John Harris, the wine maker and chief glass polisher at Mitchell Harris wines, was born in Hamilton but grew up in Waubra from the age of four and attended high school at Ballarat and Clarendon College. After finishing high school John set his sights on the big city, heading to Melbourne University to undertake an Immunology degree. From early on in his days at University, John developed an interest in wine tasting and making. John took the opportunity during his studies to travel to North Eastern Victoria to work at Brown Brothers winery where his passion for wine making only grew and led him to a degree in Wine Science. Over the years he worked at Mt Avoca Winery and Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley honing his craft, before returning to Ballarat with his growing family in 2007 and taking the leap with his business partners: Craig, Alicia and Shannyn, to develop their own product and open Mitchell Harris Wines in 2011. Though wine making isn’t without its risks and, at times, its failings, John and all of the team have developed wines, and a business, that have made Mitchell Harris a household name in Ballarat.