Michel Marie

Michel and Marie Nehme married in 1969 and migrated to Australia, ultimately moving to the Riverina to bring up their children, including daughter Julie. In the 1980s, after the De Bortoli success of Noble One in 1982, the family decided to only grow botrytis semillon from the 21ha vineyard, selling the grapes until 2013. Michel took great delight in being named the King of Rot but tragedy loomed when he developed pancreatic cancer. With bittersweet timing, the ’15 and ’16 vintages of the Botrytis Semillon made for them by friend and neighbour Sam Brewer (of Yarran Wines) both won gold medals at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards ’18, the ’16 emerging with the trophy. One week after Julie Nehme came back home with the trophy, her father succumbed to cancer. De Bortoli won a silver medal at the same show. Both the ’15 and ’16 are for sale online, with the ’13 museum stock in small quantity and not for sale. Exports to China. -JAMES HALLIDAY