PERTH - Key Persons

Duncan Harris grew up in Tasmania's Tamar Valley, graduating from the Launceston Matriculation College and then studying in Melbourne at RMIT. In the 17 years in Melbourne, Duncan built motorcycle engine prototypes, qualified as a patternmaker and won several awards. After finishing a Bachelor of Engineering at RMIT, he transferred to Perth in 1993. While working at an automotive research facility he bought the Swan Valley property at Baskerville in 1998. While working full-time, as an engineer, he spent every spare moment building the dream of a vineyard and natural wine-making facilities in the Swan Valley. Duncan Harris started his Swan Valley winery journey in 1998, working on sustainable and organic principles. Part of Duncan's organic wine mission involved reducing investment in his single vineyard. Duncan's red and white wines are grown by not using artificial additives and chemicals. Reducing investment is at the core of Harris Organic's single vineyard management philosophy; he likes slow food, the organic production process is vital to the health of the body and the environment. Vertical intergration assists in producing his fine wines and brandy spirits that are all certified organic. With Duncan's brandy spirit production of organic brandy he uses minimal artificial fossil fuel energy. For example he uses a wood fired pot still and has an underground cellar for natural cool wine storage.

Harris Swan Valley distillery produces a range of organic brandy based spirits in a traditional pot still called Rotunda; Duncan Harris the organic distiller and winemaker makes these organic Brandy and Pisco from the organic grapes grown on the certified organic property in Perth. He makes a traditional organic Pisco from white wine and a soft brandy too.