Hither & Yon’s Juliette, Yan and Malcom couldn’t have come from more diverse backgrounds. But at their winery base in South Australia’s stunning McLaren Vale, they’re turning their shared passion for wine into some of the country’s natural wonders.
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Would you mind giving a short introduction of yourself for the folks across Australia?
Yan: My name is Yan, I come from Yunnan - south part of China. I joined in Hither & Yon team since 2017, currently working as Brand Manager for Asia.
Juliette: My name is Juliette, I have been the Cellar Door, Media and Tourism Manager at Hither & Yon in Willunga for the past 2.5 years.
Malcom: Hi, my name is Malcolm Leask (Mal’s fine) from beautiful McLaren Vale, on the coast south of Adelaide. Each day I wake up here, and grow. Look after our soil and people, work hard and smile all the time doing it. I'm married with two young boys, Abel and Eli, and our wee terrier, Tam. We live the good life.
What does it mean to be Australian to you?
Yan: Friends call me Chaussie (well Chinese Aussie), I'm proud to have some of my mates' accents rub off on me. I don’t like the cold, I reckon Australia has the best sunshine in the world. It’s an awesome place, if you want some action, there are heaps of outdoor activities and events happening. If you want to seek the silence, yes it’s a perfect quiet place to stay.
Juliette: I am actually French, so not Aussie just yet but it means a lot of things to me to be Australian. Firstly, it's about being chill and enjoying life: going to the beach after work, drinking great beers and wines, hosting barbies - all of the good stuff! It's also about remembering the preciousness of rain and cooler weather - I've grown up in the Mountain and had never experienced drought before coming here. I think that working in a farming environment made me realise this even more but water is such a precious resource and is crucial in our work, and to the survival of a lot of flora and fauna in the country. Finally, being Australian probably means going a little more with the flow compared to French people. Even if I appreciate the quiet political life here, I do miss the occasional protests!
Malcom: Wild and free, proud of who we are right now, but focussed on future, particularly improving our culture and environment. Lucky, for sure, but respectful and happy.
Tell us about your wine? How is it made, how do you source the materials? What makes you guys a bit different from the rest?
Yan: When everyone was talking about Australian Shiraz and Cab Sauv, I was immediately attracted by the diversity of Hither & Yon. You will find a lot alternative varieties which originate from Italy, Span, France, Portugal and Argentine in Hither & Yon. A lot more fun! Apart from that, Mal and Richard are real makers, they put hands dirty, goes many steps further on sustainable wine growing. They are forward thinking.
Malcom: Guided by intuition and land first, care and creativity abounds. We have a regenerative farming philosophy, all about a positive footprint. Our style is hands off, follow nature and vineyard and fruit expression. Our wines are pretty simple, tension releasing and go down easy for how scarce they are. Real makers.
What is your goal in what you do or what is the message you hope to get out?
Yan: I want to keep travelling, as a Brand Ambassador, bringing Hither & Yon wines and its individuality to more countries and cities. Looking for partners who are passionate, who love nature, health and art.
Malcom: We don’t want to be fashionable, we just want to see what is possible. Rooted in the love for our earth and need to contribute beyond the wine we make. We don’t do things for attention, just use our knowledge and endurance to keep growing and being better.
Who are some local heroes or brands that inspire you?
Yan: Let’s not only talk about F&B. I quite like a local brand – Leatherworks. They have a tiny shop in Adelaide Arcade. Family owned, handmade, good quality and nice people.
Malcom: My Dad and Brother are heroes of mine, gentlemen farmers and giving back to our team and town all of the time, not seeking plaudits or writing their own stories. Yan and Juliette who work for Hither & Yon inspire me every day, we come from such different places and passions, but we are making memories here and wines for sharing, being healthy and having fun.
Juliette: I definitely need to give a shoutout to our neighbours and now friends from the de Rose Kitchen café next door to our cellar door. Mandy and Dan de Rose bought the place a year and a half ago and have done an amazing job at improving the life of the local community, as well as making our days nicer with great coffees, laughs and chats.
I also love the guys behind a few iconic venues: Nola, The Stag Public House, Yiasou George and Anchovy Bandit - a group of young, talented and motivated people who offer a very high quality of night life and food. Definitely inspiring!
What are some of your favourite bars and restaurants in your city?
Yan: I might have same answer to Juliette’s. I will say Hellbound wine bar, La Buvette, Udaberri, 2KW and S2 on Flinders.
Juliette: Favourite bars: Hellbound Wine Bar, La Buvette Drinkey, Nola, Mr Goodbar, Bank St Social. Favourite restaurants: Nido bar Pasta, Yiasou George, Osteria Oggi, Golden Boy, ShoSho, Peel St
Malcom: So many in Adelaide, we are blessed with fresh produce, artisan makers and talented people. Just a couple from last week, Hellbound Wine Bar and Africola Restaurant. We love hosting people and showing them the best of what we do.
If you had to pick the signature late night had a few cocktails meal from SA what would it be?
Yan: There’s quite a lot but I give you one - Noi restaurant down to Fullarton. I have an Asian stomach, I like the Vietnamese fusion style with chilli, lemon and herbs. It’s perfect for fresh cocktails or a bottle of chilled rosé.
Juliette: It would probably be Hellbound Wine Bar because of their amazing selection of Wines and their delicious treats - if you ever go there, you need to get their Tahini & Date butter plate, it's like heaven in your mouth.
Malcom: Nola’s spicy fried chicken and an Orkney Islands single malt is my kind of thing late night.
What’s your go-to Hither & Yon and CAPI Cocktail?
Yan: Rose on Rosé is my favourite. I quite often make it at home welcoming friends or even just for myself! No one can deny that it looks beautiful and tastes super yummy.
Juliette: It's the Red Wine Mule! Love this one in Summer especially, it's a great cocktail that's refreshing, fairly light and super easy to drink on a hot day.
