Ken and Gwen Sloan

The Mistletoe Winery motto, “Quality without Compromise” has motivated Ken & Gwen since establishing Mistletoe in 1989.

This care and attention to detail that is rigorously followed at every stage of wine production,from the vineyard to the bottle,has earned Mistletoe the appreciation and support of thousands of wine lovers.

Justifiably proud on their continued 5 star ranking with James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion, both Ken & Gwen continually strive to produce premium wines from their beautifully maintained vineyard as well as from grapes supplied by a like minded group of dedicated grape growers.

Keen supporters of local artists, they not only host the Pokolbin Art Gallery & Sculpture Garden at their premises, but have also sponsored an acquisitive sculpture award with a substantial prize.

Mistletoe has received literally hundreds of awards and accolades since it was established by  Ken and Gwen in 1989.

Each award is testament to their ceaseless hard work and support of their family and dedicated Mistletoe team!

MISTLETOE GIRLS.

Mistletoe Winery – Three Generations of our family to Welcome you!

When visiting Mistletoe it will be than likely that you will be looked after by  one of the Mistletoe Family members.
Ken and Gwen, the founders of Mistletoe,work in the cellar door most days.
They are assisted by daughter Cassandra (aka The Golden Child) and son Robert, and recently by granddaughter Jessica.

 

The youngest granddaughter, Natane , who is 15, acts in a supervisory capacity and keeps everyone else in line!

During the school holidays,Natane entertains visiting  children so parents can enjoy their wine-tasting in peace.  It was Natane’s idea to provide this service.
Sometimes we have even had parents end up waiting for the kids who don’t want to leave as they are having too much fun with Natane.

She takes them to feed the fish in the dam, a tour of the sculptures,provides drawing and colouring-in ,ball games, and, if the kids are very good she rewards them with a lollipop or ice block* when they are leaving. * subject to parental approval.

THE WINERY TEAM.

Mistletoe is not just a Cellar door, it is a genuine grape-growing and winemaking enterprise with all wine being made onsite in Mistletoe’s modern purpose built winery.

The word “Cellar” historically means “ a winery” with the words Cellar Door meaning that you could literally buy wine at the winery direct from the “Cellar Door”

In recent times this real meaning of Cellar Door has been bastardised and is now freely applied to all sorts of wine businesses some of which have neither a vineyard, nor a winery, or in some cases, neither of these.

It is our belief that Hunter Wine Country visitors come to the Hunter to meet and engage with people who are actually hands on grape-growers and winemakers, not to visit bottle shops.

Our winemaker, Scott Stephens heads up the winery team and has had a long and distinguished winemaking career having spent over 20 years in the Hunter Valley.

Scott has worked with McWilliams Mount Pleasant, Tower Estate, Capercaillie , Mount View etc. and has been responsible for some absolutely fantastic Hunter wines.

As well as being a winemaker, Scott is a hands on viticulturist and, as such, has a great knowledge and understanding of the grape-growing cycle and vineyard maintenance.

Scott is ably assisted in the winery by Ken and Gwen’s son Robert,their granddaughter Jessica as well as Ken pitching in to do whatever is necessary at vintage time.

Robert also takes great pride in the pruning and maintenance of the vineyard, which now mature, produces consistently high quality grapes on an annual basis.

It is a small but hard working crew used to long hot days and nights with a whole lot of fun thrown in.

Mistletoe celebrates its 30th year in 2019 and also its 27th Vintage.

The knowledge accumulated by our team over the years shows in the quality of the wines that wear the Mistletoe brand.

If the grapes,or wine, don’t meet our standards we cut our losses and don’t proceed any further.

It has taken us a long time to earn and enjoy the reputation our wines attract and we will not jeopardise that in any way by producing an inferior product.