The Drayton family confirmed the loss of the family patriarch with a short social media statement on Sunday. 

Born and raised in Pokolbin, Mr Drayton was a fourth generation vigneron, working in the family business since leaving school in 1946. 

Max took over the running of family company W. Drayton and Sons in 1989 alongside three of his four sons: John, Greg and Trevor. 

Trevor was tragically killed in 2008 in a workplace explosion at the Drayton’s family winery. 

Max was honoured consistently for his contributions to the wine industry.

This included being named an inaugural Hunter Valley wine Legend in 2007, as well as being awarded a 2003 Order of Australia medal and a 2001 Centenary Medal for services to local industry and community. 

Fellow Hunter wine family man, Bruce Tyrrell of Tyrrell’s Wines, paid tribute to a man he called a “living legend”. 

“It’s a great loss for all of us, it leaves a hole in the district,” Mr Tyrrell said. 

The managing director of Tyrrell’s Wines said there were few who knew Hunter vineyards as intimately as Mr Drayton. 

“He’d seen all the seasons come and go. Even now, we were still learning from him,” he said. 

“He wasn’t a living legend for no reason.”