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Late last year I had the pleasure of speaking with Pipa Nielson who gave an exciting and colourful introduction to the Western Australian region of Geographe wine region. Following that first course in Geographe education, Pipa arranged a second: a conversation with wine rockstar, Kim Horton, of Willow Bridge Estate.

After growing up in the Swan Valley, Kim has made wine across multiple regions in WA, and in this conversation I get to ask him what makes Geographe, and the broader WA wine scene, so very special. Kim’s story is also fascinating, with early aspirations in the finance sector… aspirations that took a remarkably different turn.

What follows is a deep dive into a young region that’s still defining itself. We talk about the diversity of Geographe, from coastal plains to the elevated Ferguson Valley, and how that translates into a wide spectrum of wine styles.

This is a conversation about people and craft. Kim shares what it’s really like to be a winemaker: the highs, the setbacks, and the reality of building a career in an industry that’s anything but predictable.

This is Geographe, through the eyes of someone living and shaping it.

A huge thanks to Kim Horton for joining.

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To borrow from Monty Python: now for something completely different.

This episode steps away from the usual B2B conversations and industry stories, and into something I don’t usually focus on… wine tasting.

When a mystery box of wine appeared on my doorstep, filled with a collection of genuinely exotic and intriguing bottles, I did what anyone would do: I tracked down the sender. That trail led me to none other than the talented, guitar-shredding, wine-slinging Marc Malouf of iHeart Wine, and a very generous supporter and benefactor.

So I thought, why not lean into it?

In this episode, we put the usual format to one side and let Marc guide us through a flavour-filled journey across a lineup of wines that are as diverse as they are exciting.

For those who are interested, the lineup includes:

• A fun 2020 Nebbiolo blend from the Muraje label in Piedmont;
• A 2024 Vermentino from La Magia in Tuscany;
• The 2022 Definitus Pinot Noir from Tapanappa’s Foggy Hill Vineyard in the Fleurieu Peninsula;
• A 2023 Mas Jullien rosé from France’s Languedoc region;
• A 2023 Clos Marie Manon, also from the Languedoc region;
• And finally, a Blanc de Blancs from Boll & Cie in Champagne.

Along the way, we’re joined by a special guest, my brother-in-law Mac, bringing a fresh perspective as a passionate foodie discovering these wines in real time, whenever I let him get a word in. Yes, I know I can yap.

I hope you enjoy this different style chit chat, and a massive thanks to Marc and Mac for joining me.

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The Hunter Valley occupies a special place in the story of Australian wine. It is, in many ways, the spiritual birthplace of the industry - a region where generations of families have wrestled with the climate, the soil, and the vagaries of the market to produce wines of remarkable character.

My guest today, Garth Eather, represents one of those families.

Garth is the co-founder of Meerea Park Wines, a winery he established with his brother Reese in 1991. But the Eather family story in Australia goes back much further than that, all the way to the arrival of the Second Fleet in 1790, and more than two centuries of agricultural history in what would eventually become the Hunter Valley wine region.

In this conversation, Garth shares that remarkable family history, from convict beginnings to grape growing, and eventually to building one of the Hunter Valley’s most respected small wineries. We also talk about what it really takes to survive as a small producer today: the reality of direct-to-consumer sales, the challenges facing regional tourism, and why some of the best wines the Hunter Valley has ever produced are being made right now, even as the market becomes harder than ever.

Along the way, we dive into the character of the Hunter Valley itself, its legendary Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz, its fiercely site-specific vineyards, and the deep sense of history that still shapes the region today. You cannot help but hear the pride Garth has for the Hunter and its stories, and this is reflected through their wines. We talk through three of their releases and we discuss what I describe as the bold strategy underpinning the Etherial (sorry for the pun) Stratos Chardonnay.

This is a conversation about wine, certainly, but also about family, resilience, and the stories that define a place - because that is really what wine is all about.

A huge thanks to Garth for joining me.

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Australian wine once rode a remarkable wave of success in the United States — built on strong personalities, passionate importers, and wines that connected with everyday drinkers. Today, the picture is more complicated.

In this episode, I sit down with Chuuuuck Hayward, a 40-year veteran of the American wine trade to unpack what’s really happening on the ground in the US. We revisit, the rise of Australian wine in the US, the role boutique importers played in building the category, and why the loss of ambassadors, changing distribution networks, and shifting market priorities may now be reshaping its future.

We also dive into some tough questions:
Have everyday wine drinkers been forgotten? What happens when distribution keeps changing? And how should Australia position itself in a crowded US market?

This is a candid conversation about the challenges, the history, and the opportunities ahead for Australian wine. A huge thanks to Chuck for joining me.

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Phil Conway embraced adventure and the unknown when he moved from Ireland to Melbourne in Australia. Phil describes a love of food from an early age, a love and passion that placed him on an inevitable collision course with wine. These passions took him across the globe while also launching him onto the set of Australia’s masterchef. Phil describes his passion for food and wine as extensions of himself rather than descriptions of what he does or his occupation. Food and wine are central to his entire life. In this conversation, we discuss Phil’s role as wine buyer for Barrel and Batch, purchase trends in Melbourne, his journey from Ireland's Galway to Melbourne and Phil corrects some misconceptions I have about everything Masterchef. An extremely fun conversation. A huge thanks to Phil for joining me.

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Will Taylor is one of the most insightful voices in Australian Wine - and its not hard to see why. His perspective is as unique as it is dialed in. As the managing partner of the wine group at Finlayson’s law, he spends his days analysing the aspects of the wine trade and industry that get the least attention - the least sexy aspects of the trade, that are the most important when it comes to building a viable trade and industry. In this chat I get to ask Will about his key takeaways from 2025, while he also unpacks what he perceives to be necessary to sprout the green shoots that will place the national industry on an upward trajectory. As always, an absolute pleasure and privilege talking with Will Taylor, a huge thanks to Will for joining me.

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