Our Story

PHILOSOPHY

A Heritage of Elegance and Sustainability

Juniper’s outlook combines the tenets of heritage, authenticity and original thinking with a view to producing wines of elegance and sophistication that showcase the best of the Margaret River region. We grow what we make and make what we grow, all from our distinctive vineyards in Wilyabrup and Karridale.

The sites are exciting in their differences, but their farming is united by sustainable and organic practices resulting in the best fruit possible that reflects each vineyard’s idiosyncrasies. The wines we make reflect a combination of their place, vintage and variety, and are expressions of our passion, to be shared and enjoyed in good company.

Our Story

The land on which Juniper stands has its own story. In the 1800s, the road from Busselton to Augusta crossed the Wilyabrup Brook right where our estate now lies. The current vineyard block was formed through a subdivision by the Juniper family- renowned Western Australian artists- whose name we proudly carry. The Juniper Estate vineyard was planted in 1973, making it one of the original sites in Margaret River, alongside pioneers like Vasse Felix, Cape Mentelle, Cullen, Moss Wood and Woodlands.

Juniper was founded in 1998 by the late Roger Hill and his wife, Gillian Anderson, with the vision of producing world class wines.

The passion, ambition and soul of Juniper remains unchanged throughout the years. Wine quality, service and connection hold true as our greatest values.

Crafting Wines with Soul, Precision, and Care

A deep respect for the history of the region, and the pursuit to push boundaries, drives our outlook in creating wines that reflect their time and place. This begins with careful and thorough manual intervention in the vineyard and attentive yet minimal intervention in the winery.

Important to our philosophy is retention of the individuality of each parcel of fruit, with a block-by-block approach to their winemaking. This enables us control in blending, using complementary parcels to preserve the uniqueness and personality of our distinctive Margaret River sites. Oak maturation is used to enhance complexity and contribute to the refinement of the wines.

We craft wines of integrity and quality, but never at the expense of approachability. Whether you're a seasoned collector or simply celebrating a good day, our wines are made to meet you where you are- relatable, expressive, and memorable.

The Team

Gillian Anderson

Owner

Gillian Anderson, together with her husband Roger Hill and their business partner, Viv Booker, started Juniper in 1998.

Following Roger’s death in 2013, Gillian became sole owner of Juniper, continuing with Juniper’s reputation of making fine Margaret River wine.

Gillian is proud to see her son Tom continue in the footsteps of her and Roger.

Tom Hill

CEO

Roger and Gillian’s son Tom, represents the second generation of the Hill family to run Juniper, having taken the reins at the end of 2017.

Tom has the commitment and ambition to continue Roger’s legacy to build an enduring wine business that produces the best possible wines from our own vineyards.

Andrew Bretherton

Head Winemaker

After completing Oenology at the University of Adelaide in 2008, Andrew has worked in Mosel (Germany), Burgundy (France) and Chianti Classico (Italy) as well as Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley and Margaret River. In 2011 Andrew took on a winemaking role at De Bortoli, Yarra Valley with responsibility for the white wine program and in 2017 made the move to Deep Woods Estate as Senior Winemaker to return to his home state and continue to build on the success of Deep Woods.

Andrew was appointed Head Winemaker at Juniper Estate in 2023 and is passionate about working with estate grown wines which showcase our proud history and some of the oldest vines in Margaret River.

Ianto Ward

Viticulturist

Ianto has been a vital part of Juniper since 2008, having previously been employed by locally by AHA Viticulture. He has overall responsibility for the 3 Juniper vineyards and over the past ten years has improved the health of the soil and vines on all the sites, through implementing organic and other sustainable management techniques.

In his own words “I am passionate about sustainable farming and organic practices. Being a father, I understand my small role in leaving a ‘lighter touch’ on the earth and maintain a healthy and biodiverse environment for my children.”

Ianto’s work was recognised in Margaret River in 2019 when he was awarded the Viticultural Excellence Award at the Margaret River Wine Show. His sustained initiatives have also resulted in all three vineyard sites obtaining certification under the Sustainable Winemaking Australia program in late 2022.

Luc Fitzgerald

Winemaker

Luc brings his winemaking skills to good use at Juniper! He works alongside Andy to craft world-class wines, year after year.

Jess Collins

Cellar Door, Wine Club & Events

Originally from the Willamette Valley, Oregon, Jess now calls Margaret River home with her Australian husband Ryan and their young son, Angus. She brings warmth, hospitality, and a deep appreciation for great wine - along with a genuine belief in what Juniper stands for.

Jess is passionate about Wine Club and customer experience and enjoys bringing people closer to the stories behind our wines.

Julie Holmes

Accounts & HR

Meet Julie, our numbers wizard with a heart of gold. Kind, caring, and endlessly thoughtful, they can balance a budget while making you laugh — sometimes at the same time. From taming tricky spreadsheets to offering sage advice (or just a friendly ear), Julie keeps our finances in tip-top shape while making the office a little brighter every day. Who knew accounting could be this much fun?

Blair Poynton

Wholesale Manager

Western Australian born and raised, Blair completed a Commerce Degree and then a Post Graduate Diploma in Oenology. His wine career started with fine wine retail in the UK, before morphing into winemaking with several vintages in Margaret River and several more in Sonoma California. In between he co-founded Jed Wines which produces and imports wines from Argentina for the Australian market. From 2016 to 2021 he was the brand and marketing manager for Old Bridge Cellars in California, a national importer to the massive US market. Here he represented iconic Australian wineries such as Leeuwin, Cullen, Giant Steps, Brokenwood, d’Arenberg plus others from leading regions around Australia and the world.

Blair is a board member of the Margaret River Wine Association.

Daniel Stocker

Higher Plane Vineyard Manager

Passionate about the land and the vines, Dan leads Higher Plane’s vineyard operations with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship. With deep knowledge of viticulture and a commitment to innovative, eco-friendly practices, Dan ensures every grape is nurtured to its fullest potential — producing wines that reflect both the vineyard’s unique terroir and a respect for the environment.

Max Howe

Cellar Door Team Lead

Straight from the UK and now fully converted to the Margaret River lifestyle, Max brings big laughs, bigger energy, and an even bigger love for wine. Whether he’s pouring a silky cabernet or cracking a cheeky joke, Max has a knack for turning every tasting into a gathering you didn’t know you needed — and definitely won’t forget.

Beau Bretherton

Wine Dog

Beau is one lucky Chocolate Lab! Running in vineyards, swimming in the brook and greeting customers. You can easily say he's the luckiest dog in all of Wilyabrup! Beau's dad is the one and only Andy Bretherton, our lovely winemaker.