By Ian Neubauer
Sir Peter Derham, one of the founders of the Mornington Peninsula wine region, passed away this week. He was 83.
Derham became involved in the trade late in life, when in 1989 he established the Red Hill Estate on land facing Western Port Bay that he had owned for nearly 20 years.
Red Hill was one of the largest wineries in the region in its infant years and has grown to become one of its most iconic. It is known for producing core cool climate varietals of Pinot Noir, Charonnay and Pinot Gris, as well as the region’s first Sparkling wine.
In 1993 Derham went on to establish the multi award-winning restaurant Max’s with Max Paganoni on Red Hill Estate.
However, Derham is probably best remembered for his efforts to help lobbyists achieve Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) relief from the former Liberal Government in 2004. Designed to compensate for the onset of the GST, it delivered a 29 per cent tax break that is said to have saved many Australian wineries from extinction.
TheShout offers its condolences to the family and friends of Sir Peter: activist, storyteller and winemaking legend.