How We Started

In 2012, an opportunity arose to acquire an established vineyard in the prestigious Eastbrook sub-region of Pemberton — a site already recognised as one of Western Australia’s premier cool-climate wine estates, first planted in the mid-1990s. John and Evdokia Klepec saw not just a property, but a future — and embraced the chance to become stewards of this exceptional land.

Now known as Thella Estate, the vineyard became the foundation of the Below&Above wine label, with our first vintage produced in 2013 under the guidance of acclaimed winemaker Bruce Dukes. In 2017, the Below&Above name was born — a reflection of our passion for both fine wine and truffles, and our belief that what grows beneath the ground is just as important as what grows above it.

Expanding the Dream

In 2014, John and Evdokia expanded their vision with the acquisition of a second property in Smithbrook, just a short distance from the vineyard. Traditionally known as Walkalwararup by its Indigenous custodians, the land holds deep cultural significance — meaning "the place where the Dreamtime water serpent came from the earth."

The property’s naturally abundant, low-salinity water — flowing from an underground spring — made it ideally suited for establishing a world-class truffle orchard. Today, this site is home to one of Australia’s largest truffières, where we cultivate black winter truffles (Tuber melanosporum) using sustainable and regenerative methods, just outside Manjimup in Western Australia’s Southern Forests.