Our Family

Taylors Wines are known as Wakefield Wines in the northern hemisphere due to trademark restrictions.

“Our roots run deep in the Australian wine industry, with our family’s commitment to crafting fine wine spanning four decades and three generations. For us making great wine is all about family. Family defines our approach to winemaking and to our business. As custodians of my father and grandfather’s vision, our decisions are made with our eyes firmly fixed upon the future and our long-term goal to make wines that will stand the test of time and that the next generation will be proud of."

- Mitchell Taylor

There are four family members actively involved:

Mitchell Taylor
Managing Director and Winemaker

Following in the footsteps of his father, Bill Taylor, and grandfather, Bill Snr, Mitchell oversees the running of the Wakefield business – and still plays an important role in crafting quality wines.

Having worked at the Taylor family winery since the 1980’s, Mitchell joined the family business (officially) in 1988. Twelve years later, in 2000, he was appointed Managing Director – following proudly in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

Mitchell’s passion for winemaking has seen him work across all facets of the business – everything from export sales to finance. And of course, winemaking. Mitchell completed vintages as a winemaker from 1989 through to 1997. Today, his role sees him covering all aspects of the business. But it’s his love of great wine that ensures he continues to maintain a hands-on role at the winery.

Mitchell is a proud advocate of not only his family’s wine but of the Australian wine industry as a whole. Mitchell is the current Chairman of Australia’s First Families of Wine, a Director of the Winemakers Federation of Australia and Liquor Merchants Association of Australia Ltd, as well as the Chairman of the National Wine Foundation. Mitchell strives to ensure Australia’s wine industry continues to build on its already impressive reputation.

Justin Taylor
Company Director, US Business Development

Justin oversees the business from across the Atlantic – representing the Taylor family wine business in the important foreign markets of the USA and Canada.

Justin joined the company in 1996, before becoming National Sales Manager three years later. In 2008, he undertook an exciting and challenging new role – setting up the Wakefield US office in Atlanta to further develop export growth. Justin knows the hallmarks of a truly great wine, and is instrumental in ensuring more and more people across the globe enjoy the timeless craft of Wakefield wine.

Clinton Taylor
Company Director, Project Manager (Sales & Production)

The youngest of the Taylor brothers, Clinton is responsible for a wide variety of important projects within the business.

Clinton joined the business in 1995. Today, as – Project Manager of Sales and Production, he oversees a number of elements of the business, including Key Account Management, Risk Management and Winery Development, as well as chairing the Environmental Committee. And with an active role in the wine-making during vintage each year, his involvement is invaluable.

Bill Taylor
Chairman

For decades, Bill Taylor’s desire to create wines in keeping with the finest vintages of the great ‘old world’ wineries has made him the cornerstone of the Wakefield philosophy.

It was a 1966 Chateau Mouton Rothschild that inspired Bill to make the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia – and what led him, his father and brother to purchase the land the Wakefield vineyard still sits on.

His unceasing devotion has ensured that his vision – a marriage of old world craft and new world innovation – has become the vision of his children as well. Having helped nurture the family business for over three decades, Bill still remains a fundamental force – not only as Chairman, but as a steadfast inspiration for the quality of winemaking at Wakefield.