Victorian Alps Winery - Gapsted Wines - Our People

Our People

Shayne Cunningham – Chief Winemaker (Owner)

Few winemakers have impacted on the Australian wine industry more than the Victorian Alps Winery Managing Director, Shayne Cunningham.  In an era where Australia is exporting wine and winemaking expertise, Shayne Cunningham has gone against the trend and the Australian wine industry is richer for the experience.  Shayne’s affinity for the King Valley and Alpine Valleys regions began when he sourced grapes from the area to produce an award-winning 1992 King Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for Miranda. In 1995 he took the next step of entering a viticultural partnership with three King Valley growers.  In 1996 he left Miranda with a clear focus -- to have a winery of his own in the King Valley region.  Together with the three King Valley growers with whom Shayne had the viticultural partnership and an additional grape grower from Buffalo Valley, Shayne formed the Victorian Alps Winery.

John Cavedon - Viticulturist (Owner)

One of the founders of the Victorian Alps Winery and company partner, John also wears the hat of Viticulturist.  John is responsible for working with all of our growers in the King Valley and Alpine Valleys, ensuring the grapes are picked at the premium time and cropped at the optimal amount per acre.

Michael Cope Williams – Winemaker Gapsted Wines

In 1999 award winning winemaker Michael Cope-Williams joined the Victorian Alps Winery. Michael is the Winemaker responsible for Gapsted Wines.  He has a wealth of experience gained from working vintages in the Napa and Oregon in the USA, Champagne and Burgundy in France as well as seventeen vintages in Australia including the Hunter Valley, Clare Valley, Macedon and the Pyrenees in Australia. Michael has also consulted to over 30 wineries since graduating from Roseworthy in 1987.

Glenn Phelps – General Manager - Sales and Marketing

Glenn joined the Victorian Alps Winery in 2012.

Toni Pla Bou- Winemaker

2010 saw the arrival of Toni Pla Bou. Toni studied winemaking at Charles Sturt University and he also has an honours degree in Philosophy and French. Toni brings with him vast experience from working in the Swan Valley, Yarra Valley and the Riverina winemaking regions. Along with this he also has worked vintage in Tasmania and as a flying winemaker in France in the regions of of Rousillon, Corsica, Gaillac and Corbieres.

 Daniela Neumann- Winemaker

Our newest addition to the winemaking team. Daniela is a Chilean winemaker. Daniela studied at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile - Agronomist Engineer with a Major in fruit Production and a Major in Oenology and Viticulture. Her work history started with 4 years as winemaker at San Pedro Winery, Altair Winery in Chile (joint venture with Chateau Dassault in France). Then moved to New Zealand and worked for 4 years learning about cool climate wines, once moving to Australia in 2008 she has worked in the Yarra Valley, Hunter Valley and has now joined our team at Gapsted.