Despite having grown up in Rome and working in hospitality for a number of years, it wasn't until Mattia Cianca was working in Perth that he became interested in wine. The added irony was that he was working in an Italian restaurant, learning about Italian wines, in Australia! Since arriving Down Under he has been on a fast track for sommelier stardom, working at Australia's number one restaurant (Attica), and now with access to one of the most enviable lists in the country (Dinner by Heston). H...
Dec 18, 2017•52 min
Without knowing it Rory Lane was about ten years ahead of the modern era of the Garage Winemaker in Australia with The Story Wines. In 2004, with only a few vintages experience mostly working in wineries in the United States, he took a punt on starting his own wine project, working out of a rented warehouse in suburban Melbourne. Fortunately he was able to purchase some outstanding Grampians fruit, and capture it in a bottle in an elegant expression that almost immediately began to turn heads. H...
Dec 04, 2017•56 min
In a way, Ben Ranken's wine career has come full circle. He grew up on a vineyard in Tumbarumba, a region in New South Wales famed for the quality of its chardonnay. Recently he and his wife purchased the Wilimee Vineyard in Macedon, another cool-climate region ideal for chardonnay. In the intervening years he gained considerable vintage experience in Australia and the northern hemisphere, and since 2007 has been making wine at Galli Estate, an incredible Sunbury-based producer that also has a v...
Nov 20, 2017•49 min
When Marie Doyard says that "Champagne is running through her blood", she's not kidding. Not only was she born in Reims and raised in the region, but her great-grandfather Maurice Doyard was one of the founders of the Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Champagne (C.I.V.C.) during World War II. Her parents brought the Jacquart and Doyard estates together - all based in the Côte des Blancs - and when she took over in 2004 she had some dynamic ideas of how to take Champagne Andre Jacquart into t...
Nov 07, 2017•50 min
Alice Feiring is without question one of the most passionate and controversial voices in wine today, having spent many years delving into her own love of authentic and natural wine. Through countless articles, blog and newsletter pieces, and several books, Alice has carved a path to not only find but also bring to light some of the rarest gems in the wine world. Whilst her opinions are far from universally welcomed, her integrity is hard to question. She joined me via Skype on this episode to ta...
Oct 23, 2017•59 min
Matt Holmes' winemaking career has come full circle. His first short experience as a chief winemaker was at Bannockburn Vineyards, stepping into a role that was vacated just before vintage, but in effect was a caretaker position until the new winemaker was appointed. Following that he gained experience all over the world, before recently returning to Bannockburn to become the permanent chief winemaker. We spoke on this episode about his amazing journey, and what excited him about the new opportu...
Oct 09, 2017•48 min
Having worked in the Yarra Valley and spent plenty of time driving around it, I'm amazed at how geographically large and diverse it is. Mac Forbes has been one of the most important wine producers that has attempted to show how different each part of the region can be. He does this through the medium of grape variety, having released a number of sub-regional wines every vintage since 2004. I was thrilled to sit down with him and hear more about his journey and what led him to take such a serious...
Sep 25, 2017•51 min
Growing up in Ballarat, John Harris graduated from Charles Sturt University with a degree in oenology in 1999, and soon took up a position at Domaine Chandon. Over the next seven years he gained much experience and by the end of his tenure was in charge of sparkling production for the Yarra Valley-based operation. In 2008, along with his wife's extended family, he began the Mitchell Harris brand that would eventually be based in their mutual home town of Ballarat.
Sep 18, 2017•42 min
To suggest that Elaine Chukan Brown has led an incredibly diverse life is a massive understatement. In fact she's lived several of them. Growing up in Alaska taught her an appreciation for the artisanal and the value of hard work, but it is her love of travel and discovery that eventually led to her becoming one of the most sought after voices in the global wine scene. She is probably most famous for pioneering the illustrated tasting note, something that some wineries have asked her to recreate...
Sep 04, 2017•56 min
Becoming the Chief Winemaker for Mount Pleasant Wines - one of the most important and historic vineyard/winery operations in Australia - is no mean feat. Being only the fourth chief winemaker since Maurice O'Shea is even more impressive. With incredible and diverse winemaking experience behind him, Jim Chatto did this a few years ago. He also manage to find time to produce some outstanding wines in Tasmania under the Chatto Wines label, where he has also recently been appointed Chief Winemaker o...
