and I never looked back,” she says. “The climate here can be demanding, but the challenge is part of what makes it so rewarding. The Hunter has a deep winemaking heritage – there is the old, the traditional, the ‘we have always done it this way’ – but also a new wave of young winemakers eager to take the best of the past and refine it for the future.” She adds that “There’s a great sense of camaraderie among us, but also a healthy level of competition that drives us to be better. We challenge each other in the best way possible.”
Coming to grips with her new home meant coming to terms with its premier style, Hunter Valley semillon. “Precision is key,” she says of this unique wine. “Coming from a red winemaking background in Italy, I quickly realised that semillon presents a completely different challenge – one with little room for error. All you need to do is hard work in the vineyard, choosing the perfect picking date, getting the chemistry just right, and executing the winemaking with absolute precision and focus – and then you’re done! Nothing is left to chance; you create your own destiny with this wine.”
While Moresco can follow in the footsteps of the Hunter’s giants when making her semillon, she has had to forge her own path with her skin-contact gewürztraminer, Sauvage Orange. It’s taken some time to dial in. “The first attempt involved fermentation in oak, followed by storage in stainless steel, and an early bottling without malo,” she says. “As a result, the wine underwent malo in the bottle, transforming it into something reminiscent of a pét-nat. People loved it, but I knew I could improve it. For the second year, I went completely stainless steel, fermenting and storing the wine that way, again with early bottling and no malo. However, the cooler conditions that year resulted in a very acidic gewürztraminer that didn’t go through malo, making the wine quite zesty and perhaps a bit unbalanced.”
“Semillon presents a completely different challenge. All you need to do is hard work in the vineyard, choosing the perfect picking date, getting the chemistry just right, and executing the winemaking with absolute precision and focus – and then you’re done!”
“This year, I decided to go 100% oak for both fermentation and storage. The wine underwent malo in the barrel, while still maintaining that zippy citrus notes on the back palate. The result was a much more balanced, aromatic, and pleasant wine—something that I’m very proud of,” she says. Moresco adds: “It really highlighted the importance of giving each wine the time and environment it needs to develop its true character.”
Krinklewood’s facilities offer Moresco a stage suited to her talents. She says she’s “fortunate to have a relatively new winery, built in 2016/17, which means we’re working with state-of-the-art equipment – a modern press, temperature-controlled tanks – but still integrating traditional techniques like basket pressing and concrete eggs.” She also has input regarding how Krinklewood’s grapes are grown, “working closely with our vineyard manager, Chris Martin, who ultimately makes the final calls. We have a great synergy when it comes to vineyard decisions, ensuring that every choice supports both the health of the vineyard and the quality of the fruit.” The estate’s owner, Oscar Martin, gives her “complete freedom when it comes to winemaking, letting me do what I do best.” Little wonder she calls it a “dream job”.
“If I reflect on where I was ten years ago, I never imagined I’d be making wine in Australia, embracing sustainability, learning a new language,” Moresco says. “Looking ahead, I see myself working more with Italian varieties in Australia. However, I don’t completely rule out a return to my roots in Italy – though I do recognise how challenging it is to make changes there given the country’s rich, long-established traditions. Working with Italian varieties here allows me the freedom to experiment and create something that is not only close to my heart but also exciting. One of my biggest dreams is to eventually convince [Oscar] to plant nebbiolo or barbera in the Hunter!”
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