My winelife

12  November

Rathbone Wine Group

Guest: Chris Unger

UK/EU Manager Rathbone Wine Group

Australian born Chris Unger is based in London UK and has been selling and marketing some of the

best known and respected Australian wines for the past 15 years. Since 2016 he has been employed

by family owned Rathbone Wines Group who is responsible for the production and distribution of

the wines from Xanadu in Margaret River, Mount Langi Ghiran in the Grampians and Yering Station in

the Yarra Valley. Prior to moving to the UK Chris was based in Western Australia working as a

viticulturist and assistant winemaker for a variety of wineries and vineyards. He has a Bachelor of

Applied Science in Viticulture, a Diploma of Wine and Spirits (WSET) and an MBA.

Yarra Yering

Guest  Winemaker: Sarah Crowe

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After studying and working in Horticulture Sarah began her wine career with vineyard work in the Hunter Valley. Within three years, completely unplanned, she had become an Assistant Winemaker. Building on her experience and enjoying the wines of the world Sarah completed International harvests in both Oregon; focusing on Pinot and Chardonnay, and the Rhone Valley; focusing on Shiraz and Viognier.

After 12 years in the Hunter Valley Sarah was looking for a new challenge and decided to head for cool climate viticulture.

The job opportunity at Yarra Yering was too good to refuse and Sarah made the move to the Yarra Valley joining the team in September 2013 to focus on one single iconic vineyard site. 

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Now in the role of Winemaker and General Manager, Sarah hopes to continue to build on the reputation that Dr BB Carrodus started in 1969 with the first vineyard plantings at Yarra Yering.  

David Burlton |

Host 

David is a sommelier who is passionate about English and Welsh wine. During the lockdown, he has built on his experience as a judge at WineGB Awards 2018 to

co-found Vinarchy In The UK. Though some might argue that he has expensive tastes, David’s interests also include Champagne, and he plans to move to the

idyllic town of Épernay to learn about these noble wines. David completed the WSET Diploma in 2019.

Ned Goodwin |

Master of Wine

Guest

Born in London, raised in Australia and educated in Tokyo and Paris, Ned splits his time between Tokyo where he resided full-time for 14 years and his beloved Sydney.

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Ned is a dux of the Len Evans Tutorial, Japan’s first Master of Wine, educator, consultant, judge, critic and a highly regarded motivational speaker and presenter. Ned consults for select restaurant groups, Langton’s and private clients.

From 2001 until November 2012, Ned served as Wine Director - educator and buyer- for one of Asia's largest restaurant groups, Global Dining Japan. In Japan, Ned was also the ‘wine face’ for All Nippon Airways First and Business Classes, for which he created his own cuvée'-a world first-while training a legion of inflight attendants. The airline produced a documentary on Ned’s life in wine, viewed by nine-million people across the inflight entertainment platform and The Food Network.

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Martyna Pawliczek |

Sommelier

Guest

‘I have started this most extraordinary journey with wine glass in one hand and a wine bottle in the other, through inspiration from many amazing people who I have had the pleasure to meet over the past 8 years. Working through the steps of the ladder in my career, starting as commis and moving up to maitre sommelier position.

My first role as commis sommelier was at Colette’s restaurant in Hertfordshire.  Since then I have travelled within London and the South of England studying about the wines and consolidating my work experience in different restaurants and hotels. 

Hotel du Vin, Medlar, Angler, Petrus and currently La Dame de Pic, have given me an opportunity to learn the craft and make lifetime friendships. The exchange of energy and emotions in the hospitality field is one of the most exciting and addictive parts. It is an ongoing journey of studying, discovering, exploring as well as making yourself and your environment better.  In 2019 I completed the WSET Diploma, currently preparing myself for advanced level of CMS qualification.  Beyond wine my interest circles around spirits, cocktails and tasty creations which happen to be delivered behind the bar counters. 

Perhaps in the future, I would like to spend some time and learn the techniques of distillation.’

19 November

Yangarra

Guest winemaker: Peter Fraser 

Since 2000 Peter has been the winemaker and driving force behind Yangarra Estate Vineyard, McLaren Vale.

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Peter focuses much of his attention on the vineyards and his team. When it comes to winemaking philosophy he believes it is just as important, and he stands by some key foundations of sensitivity, observation and experience. It’s about nurturing and manicuring each of the blocks, and ultimately connecting them to the wine. It’s about picking with freshness, with balanced acidity, and not excessive alcohol. It’s about gentle yet detailed handling in the winery, the use of supportive larger format oak and the purity of ceramic eggs and amphora. He feels strongly about innovation, challenging the detail in every step, the one percenters, and it is those little details that bring everything together.

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Peter is a big believer of simplicity in winemaking, after all it’s a natural process. But with inattention that process can go incredibly wrong, so it is so vitally important to know when to and when not to. He honours the importance of the Yangarra team. 

David Burlton |

Host 

David is a sommelier who is passionate about English and Welsh wine. During the lockdown, he has built on his experience as a judge at WineGB Awards 2018 to

co-found Vinarchy In The UK. Though some might argue that he has expensive tastes, David’s interests also include Champagne, and he plans to move to the

idyllic town of Épernay to learn about these noble wines. David completed the WSET Diploma in 2019.