Aug 21, 2017•48 min
Greg Lambrecht discovered an interest in wine while growing up in California, but his passion for discovery began when he studied in Boston and met the woman who would become his wife. Through family and friends he was able to taste and learn while he developed an incredible career in medical technology. During his wife's pregnancy he wanted to enjoy a glass of wine but it seemed a waste to open a bottle as she wasn't drinking. Thus he conceived of a device that could allow someone to drink from...
Jul 26, 2017•1 hr 8 min
To be an institution in the Melbourne wine trade you need to have been around for at least ten years and retain the elements that made you so amazing in the beginning. After 20 years as the owner-operator of Armadale Cellars, Phil Hude is most certainly an institution. He's been in wine retail for 30+ years, and has seen a great many wine trends come and go, and supported several Australian icons since they were young winemakers. Phil and I recorded this episode down in the wine catacomb of Arma...
Jun 12, 2017•51 min
Like so many in the industry, Brian Walsh got into the wine business almost by accident. As a teenager from the McLaren Vale, he was more interested in surfing that wine, but needing a job he took what was intended as a temporary position with Chateau Reynalla. He spent 20 years working in the McLaren Vale before accepting the position of chief winemaker at Yalumba in the Barossa in 1988. After an incredible 26 years he stepped away from full-time winemaking, and now sits on a number of industry...
Apr 10, 2017•48 min
Eliza and Angela Brown were born into Australian Wine History, being fourth-generation members of the Brown Family of Milawa. Their father Peter discovered a particular passion for fortified wines and the Rutherglen region, convincing the rest of the family to purchase All Saints Estate. He bought his siblings out of that part of the business, and focused all his energy into revitalising this historic brand. His untimely passing resulted in his three children taking over the business, and they h...
Feb 06, 2017•53 min
When Kate McIntyre was 10 years old her parents established Moorooduc Estate on the Mornington Peninsula, which is not only one of the first commercial producers but considered one of the best. With only a casual interest in wine herself, it was culture and language that enticed her to travel overseas when she was younger. Upon her return she gained employment in the wine industry in a retail position, taking the opportunity to learn. She soon combined her burgeoning interest in wine with her lo...
Jan 23, 2017•45 min
As a teenager, Fiona Donald sent a letter to Len Evans after reading an article he wrote, asking him how one might enter the wine industry. He encouraged her to study to be a winemaker at the best place in the country at the time; Roseworthy College. Since graduating in 1990 Fiona has worked for some of Australia's most important wine companies in many of Australia's finest regions. Her work since 2009 as the chief winemaker of Seppeltsfield has brought her the most joy and the most acclaim, and...
Dec 12, 2016•43 min
The Brajkovich family emigrated to New Zealand from Croatia in the 1930s, bringing with them some experience growing grapes for wine production. After purchasing property just outside of Auckland in the 1940s, the family tended the vineyard for decades until officially launching the Kumeu River brand in 1986. The winemaker is the eldest son Michael, who has not only taken their wines to a world-class level, but also became New Zealand's first Master of Wine in 1989! Michael was my guest on this ...
Dec 06, 2016•1 hr 1 min
For the past few decades Campbell Mattinson has been carving his own path as a writer and journalist; he has maintained a fierce independence as a freelancer, focusing on the stories he has found most engaging; he grew his fledgling newsletter The Wine Front to become Australia's foremost digital voice on wine; and he has written a number of thought-provoking books on wine, most recently the incredible biography of Maurice O'Shea titled The Wine Hunter. I was very humbled to be able to chat with...
Nov 28, 2016•55 min
Ed Carr is unquestionably Australia's finest sparkling winemaker, but you may not be aware that he has pretty much always had that focus on Australian bubbles. Initially entering the wine industry as a microbiologist (from the milk industry in fact), he found a real interest in the science and process of winemaking. In 1986 he was appointed the sparkling winemaker for Seaview based in the Barossa Valley, where he remained until being offered a position to oversee all sparkling production for BRL...
Nov 22, 2016•52 min
For the past fourteen years, Ashley Ratcliff has worked for arguably Australia's most important family-owned wine business, Hill-Smith Family Vineyards. Over those years he worked in many different elements of the business, from viticulture to marketing, operations to running one of the wineries. More recently he has established a vineyard in the Riverland - considered one of the warm-hot irrigated regions known for large volume grape production - and has been planting more alternative varieties...
