MR. BARVAL's Rob Gherardi
Rob Gherardi, AKA Mr Barval, is one of the few people who truly follow their dreams. He worked at Moss Wood for 4 Years and at Cullen’s for 3 - and then fell heavily for the Barolo region in Piedmont. He now shares his year between making wine in the Margaret River region and hosting guided wine tours
in Piedmont. (See below.)
He has built a cult following for his wines.
Our customers love them.
“… I was mighty impressed with the wines at a recent tasting. There is a purity and delicacy here, combined with lovely mouth feel and texture.”
Ray Jordan, Saturday Magazine 15th September 2018
Saturday, June 20th
Hosted by Rob Gherardi, Owner & Winemaker
Masterclass: 3-5pm, 10 Wines with nibbles, $85
Dinner: 7pm, 10 Wines & 4 Courses, $160
So, who is MR. BARVAL?
HE IS MARGARET RIVER | BAROLO | VALTELLINA
"All incredible areas of natural beauty, all with a history and tradition of fine winemaking and all with a strong influence upon me and the fine wines that I craft."
- Robert Gherardi
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As a child, I vividly remember the excitement of waking before sunrise to pick grapes with my family - three generations of Italians, cousins and extended relatives - whether in the Swan Valley or a world away in Margaret River. Back at my nonna’s suburban backyard, we’d process the fruit, often three tonnes over three weekends, before gathering for a feast. It’s a tradition my family continues to this day.
Initially, I pursued degrees in Marine Science and Biotechnology, but a part-time job at a local wine store changed everything. Industry tastings, generous staff discounts and endless opportunities to explore great wines opened my eyes to the world of wine. By 27, I took the plunge, leaving my original career path to study Oenology and Viticulture.
My first industry role was with the esteemed Moss Wood in Margaret River, one of Australia’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon producers. What started as a summer job in the vineyard led to a full-time role as Assistant Winemaker and Viticulturist. Eager to expand my knowledge, I moved to Brown Hill Estate for the 2009 vintage before joining the prestigious Cullen Wines, where I embraced biodynamic viticulture and traditional fine-winemaking techniques under the guidance of the inspirational Vanya Cullen.
My time at Cullen opened doors internationally, leading me to Elio Altare in Barolo, Italy, for my first overseas vintage. I spent four years working alongside Elio, gaining invaluable experience in traditional ‘old world’ viticulture and winemaking. In 2014, I joined Conterno Fantino in Monforte d’Alba, further deepening my appreciation for these time-honoured techniques.
Eventually, the pull to craft my own wines became undeniable. Armed with the knowledge and experiences gathered across Australia and Italy, I returned home to bring my vision to life.
Welcome to my world of wine - I hope you enjoy every bottle as much as I’ve loved making them.
Salute, Rob.
(Source: mrbarval.com)
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Robert Gherardi was born with wine in his blood, as a small boy going
to Margaret River to pick grapes with three generations of his extended
Italian family. The grapes were taken to his grandmother's suburban
backyard to begin the fermentation, followed by a big lunch or dinner to
celebrate the arrival of the new vintage-to-be.
Nonetheless, his first
degree was in marine science and biotechnology; while completing the
course he worked in an independent wine store in Perth. Having tasted
his way around the world in the bottle, and aged 25, he enrolled in the
full oenology and viticulture degree.
This led to employment at Moss Wood
for four years, then Brown Hill Estate as assistant winemaker, and finally
to Cullen for three years.
Vanya Cullen encouraged him to travel to Barolo
and work with Elio Altare for three harvests over a five-year period. This
included moving to Barolo with his wife and children to experience the
full four seasons of viticulture and winemaking. He returns to Italy
each year for his boutique travel business, with customised tours of
Barolo, Valtellina and further north.
And so he arrived at the name
for his winery: Margaret River, Barolo and Valtellina.
The Wine List & Menu
1st Course
2025 Prima Alba [New Release]
Prima Alba, meaning ‘First Sunrise’ in Italian. Hand harvested fruit, gentle whole bunch basket pressing, wild fermented in old French oak barriques with 3 months on light yeast lees and 9 months in barrels in total leads to a unique expression of this variety. A bone dry-medium weight with lifted tropical aromas with a slice of herbaceousness around the edge, fresh mineral acidity and a hint of texture to balance the palate. This wine treads an intriguing line between light delicacy and profound complexity and is bottles unfined and unfiltered and a harmless sediment may remain.
Robert Gherardi, Winemaker Notes
2025 Mistral [New Release]
79% Viognier | 21% Marsanne 13.4% Alc. Production: 3256 bottles (screw cap)
Think elegant floral perfume, ripe stone fruit and sweet spice notes abound. This wine also displays a wonderful texture with balance and fresh acidity. This wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and a harmless sediment may remain. This wine is inspired by the white wine blends of the Northern Rhone Valley in France. Originating in Switzerland, the Rhone river flows west towards Lyon before turning south down the Rhone Valley to the Mediterranean coast. The strong, cool wind known as the 'Mistral' blows down the Rhone Valley from the Alps and has a profound impact upon all of the agriculture in the valley, viticulture being no exception. This is the inspiration behind the name of the wine. Perhaps the most famous of the Rhone white varieties is Viognier (pron. Vio-n-yay). The bronze tinted, thick skinned, hardy white grapes typically produce a medium weight, dry wine with characteristic bright floral and apricot notes. This is often blended with either or both of Marsanne and Roussane, to produce a vibrant, complex, floral wine, capable of being enjoyed in its youth as well as to be cellared and enjoyed with several years of bottle evolution.
Robert Gherardi, Winemaker Notes
Shark Bay whiting, tempura, lemon
2nd Course
2025 Chardonnay
2023 Chardonnay Riserva
Salmon, walnut tarrator, fraiche
3rd Course
2023 Nebbiolo Riserva [New Release]
Gnocchi, roasted mushrooms, curd
4th Course
2023 Cabernet Malbec
2024 Cabernet Malbec (new release)
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva
2023 Lirica
Angus a la minute, pepercorn butter, leafy greens
Espresso, jam tart