Shaw + Smith began over a long lunch in 1989 when cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith decided to realize a long held dream to make wine together.

Martin Shaw is a winemaker and worked with Brian Croser at Petaluma prior to setting up the 'Flying Winemakers'. Michael Hill Smith became the first Australian to pass the rigorous Master of Wine examination in London and is an international wine judge and consultant. This collective experience and passion for wine ensures that their Sauvignon Blanc, single vineyard Chardonnay, cool climate Shiraz and more recently small batches of Riesling and Pinot Noir are consistently good.

Shaw + Smith's 42 hectare M3 Vineyard at Woodside was planted in 1994 and takes its name from the owners. This vineyard consistently produces outstanding Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with great concentration and fruit purity, grapes are handpicked and the soils are sandy loam over red-yellow clay with some shale.

In 1999 Shaw + Smith bought a picturesque property between Balhannah and Hahndorf. In 2000 the winery was built and Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Riesling were planted. Shaw and Smith believe that sound environmental practices make sense. Their aim is to respect the soil, cut water use, recycle, and cut energy and greenhouse emissions.