Leighton Joy
Australia
Leighton's Wines
- Australia
- 10 wines
- 5 styles
Young chap taking over the family vineyard and turning the produce into amazing wines
- Leighton’s eyes were opened to the idea of winemaking when he started working in his father's sultana vineyard. In 1999, his father and uncle went on to establish Pyren vineyard in the beautiful Victorian Pyrenees (now a critically acclaimed winery), and his winemaking journey began.
- Before long, Leighton had racked up crates of experience and multiple medals - including the Western Victoria Wine Challenge trophy for Best Shiraz and Best Wine. But running a small business is never plain sailing and in 2015, Pyren hit a rough spot that threatened to close its doors.
- Getting Naked changed everything for Leighton as thousands of Angels came to the rescue and tripled his wine sales overnight. Today, he continues to craft single-vineyard drops from the family’s precious vines, pouring endless amounts of honesty and integrity into each bottle. And in 2020 it earned him a spot on the Top 50 Young Guns of Wine list.
Vineyard Location
Leighton Joy's Story
Leighton's interest in winemaking can be traced back to a single point in time.
The day that, aged 10, he reported for his first day of work at his father's vineyard, to be exact! It was a pivotal moment for this Victoria-based winemaker. His love for wines only increased over the years as he became a cellar hand in Melbourne and eventually enrolled in a bachelor of Viticulture.
But it hasn't always been smooth sailing.
When we met Leighton in 2015, he was following that same passion, thriving on planning the next vintage and anticipating every step of the harvest. With an adventurous spirit and a desire to create single-vineyard drops that reflect the essence of where they were grown, his family wines would have been showstoppers... if only Australia could get their hands on them.
That's where a community of Angels stepped in.
With 1,000 cases of his wine finding a home at Naked HQ, Angels made quick work of the new arrivals, tripling Leighton's family sales and effectively saving their vineyard from trouble.
He's stayed busy ever since, gathering multiple awards and that coveted Top 50 Young Gun of Wine title. All while revelling in the newfound freedom and security that comes from being backed by one of the most supportive communities around!
