Amber Ochota

Born in the Adelaide Hills surrounded by family, animals and gardens, amber now lives in the Adelaide hills surrounded by family, animals and gardens. 

Having worked as a teacher and youth worker, in outdoor education and schools, her interest in wine didn’t evolve until she met her love Taras Ochota. 

Over the following years, between traveling around the world, they worked at local cellar doors around the hills, planted out acres of vineyards,  while they made their own back yard wine. 

Amber always needed to have children and education in her life though, so while Taras went on to study oenology and work as a wine maker, Amber studied a second degree and continued her work in education and youth work. 

They bought a rundown cottage together in the hills and spent the next decade making it liveable. 

An opportunity to help set up a winery in Europe saw them moving to live in a pink house in Sweden for two and a half years, where amber worked in packaging and in the lab and Taras make wines in Puglia, Italy in the summers. 

A desire to have children with grandparents and the Australian bush nearby, bought them home. A beautiful baby boy and a new rundown cottage and this time more land followed and the back yard wine started to take shape into something more serious and they created their wine label ochota barrels. 

They planted a vineyard, lots of gardens and had another gorgeous baby. They both quit their day jobs and started working for themselves at home with the children. Family, community and friends, more animals and lots of food growing, their dream life evolved. 

When her beloved Taras died in 2020, Amber made the incredibly difficult decision to continue ochota barrels without him. 

Along with managing the business, she homeschools her children, grows food and flowers, accepts any animal in need offered to them and creates fundraising events each year for various passion projects