Adrian Riccioni knows a thing or two about wine. And unlike most lawyers whose involvement in things viticultural doesn't extend past enjoying a crisp sauvignon blanc at the end of the day, Riccioni has carved out a successful legal career in Victoria's most famous wine region.

As a member of the International Wine Lawyers Association, Accredited Business Law Specialist and a partner at Riccioni & Greenwood Lawyers (R&G) in the town of Lilydale, Victoria, Riccioni seized upon his long-held interest in wine - and Lilydale's strategic position as gateway to the Yarra Valley - to secure and build a niche practice in wine law.

"I come from an Italian background, so I have very fond memories of getting together with my family to make wine [in the backyard]. There were some good vintages, but also some pretty ordinary ones too," laughs Riccioni. "So I had an interest in wine ... but I didn't see that it was going to be a career choice, so I studied law instead ... now I have the best of both worlds."

While wine law only makes up about ten per cent of R&G's practice, which otherwise consists mostly of family, property and commercial law in Lilydale and Carlton, it is certainly an aspect of the practice which has, like a good wine, matured over the years.

"I started off with one client, and from that one client I developed a practice through word of mouth," says Riccioni.

"The industry has gone from a very fast growth phase during the 90s, where everyone was planting and establishing new vineyards and wineries, to a more mature stage." That stage now sees the Yarra Valley home to a wide gamut of industry players, from big business right down to family and individually run operations, who all share the same dream: to create and produce quality wine. And it's an industry which continues to thrive, with several new wine labels appearing in Australia every day despite numerous challenges thrown up in recent times.

For R&G, however, it is during the challenging times that the firm's expertise - especially in relation to distribution, export, intellectual property, contracts and licensing - is all the more in demand.

"Because of the global financial crisis, the excess of grapes and wine ... and [increasing] imports from New Zealand, South America and South Africa, the Australian wine industry is really ensuring that it does things correctly," says Riccioni.

And the challenges for winegrowers in the Yarra Valley are continuing, with an outbreak of Phylloxera, residual effects from 2009's devastating bushfires, enduring drought and stringent new liquor licensing laws just a few of the issues keeping R&G busy.

But in good times and bad, R&G prioritises providing support to the local wine industry - by sponsoring events and providing pro bono services - and sees the industry as an area in which they can greatly contribute. "We have a philosophy that we are a community-based firm, we've been here for many years, and we have to put back into the community," says Riccioni.

And, luckily for the people of the Yarra Valley, Adrian Riccioni knows a thing or two about wine.

- Claire Chaffey