Photography by Mark Roper for Shaun Gibson in his workshop, for Rossi Boots.

"For decades, the coopers at Yalumba have built bespoke barrels that seed distinctive flavour profiles for their premium reds, whites and fortifieds. Utilising predominately handcrafted mastery blended with modern methods, head cooper, Shaun Gibson, is a rare breed in Australia’s wine industry. He practices one of the oldest surviving trades in the world, deftly applying an elemental combination of fire and water to toast and shape the wood"