Our Story
We make quality boutique wines for the fine wine enthusiast.
Learn more below....
Who we are:
Craft vs Science Boutique Wines is a premium small batch winery founded by Stuart Bloomfield in the Barossa Valley. ​
"It has always been my dream to make premium quality wines that I am passionate about and people love to drink."
These delicious wines are meticulously hand crafted from our family's vineyards, with the vision to be shared around the dining table with family and friends.
Our philosophy:
In the winemaking industry there is often a divide between people in their approach or philosophy to making wine. Some are very traditional and artistic in their practices, who are either continuing with methods that have been passed down to them, that they have learnt first-hand or are using a creative flare to push boundaries. While there are others who view modern technology, science and analytics as crucial to making their wines. While both sides can make good wine, we believe a combination of the Craft aspects of winemaking and viticulture along with the Science and modern technology can make something truly special.
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Our history:
Our family were some of the early settlers to come out from Silesia
to settle the Barossa Valley in the 1840’s. They established vineyard on their
homestead, nestled in the foothills of the Barossa Ranges. The cooling air
that descends down the range in the evenings alleviates the summer heat
and produces high quality grapes with intense aromatics and fine tannins.
Having grown grapes on the family estate for 6 generations, they know a thing
or two about quality wine-grape production. If unable to source grapes
from home we will partner with growers who have a like-minded commitment.
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Our commitment to quality :
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" I always make my wines to the highest standard without compromise" - Stuart Bloomfield
We put so much passion and attention into making these wines that we know you are going to love them. That’s why we are happy to guarantee if you are not 100% satisfied, we will provide a replacement or refund. * see T&Cs.
Realising that he wanted to make wine a way of life and not just a career, Stuart took the plunge and sold everything he owned to move to South Australia to learn how to make wine. Enrolled in Australia’s most prestigious winemaking degree at the University of Adelaide, Stuart hit the ground running.
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Here Stuart fell in love for a second time. On the first day of induction Stuart meet his future wife, Jessica Bloomfield (nee Schrapel). 6th Generation Barossan, Jessica grew up on her family’s vineyard and winery in Bethany, Barossa Valley. Engaged after the second year of university and married 2 weeks after their final exams. Stuart and Jessica then started working in the family’s vineyards and winery after graduation. Learning all the tools of the trade from Jessica’s Dad, 5th Generation Viticulturist and Winemaker, Robert Schrapel.
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Our story begins with:
Our winemaker, Stuart Bloomfield, grew up on the coast in Sydney. He fell in love with wine when his brother got him a job at a local bottle shop on the northern beaches of Sydney. While developing his palate drinking the premium wines from around the globe, he quickly progressed to a managerial position.
Realising that there is so much the world has to offer and inspired by seeing the rolling hills
painted with rows of vineyards in Europe, they soon set off overseas as ‘travelling winemakers’
to follow their dreams. The pair completed numerous vintages in the Barossa Valley, as well as
the Hunter Valley, Marlborough (New Zealand), Los Carneros (USA), and Napa Valley (USA).
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One thing that soon became blindingly obvious to the pair was the differences in winemaking and viticulture techniques across the different wineries and countries. Most either had a mindset of being very traditional, relying on knowledge passed down through the generations, or a mindset towards experimentation and innovation. While both mindsets produced wines of great quality, it occurred to the couple that something really special could be developed by using a combination, and the knowledge, of both. Here the seed for Craft vs Science was planted.
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Returning home full of fresh insights, ideas and inspiration they began a plan for the future. They both used their experience to secure winemaking positions at prestigious wineries within the Barossa Valley. Eventually Stuart, feeling the time was right, built up the courage and quit his winemaking role and took the plunge one more time. Craft vs Science Boutique Wines was born. Undaunted by the overwhelming competition, Stuart forged ahead knowing that their family’s unique vineyard site, their meticulous attention to detail and winemaking philosophy would make them stand out from the crowd.
The couple have firmly planted roots in the Barossa Valley. With their first child born on the 30th of November 2021, the couple are planning on raising the 7th generation amongst the vineyards.
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Our commitment to the environment:
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We also feel a responsibility to ensure we create a sustainable business model. In the vineyard we use organic Silica which has been shown to increase water use efficiency in plants improving drought tolerance and also increased disease resistance reducing the need for fungicides - all while increasing colour, aroma and flavour intensity in resulting wines. We have also chosen to use 100% recycled cardboard for our carton packaging along with the lightweight bottle from our glass supplier to aid in reducing our carbon foot print. Our vineyard is also managed with a combination of low-input conventional and organic farming practices, resulting in a very long-term sustainable vineyard. We will continue to focus on, and implement methods, reducing our environmental impact and increasing sustainability.
We are currently redeveloping vineyards with a selection of the best clones of the varieties we wish to grow and grafting them onto carefully selected, high quality winegrape rootstocks. This practice is current best practice for top-tier European vineyards and the rootstocks not only dramatically increase winegrape quality but also confer benefits such as greater drought tolerance and disease/pest resistance, increasing environmental sustainability.
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Meet The Team
Stuart Bloomfield
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Owner, Winemaker and everything in between...
Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology with Honours (First Class)
from the University of Adelaide
Our Winemaker
I was born overseas and grew up in Sydney. After high school I began working in fine wine stores and developed a strong passion for wine.This eventually culminated in moving from Sydney to Adelaide to study a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology. I then traveled overseas with my wife undertaking vintages and eventually settled in the Barossa Valley, South Australia.
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Being engrossed in my wife's family and their way of life in the vineyard, the passion to start my own premium label grew stronger.
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Craft vs Science Boutique Wines is my lifeblood. My love for the industry and my passion for wine is poured into every wine I make. I want consumers to trust they are drinking something special, a labor of love and wines of the utmost quality.