Nov 14, 2016•46 min
Growing up in Sydney Ned Goodwin was really into skateboarding, surfing and listening to the band Kiss. Little did he know that an exchange year in Japan at the age of 15 would combine with a global journey in hospitality to him working for a large restaurant group and becoming the first Master of Wine in Japan. On this episode he joined me to talk about his journey, his influences, his love of authentic Australian wine and his recent role as Brand Ambassador for Champagne Charles Heidsieck.
Nov 07, 2016•59 min
Sarah Ahmed left a career in law to pursue a passion for wine, particularly for investigating and reading clues in wine, hence the alias The Wine Detective. After working for many years with wine retailer Oddbins, she became an independent wine communicator and educator, and since 2005 has contributed to some of the worlds foremost publications and reference books, particularly in her renowned fields of Australian and Portuguese wines.
Oct 31, 2016•58 min
Tyson Stelzer should be a name familiar to any wine lover in Australia, as he is one of the most prolific and celebrated wine communicators in the country. A visit to the Barossa Valley in 1998 started him on a trajectory of wine enthusiasm, which he explored both online and in print. Throughout his wine career he has been associated with a number of passions; an affinity with screw-cap closures on red wines; the great Australian blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz; and more recently a close ...
Oct 17, 2016•55 min
Joe Holyman is an incredibly well-respected winemaker based in Tasmania, producing outstanding pinot noir and chardonnay under his Holyman and Stoney Rise labels. The respect he has garnered has not only come from his years of varied experience in many facets of the industry, but also from the fact that he is one of the loveliest guys you're likely to meet. Joe joined me on this episode of Australia's only podcast dedicated to wine, to share his journey and his passion for Tasmania.
Oct 03, 2016•53 min
When you consider at least 50% of wine consumers are women - undoubtedly the largest segment - it seems strange that someone hadn't created a community designed specifically for them! That was until Jane Thomson founded The Fabulous Ladies' Wine Society in 2012, all about the fun and feminity of wine, running wonderful events to enjoy and learn about wine. More recently Jane has become a campaigner for more women in the wine industry, creating the Women in Wine Awards to recognise the significan...
Sep 19, 2016•53 min
Caroline Mooney grew up in the Yarra Valley, very influenced by the wines and other agricultural products of the region. Her family has been farmers for decades and still run the Yarra Valley Dairy. Although inspired by art in her teens, she became more influenced by wine as a young adult, working in a cellar door. This began her journey in winemaking, which has included vintages outside the region and study at Charles Sturt. After working for Yering Station for many years she now has her own br...
Sep 12, 2016•49 min
Growing up in Southern California presented an incredible opportunity to Sierra Reed Milne when she was scouted for a modelling career at a young age, which in turn gave her the chance to travel and experience other cultures. After gaining a following on the 18th season of Survivor, she dreamed of becoming a television travel program host, but couldn't have imagined that it would be realised in New Zealand. It was here that she began her wine journey after working closely with the Family of Twel...
Sep 05, 2016•1 hr 6 min
In the latter half of the 19th Century, there were a number of very important arrivals into the Yarra Valley region, less than 100km east of Melbourne, who happened to be Swiss. These were important viticultural who made a name for Australian wine in Paris and London, winning hearts, palates and medals. One of these pioneering Swiss families was the de Purys, who established Yeringberg in the area now known as Coldstream. My guest on this episode is Guill de Pury, the third-generation owner resp...
Aug 29, 2016•59 min
Sharon Flynn had several periods in her life that influenced what would become her passion and business, but she wasn't aware at the time. The first experience she remembers having an impact on her interest in fermented foods was making sour dough in Seattle. Her dedication to fermented foods really kicked off when her daughter became ill and she researched good bacteria and their influence in building resistances and immunities. When friends and family started asking for her products and insist...
Jul 19, 2016•51 min
Would you believe it if I told you that in spite of being born in New Zealand and having extensive winemaking experience, Sam Connew has never had a vintage across the Tasman Sea! She has however worked in some of Australia's most famous and historic regions, including the McLaren Vale and the Hunter Valley. More recently it has been in Tasmania where she has started carving out her own identity under the Stargazer brand, and she joined me on this episode of The Vincast to talk about how her jou...
Jun 08, 2016•46 min
