Passionate about all things wine, Geoff ‘Joffa’ Thompson took the plunge in his late 20’s to change career and follow his dream of becoming a winemaker. Having completed winemaking studies and patiently working his way to Chief Winemaker at a large company, Joffa and his family took the leap in 2013 to launch their own wine business. Their goal was always to create their own brand.

After a full distillation and brand build process, Grounded Cru was born. With McLaren Vale at their heart and winemaking home, their passion for the Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek wine regions brings alive this complimentary trinity of neighbouring regions within their range of small batch handcrafted wines. He aspires to create wines of balance, texture, nuance and great character, to be shared with the Cru.

Growing up in wine obsessed McLaren Vale it was only natural that Matt ‘Jacko’ Jackman developed a strong passion for wine and looked to carve a career out of it. An Oenology graduate from the University of Adelaide, Jacko sought vintage experience here and overseas in Burgundy, France and Oregon, USA before returning to McLaren Vale – the home of the Cru. He continues to work closely with Joffa as he has done since the brand’s inception to craft the wines from grape to bottle. The enthusiasm and experience he brings is invaluable in helping to create our range of wines that we really believe has something for everyone!