Meet the Winemaker
Meet Matt Wenk
Smidge is led by winemaker Matt Wenk — thoughtful, experienced, and quietly uncompromising in the pursuit of wines with clarity, depth and character.
Matt has spent more than 30 years making wine across Australia and overseas. Before founding Smidge, he was the founding winemaker at Two Hands Wines, where he helped build one of Australia’s most recognised modern wine stories. During that time, wines under his care appeared in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 for 10 consecutive years.
At Smidge, the scale is smaller, the work is closer, and the decisions are personal. Every wine is made with the same simple aim: it must be something worth opening, worth sharing, and worth remembering.
Why Matt matters
A hands-on winery by design
Smidge was not built as a brand first. It was built around the wine.
Matt and Trish created Smidge as a first-generation winery with a clear point of view: small-batch wines, made with care, with quality decisions kept close to home. That means hands-on work across the full process — from vineyard decisions through to blending, bottling and final release.
The result is a winery that feels personal because it is personal. Nothing is made to fill space. Each release has to earn its place.
What guides the wines
Matt’s approach has always been grounded in balance, site expression and drinkability.
That does not mean simple wines. It means wines with shape, freshness and detail. Wines that speak clearly. Wines that make sense at the table.
At Smidge, the focus is on making wines with:
- purity of fruit
- structure without heaviness
- texture and line
- the capacity to age, but the generosity to enjoy now
This is not winemaking for effect. It is winemaking for meaning.
Why people start with Smidge
If you are new to Smidge, the best place to begin is with a small, guided selection.
The Start Here 3-Pack has been chosen to give a clear introduction to the range: one white, one Cabernet and one Shiraz, showing freshness, structure and depth. It is the simplest way to understand what Smidge stands for.
If you would rather experience the wines in person, you can also book a tasting at the winery in McLaren Vale.
Taste with more confidence at home
Matt has also put together a short guide to help people notice more in the glass without making wine feel complicated.
If you would like a more confident way to taste wine at home, start with 7 Tips to Taste Like a Winemaker.
From our table to yours
Smidge is a small winery with a long view.
The wines are made with care, the scale stays deliberate, and the purpose remains the same: to make bottles with substance, honesty and pleasure.
If you are ready to begin, start with the pack Matt recommends first.