Vintage 2017 has started in the Adelaide Hills so I headed out to the vineyards to make sure my favourite bubbly, the Mordrelle Wines Blanc de Blancs, was being picked to perfection under the demanding eye of my compañero, Martin Moran.

Martin and I played softball on the Hahndorf Men’s team for several years but I could tell that when he was out there in left field his mind wasn’t focussed on catching fly balls. Martin was aspiring to be a winemaker.

He had immigrated to Australia from Mendoza in Argentina’s wine country and had a vision of creating a wine company in the Adelaide Hills which showcased a fusion of Aussie and Argentinian wine styles.

He released his first wine at the best possible venue … his wedding to Michelle, who he met via a salsa dancing club. His sparkling wine was a hit at the wedding and that’s all the encouragement that Martin and his new father-in-law, David, needed to go into production. Mordrelle Wines was born.

Mordrelle is no longer just a sparkling wine producer. Martin now makes a Shiraz, Merlot, Cab Sauv, Chardonnay and ciders and this year is eyeing some Pinot Noir. Somewhere in between he finds time for his day job in agricultural research and his PhD studies in viticulture and his dissertation on delayed pruning.

I found Martin and David out handpicking Chardonnay on a drizzling autumn morning in the Adelaide Hills. When I arrived, Martin handed me some of the Chardonnay grapes and insisted I sample and he raved on and on in an excited Spanish about the acidity. Indeed, the 2017 Mordrelle Blanc de Blancs looked to be off to a great start.