Five Minutes with Carla Rodeghiero, Sapling Yard Wines

Who are you?

I’m Carla Rodeghiero, co-owner and winemaker at Sapling Yard. I’m a multi-passionate individual: as well as being a winemaker I also work in pharmaceutical research and I’m passionate about our unique and endangered species. I get joy out of lots of things.

How did Sapling Yard get started?

It’s been a very long journey, starting in my 20s. I first discovered my interest in wine at uni, but I wasn’t confident enough back then to pursue winemaking. Then I moved to London to work as a locum in laboratories and I was working a second job at a wine bar at night. I just couldn’t shake my interest in wine!

So when I came back to Australia I did the winemaking degree at Charles Sturt, and planted my vineyard at Braidwood in 2008. It was quite risky; Braidwood isn’t in the GI (geographical indicator for winemaking regions) and there was only one other vineyard around me. I also did contract vintages in the Hunter Valley and overseas in Oregon: travelling around to learn the craft. In my 30s I decided to row my own boat and start my own label out of my backyard in Bungendore. I started out with two tonnes of fruit … since 2019 co-owner and winemaker Malcom Burdett and I have grown it together: we did 60 tonnes last year.

If you weren’t a winemaker, what would you be doing instead?

I’d love to be a ranger or something, working with endangered species. I used to look after joeys a long time ago and raised about eight. It takes a lot of time – which I don’t have now – but if I had the time I’d like to do wombats next! I support that passion in other ways now: Sapling Yard donates to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy every month.

What is your winemaking philosophy?

Creativity is number one, and I like to use low intervention techniques to let the vineyard speak. You’ve also got to have attention to detail with refining and making sure I’ve got a balanced approach.

What is your best tip for people tasting wine?

First of all make sure you aren’t wearing any perfume, or chewing gum! Smell the wine first, taste it slowly and just immerse yourself in it. Try and think of things it reminds you of.

What’s an underrated Canberra venue that you love?

The Italian Place: they always do amazing gnocchi and they change what they serve with it seasonally. I also love their risotto, it’s one of my favourite things. They’re very authentic too: Chef Francesco is from northern Italy, the same as my family so I think that helps.

Who do you admire in the Canberra food and wine scene?

Andy from Rizla. He’s very focused on wine and good food and matching food with wine. And he’s got other really interesting wines on his list: not everyone always wants to drink Riesling.

Where’s the best place for a drink in Canberra?

I like to go to the Capitol Bar and Grill in QT Hotel. Ash is a fantastic host and they really know their wines there. They are very supportive of Canberra winemakers which is great.

Who is your dream dinner party guest, and what would you make them?

Stephanie Alexander, because she is very in tune with the importance of growing food and understanding how to execute a really good, simple dish.

I’d probably have a go at making her a risotto. I love radicchio risotto, believe it or not. My second cousin in Italy taught it to me: it’s something that people wouldn’t ever think of but it works so well with that combination of creaminess and bitterness.

What’s the best thing you ate this week?

I had a slow cooked lamb rump which was served with diced, fried potatoes, mini roma tomatoes, and peas.

What’s a food that reminds you of your childhood?

Crostoli biscuits. It’s an Italian pastry that my grandma and my mum used to make. You roll out pastry dough really thin and then fry it and put icing sugar on top.

What’s a normal breakfast for you?

Poached egg on toast with butter, that’s it!

When you can’t be bothered to cook for yourself, where do you go and what do you eat?

The Sapling Yard Cellar Door in Bungendore shares a space with Scrumpers Kitchen, so I often go there. Ruth does a really lovely lemon and olive pasta.

Where are you travelling next?

I’m going to France, Italy and Ireland in July next year. I’m going to stay in Beaujolais for a week to check out the vineyards there and taste the wines. My mission is to make the best possible Gamay using carbonic techniques, so I’ll look at how they’re doing that in France. We’re growing our Gamay on bush vines out at the vineyard: they still have a trellis but we’ve pruned it so it looks like a bush. The variety seems to really prefer that type of growth.

Tell me something you love about living in Bungendore?

The quiet, and the friendships I’ve made. It’s a really nice community, with great community spirit.

What TV show are you watching right now?

I’ve been watching Boy Swallows Universe; I really love it. I’ve only got one episode to go. The story is just gut-wrenching: I think there’s a lot of people that grow up and it seems like everything’s against them, and the story is about how they come out of that. It makes you realise how grateful you should be for the simple things, like just having a roof over your head.

An easy one to finish – what’s your go-to coffee order?

A latte: full fat milk and one sugar.

Visit the Sapling Yard cellar door at 23 Malbon St Bungendore or follow Sapling Yard on Instagram.