Owner/Winemaker Tony Lacy's first introduction into the world of wine was in London in 1990 over a bottle of '65 Pinot Noir from Burgundy. The experience created an epic journey into European lifestyle, winemaking, sustainable environmental and community projects...

In 1991 in search of 'terroir' he moved to France to discover what makes the vineyards, vignerons and wines of the Rhone Valley and Condrieu so unique. After two years in Europe and eager to study winemaking, he left to live back in Australia in continential Melbourne. In 1993 he purchased his first hand basket press from a neighbour in Brunswick and the passion for a rural lifestyle & winemaking returned. Understanding more about Europeon vineyards than Australian vineyards, he set his sights on the warm climate of Rutherglen to try and simulate  his experience of life in southern France... 

In 1994 Tony secured a position in Rutherglen as an assistant winemaker for Mt Prior Vineyard and studied wine science by correspondance. In 1996 he was promoted to winemaker and vineyard manager, won 2 gold medals in the Rutherglen Wine Show open classes, against the industrial wineries and another Gold and Trophy for his 1998 Merlot in the 1999 Cowra Wine Show. The warm to hot climate of Rutherglen was "no place for fine wines", so he then set his sights toward the hills of Beechworth and purchased a vineyard site 9kms from the township of Beechworth in Victoria's North East Valleys. The first plantings of vines were in 2002, with the first harvest of shiraz and viognier grapes expected in 2014, all great things take time...

The release of his own Yengari label was in the Spring of 2005. The fruit for this label is currently sourced from boutique family owned vineyards from premium wine regions that represent 'terroir'. The Yengari wine label is now divided into three tiers, the Yengari Reserve, Yengari Single Vineyard and Yengari Organic. The other labels are Garden Street, Green Ant and a Cellar Door preservative free range. 

Yengari's projects have now broadened to tropical Australia around Kakadu National Park, where Tony's wife Trish works as a Kakadu Park Ranger. Tony, with his wine science background is currently setting up a business model that supports the growing of indigenous bushfood plants within specific communities for commercial food production (bushfood research.pdf). This new range of bushfoods aims to create opportunities for local indigenous employment, new indigenous food brands and provide product for our own Green Ant brand.

Yengari also proudly supports Injalak Indigenous Arts and Crafts through exhibitions at our Victorian Cellar Door.