About the Winemakers
Rebecca Milne + Aaron Onegin-Ward | Grape Pirates
What happens when a city-slicker hairdresser with a thing for fermentation meets a well-traveled Kiwi winemaker with a taste for adventure? Aaron Onegin-Ward swapped scissors for secateurs after 11 years in the salon, chasing his love of growing, making, and drinking great wine after completing his viticulture studies. Rebecca (Bex) Milne’s wine journey has taken her from Riesling obsession in Germany to Pinot perfection in Oregon before landing in Orange in 2018. The two met working at a cellar door, bonded over wine, and started joking about taking over an abandoned vineyard. Fast forward to today, we have Grape Pirates, a beloved label here at Famelia.
Grape Pirates is the kind of accidental genius we love. Aaron and Bex spent years dreaming (and joking) about running a vineyard before finally making it a reality in 2022. They craft small-batch, minimal-intervention wines from high-altitude vineyards, making sure every bottle reflects the fruit, the land, and a little bit of their rebellious streak. Unfined, unfiltered, and a little unconventional, we love every drop!
