Praeter

About Praeter

Matt Large is a busy man, but at the core of his pursuit is his own brand, Praeter, the name of which is a nod to the idea that wine is an extension and amplification of the expression of nature.

Matt is an intuitive winemaker, always seeking to create precise and sensitive wines that clearly express a sense of place, while employing best-practice sustainable viticulture. This talent was recognised early in his career and led to a relatively rapid ascension through the winemaking ranks. Having previously worked as Assistant Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Shadowfax Winery – across their Macedon Ranges sites – Matt has recently complete a stint as senior winemaker at Shaw + Smith and Tolpuddle Vineyard under Adam Wadewitz.

He’s now fully focused on elevating his own Australian label.

For a long time, Matt had a desire to work in Piedmont and grasp the intricacies of the vineyards, as well as learn the traditional techniques of Barolo and Barbaresco. Enter Peter Johns, who introduced Matt to ex-Bruno Giacosa winemaker Francesco Versio in 2017, creating a watershed moment in the development of the Praeter brand. Matt worked vintage with Francesco in 2017 at Figli Luigi Oddero in La Morra and was asked to take on a permanent Assistant Vintage Winemaker role – a position he still holds today. Using fruit from Luigi Oddero’s vineyards, Matt also made his first wine there, the 2017 Vino Rosso.

We saw the release of his first set of Italian wines in 2020 with his 2018 Langhe Nebbiolo, a DOC wine from an adventurous young Aussie winemaker.

Sadly, the 2023 marks the final release of his Italian duo.