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Bob Shields was born in Chatswood, educated Chatswood High and University of Sydney, BScAg 1972, where he majored in Plant Biochemistry and Microbiology. Bob spent two years as Research Assistant/Biochemist, Gastroenterology RPAH, and Clinical Pharmacology at St Vincent's.
Bob Joined Leo Buring Tanunda (part of Lindemans) in 1973 as Chief Chemist, and was then at Burings from 1973 to 1979. Bob developed palate skills with Mos Kaesler, John Hancock, and in Company tastings with Laffer, Vickery, Stockhausen, Chan, etc.
Having done most of the wine and viticulture subjects at Wagga by correspondence without graduating, Bob went to Lindemans in Karadoc in 1979 as Laboratory Manager. From 1984 to 1988 Bob was Production Manager at Karadoc, then from 1998 to 1990 he undertook the position of Research, Development and Quality Manager for Lindemans, again based at Karadoc.
The latter part of the 80's was a great time to be at Lindemans, the management team of which Bob was part met monthly in the various Lindeman locations. Always linking tastings, vineyard inspections, plus talks from Marketing, Finance etc. to these meetings, Karadoc began producing large volumes of varietal table wines for brands like Bin 65.
Bob started travelling, with trips to USA (a month with Miller Brewing) and Europe and left Lindemans 30 June, 1990, the day before Penfolds took charge. Bob then established a consulting business, and joined Peter McLaren (a major client) full time at Alambie Wines as Winemaker General Manager in 1991. Alambie grew the Salisbury and Milburn Park brands during Bob's time there, and these were good solid value for money table wines made with innovative winemaking techniques.
Under Bob's guidance, Alambie won the trophy in Melbourne twice for the best Victorian vintage Dry White with Chardonnay. Bob travelled extensively in his years with Alambie, and was able to fully develop his sense of wine style and appreciation of the quality of wine possible from this area and how this quality sits in the international perspective. With selected fruit and winemaking attention to detail, world class wines can be consistently produced at world competitive prices from Murray Darling fruit. Alambie became the listed Australian Premium Wines and was bought by Cranswick in 1999. Bob had commenced discussions with Zilzie prior to this, and finally joined Zilzie in August 1999 where he has consistently produced and bottled the very success that is Zilzie Wines is today.
"Whilst small in stature, Bob Shields has made wines that are huge in quality. A long association with Bob has shown us a winemaker that consistently produces wines that far exceed their price points in terms of delivering flavour. Winemakers are like painters, some are house painters, others are artists. Bob is without question a master."
Tom Wisiniewski - Rutherglen Wine & Spirits |
