Former Penfolds chief winemaker Donovan Ditter was among eight people awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia at the Queen's Birthday Honours recently for his services to the wine industry.
The 82-year-old was Penfolds' chief winemaker from 1973 to 1986 and since his retirement has been a wine educator and consultant for Penfolds.
He says his career path was set after growing up in the Barossa Valley.
"In the Barossa when I finished my schooling I was interested in chemistry, and the only places that had laboratories were wineries back then," Mr Ditter said.
Starting as a laboratory assistant at the Magill winery in Adelaide in December 1942, Mr Ditter became fascinated by wine, eventually serving as the company's second chief winemaker, after Max Schubert stepped down.
"Max Schubert - he's the guy that started off the development of Grange Hermitage," Mr Ditter said.
"It is a great wine, so distinctive in its own makeup, and it lives so long.
"It is amazing just how strong that wine is and how well it matures.
"That is one of the great things about it, and it has become recognised around the world as one of the great wines of the world."
He was proud to follow principles of wine-making and wine maturation set down by Mr Schubert.
Mr Ditter said he was honoured by the medal.
"I thought, what an honour this is," he said. "I feel really thrilled; it is something very special."
* Extract from the latest issue GrapeGrowers & Vignerons magazine.