At 18, I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, primarily to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, slogging through physics and chemistry, so a liquor shop seemed like fun. But then I fell in love with wine and craft beer, and it took over my life.
Twenty-three years (and two university degrees) later, I spend my days wearing many drinks hats and judging at wine shows around the world.
It’s fun to think about those early wayward uni years, given how things changed. Now, I have both a Masters in Wine Technology & Viticulture (Melbourne University) and a Bachelor of Resource & Environmental Management (Macquarie University), and they both shape my experience.
Some of my ‘beverage hats’ include running a new drinks industry project and my corporate events business, which gives me an excuse to bang on about great drinks all day and night.
Judging is the other fun part. I’ve judged at many wine shows in the past (but less so in recent years. I need more hours in the week) both locally and across Europe & China. It’s not just bottled wines either – I’ve also judged at the Wine List of The Year Awards, China Wine List of the Year Awards, the GT WINE Cellar Door Awards, the Skyscanner Airline Wine List Awards and other oddities.
I currently write features for various publications, including National Liquor News & Gourmet Traveller WINE (and a bunch of now-defunct publications. RIP print mags). I was also a Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert in a former life.
In 2009 I was crowned as the WCA Wine Journalism Young Gun (which now makes me just old). In addition, I was voted in the Top 30 Best Wine Critics in The World for 2019 and 2020. In my spare time, I’m a sucker for punishment and run trail ultra marathons, much to the delight of my long-suffering family.
This site (Australian Wine and Drinks Review or ozwinereview for short) is dedicated to talking about wine, beer and other good (drinks) things. Largely focused on Australian beverages, but with an interest in anything great from all points of the globe.
Follow me also at twitter.com/ozwinereview or facebook.com/AustralianWineReview, or instagram.com/ozwinereview.
