About First Foot Forward & the Winemaker

First Foot Forward was born in 2013 from winemaker Martin Siebert’s obsession with wine and a deep connection to the Yarra Valley. What began as an outlet for creative experimentation has steadily evolved into a thoughtful and refined winemaking practice — always with curiosity at its core.

Martin’s approach is driven by a simple but ambitious goal: to craft wines of character, complexity, and elegance that reflect their origin and offer exceptional value. Over the years, access to outstanding vineyards and a deepening of his own craft has shaped the wines into what they are today — expressive, balanced, and quietly distinctive.

“I love the mix of art and science in winemaking,” Martin says. “I learnt the science through my winemaking degree at Charles Sturt University, and the art through hands-on experience with great producers — both overseas and here in the Yarra.”

His winemaking journey includes time at world-renowned estates such as Benjamin Leroux in Burgundy, Pegasus Bay in New Zealand, and respected local wineries including Yarra Yering, Coldstream Hills, and Tokar Estate.

Today, alongside First Foot Forward, Martin is working closely with Dixon Creek Estate, where he’s preparing to relaunch the brand with the wines he made in 2024 — continuing his commitment to thoughtful, site-driven winemaking in the Yarra Valley.

Martin reflects, “Burgundy in particular taught me a huge amount about the importance of the vineyard site and how the wines should speak of where they were grown. Great wines can only be made from great sites, so with First Foot Forward I am sourcing fruit from sites that I think can deliver some of the most interesting wines in the Yarra." Currently, grapes are sourced from Willowlake Vineyards, Tibooburra and LoneStar Creek, all in the cool Upper Yarra.