Andrew Pirie, who featured in a News item just last week with his departure from Pipers Brook, the company he founded, has suddenly appeared again as the new chief executive of Parker Coonawarra Estate, where he starts next week. Pirie’s new role at Parker is to oversee the day-to-day management of the business, its viticulture, winemaking and brand management. Until around two years ago Parker’s wine was made by Chris Cameron at Pepper Tree in the Hunter Valley, which was sold around nine months ago by James Fairfax, who still retains a 50% stake in the Parker company. The winemaking shifted to Balnaves in Coonawarra, where Peter Bissell gradually assumed more control in its making, especially after Chris Cameron left Pepper Tree. Andrew Pirie is happy to continue with the Balnaves team looking after the hands-on winemaking operations and viticulture under his direction, since over several years he has developed and maintained strong relationships with Peter Bissell and the Balnaves family.
