Argentinian born and trained Dr Martin Moran has crammed a lot into a life spanning continents and decades since he was born in 1980. Studying in Mendoza he undertook a degree course in Agriculture specialising in Viticulture and Oenology. He muses...

One time successful geologist and oil explorer John Davis has assembled an empire of vineyards with its nerve centre in the Hunter Valley, and extending to Orange, Wrattonbully and Coonawarra. He has either purchased existing vineyards or planted...

Tracing the history of riesling in Australia is no easy task. Until 1984, the name was widely used to denote a white wine style, particularly by the largest companies. The wine in question might have no true riesling in its make up. In the Hunter...

When in 1969 Bob Oatley sold his coffee and cocoa plantations in New Guinea he focused on the Upper Hunter Valley, intending to run Charolais cattle and thoroughbreds, but did plant a few hectares of shiraz and gewurztraminer that produced...

The world of fine wine moves to the beat of its own drum, while that of commercial wine fits easily into the rules of FMCG – fast moving consumer goods. It is a hunting ground for auditors, ever on the lookout for slow moving stock. Fine wine does...

Last week I told the story of the Hunter Valley's Maurice O'Shea, the offspring of a French mother and Irish father, but it was O'Shea who bestowed the name Mount Pleasant on the 3.1ha shiraz vineyard they gave him. It had been planted in 1880 by...

Three winemakers who stood tall in the 20th century were Maurice O'Shea of Mount Pleasant, Max Schubert of Penfolds, and Colin Preece of Seppelt. Mount Pleasant has a priceless 3.1ha block of shiraz (known as the Old Hill) planted by Charles King...

Wolf Blass knows Langhorne Creek is a truly remarkable wine region. It made his substantial fortune possible, courtesy of its ability to produce handsome yields of plush shiraz, malbec and cabernet sauvignon of excellent depth. He achieved...

Nigel Gallop's quiet demeanour and sense of humour should not obscure his fierce intelligence. He openly admits there were early diversions as a junior Coca Cola yo-yo champion, a year at university studying architecture 'and failing spectacularly'...

Western Australia's Great Southern is the largest region recognised under the Geographic Indications, a rectangle measuring 200km from east to west, and over 100km from north to south. Australians are genetically able to deal with the tyranny of...