Nine One Six

In 2008 John Brand and Erin-Marie O’Neill purchased their 8ha property in the Yarra Valley, including 2ha of well-performing vines that had been planted in 1996. One year on, the Black Saturday bushfires destroyed their home and everything in it, as well as part of the vineyard. They rebuilt their lives and home, reinvesting in wine and vineyard alike. Their focus now is on pinot noir alone and in understanding the impact of subtle differences in the soil and subsoil on the wines they produce, vinifying and bottling small segments of the vineyard separately. ‘Each bottle is protected by various mechanisms to ensure product integrity, and serial number validation entitles collectors to future pre-release allocations.’ The brand evolved from 916 to Nine One Six in 2020. -JAMES HALLIDAY