(Forbes) - Regarded as one of the world’s finest wines, Penfolds Bin 95 Grange also serves as the iconic wine of Australia. Collectors pay impressive sums (upwards of $850 for a recent vintage) for this exquisite Australian Shiraz. However, unlike most of the world’s ultra-premium wine labels that only change hands in the rarified air of the one percent, Penfolds also makes pop and pour entry-level wines to be enjoyed every day. Indeed, the winery produces roughly 40 different wines annually which gives you a sense of the impressive amount of work for their Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and his team. Whether you are spending $12 or $450 on a bottle, you are opening a wine from a winery with a deep bench of serious winemaking talent and more than 170 years of winemaking heritage. Consider this: Bin 95 Grange is a heritage wine protected by the National Trust of South Australia; it’s practically a national treasure. Given Penfolds’ storied history, global stature and worldwide acclaim, it’s easy to appreciate the cummulative sum of pressures that Mr. Gago feels each year.

Certainly the steady stream of award-winning, high-point-scoring wines has earned him the right to walk with some swagger. Yet, he’s the most humble of winemakers. When I met up with him at a recent tasting event I had to navigate capacity crowds of collectors and enthusiasts all wanting a chance to talk about wine with him. Compact and fit, with a head of dark curly hair and an engaging manner, Gago is humble and self-effacing, quick to share all of the credit and quick to own his shortcomings—I liked him instantly.