Emma Symington Master of Wine

Guest

Emma has worked in the wine industry for the past 15 years and is now Education Development Manager for Wine Australia across the EMEA markets, educating and exciting wine trade about Aussie wine. After winning the Vintners' Cup and Vintners' Scholarship for the top WSET Diploma graduate in 2011 she embarked on the Master of Wine course, becoming an MW in 2015. She is a WSET-certified educator and judges at several international wine competitions. She is also a mum to two young children and in her spare time writes for the Wine Monkeys blog, for which she won the Emerging Wine Writer of the Year award at the Roederer Awards in 2014.

Nigel Wilkinson| Master Sommelier

Guest

Nigel Wilkinson MS DipWSET is the Brand Ambassador & Senior Wine Educator for Boutinot (vineyard owners and wine producers in England, France, Italy & South Africa). Nigel passed the WSET Diploma in 1996, he became a Master Sommelier in 2005 and now teaches and examines for both the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Court of Master Sommeliers. Academy.

Nigel has also worked during the harvest in wineries located in the Yarra Valley & Pipers River (Australia), Gevrey Chambertin (France) and East Sussex (England).

Mary John |

Perth Wine Girl

Guest

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WSET Certified. Wine aficionado with a wealth of knowledge & international experience travelling to many wine regions and writing about them. She is passionate about Western Australian wines and...more!

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Mary is an Australian representative for the team Sips Around the Globe, a group of 12 wine experts/enthusiasts from all around the world. With different backgrounds and experiences, their aim is to promote the wine industry through their social media channels and marketing campaigns.

26 November

10 Minutes By Tractor

Guest winemaker: Martin Spedding

Ten Minutes by Tractor owners Martin and Karen Spedding purchased the estate in 2006 from Vivian and Andrew McCutcheon. 

There are now six vineyards, the three original vineyards being within 10 minutes of each other by tractor. The estate is an acclaimed Mornington Peninsula winery specialising in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 

In addition to the winery there are two restaurants: a two hatted fine dining restaurant - Ten Minutes By Tractor and a french bistro - Petit Tracteur.

The Mornington Peninsula is now internationally recognised for producing fine cool climate wines.

The Australian Geographical Indication “Mornington Peninsula” was entered in the Register of Protected Names on 18 March 1997. 

Rob Dolan Wines

Guest Winemaker : Meg Brodtmann MW

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Meg began her winemaking career in Australia before making a name for herself across Europe and SouthAmerica as winemaking consultant for Cellarworld International in the UK. Her knowledge of wine saw Meg not only define wine styles for the burgeoning UK market but also be a wine judge with the International Wine Challenge (UK) and various wine magazines.

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In 2001 Meg moved to Chile where she spent the next 8 years working as a senior winemaker, broker and consultant. After working as Senior Winemaker with Viña Morande, Meg established her own winemaking and wine education company – Southern Cross Wines - where she developed and delivered programmes across

Latin America.

In conjunction with The Wine School, Meg created the first approved programme provider for The Wine and Spirit Education Trust in Latin America.

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Meg has won the Deinhard Award for Best Dissertation from the Institute of Masters of Wine and her years of hard work and talent culminated in Meg becoming Australia’s first female Master of Wine in 2002.

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Upon her return to Australia in 2008 as a renowned and respected member of the Australian and international wine industry, Meg established Southern Cross Wines (Australia). Since then she has worked with Cellarmaster Wines as their Victorian Brand Champion and teaches WSET Levels 2 to 4 (Diploma) in Melbourne. Meg was the Chief Winemaker for Helen and Joey Estate for 6 years. 

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Meg is currently the Education & Global Outreach consultant for Rob Dolan Wines, based in her beloved Yarra Valley.

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Kelvyn Guest |

Host 

Kelvyn Guest is the owner and creator of Guest Wines, a North East based wine specialist bringing a range of exclusive and high-quality wines to both trade and private customers. He is adroitly assisted in this enterprise by his partner, Ruth.

Jenna Phillpot |

 Sommelier

Guest

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‘Knowing what you want to do after school may be daunting for some, but I have always considered

myself one of the lucky ones –there was no doubt in my mind: I wanted to work in the hospitality

industry! I moved to Melbourne in 2010 to pursue this goal and completed a Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management at William Angliss Institute. It was here my secret love affair with wine grew

​stronger and lead me on a path of extremely incredible adventures!

Along the way, I passed my

Certified Exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers; I was runner-up in the 2018 Gourmet Traveller

Young Sommelier to Watch Award.

I had the opportunity to work two with vintages in Barbaresco and

Barolo; plus I have been humbled to have the chance to enjoy many wonderful visits with stellar

international wine producers and just as many local, historic and leading wine producers of Australia.

My career to date has seen me work in some of Melbourne’s top venues including Grossi Florentino,

Tipo 00, Vue de Monde and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.

These days you can find me at The

Recreation Bistro & Bottleshop doing what I love doing best!’

Damien Byrne |

Sommelier

Guest

‘Having grown up in one of the local Tasmanian wine regions, I never expected to be in the

wine trade later in life. But after nearly 15 years of restaurants, bars and bottle shops, being

a certified sommelier and multiple wine list awards, it is great to be a voice for Tasmania and

its wines. To have worked for the Grossi family as well as Donovon Cooke in Melbourne and

being head sommelier at the Hobart based restaurant - Me Wah gave me the chance to see

and taste Tasmanian wines across a wide range of cuisines and prices points in my career.