Geoff Merrill has continued to gain national and international recognition for his distinctive style of winemaking and his zest for life.Geoff established Stratmer Vineyards in 1980, and has vineyards in three of Australia's classic viticultural regions, 'Pimpala Vineyard' in McLaren Vale, 'Graymoor Vineyard' in Coonawarra and the 'Pogue Vineyard' in the Goulburn Valley. The individual growing conditions of each site affords the unique opportunity of being able to blend wines highlighting the best of what each region has to offer.The Geoff Merrill winemaking philosophy has been and always will be, to make wine that allows regional, varietal and vintage expression, without excessive winemaker intervention.

Raised on a sheep station in the far north of South Australia, Geoff Merrill moved with his family to the Barossa Valley in 1964 at the age of 11, where his connection to wine first began. At 17, he joined B Seppelt & Son, completing a four-year winemaking traineeship before heading to South Africa in 1974 to work as an Experimental Winemaker with Stellenbosch Farmers Winery. He later travelled through Europe, further developing his winemaking experience.
Returning to Australia in 1975, Geoff joined Chateau Reynella as Assistant Winemaker and was promoted to Senior Winemaker just two years later. During this period, he began producing wines under his own Geoff Merrill label, releasing a 1980 Cabernet and 1981 Semillon. In 1985, he purchased and restored the Mount Hurtle Winery, leaving Hardys in 1988 to focus fully on establishing his own winemaking venture.