Mark Baulderstone – Managing Director, RIEDEL Australia & NZ
H. Can you tell us a little bit about your brand and why you chose to partner with the Halliday Awards?
M. RIEDEL is the inventor of the modern wine glass and, through ongoing investment in product development and research, remains the world’s leading glassware brand. We have been working with Halliday Wine Companion Awards as their exclusive glass sponsor since its inception – and with James himself for decades before that – because they know there is no better product for wine service.
H. What is your favourite Australian wine region and why?
M. Margaret River, WA – not only do they produce exceptional wines, but they are blessed with some of the most beautiful vineyards and coastlines in the world.
H. What is your favourite varietal and why?
M. Pinot noir because of the diversity it offers. It’s a fantastic food wine as well, there’s almost nothing it doesn’t match with!
Gary Olasz – Market Director Australia & New Zealand, Coravin Australia
H. Can you tell us a little bit about your brand and why you chose to partner with the Halliday Awards?
G. Coravin delivers the ultimate in wine preservation. Unlike other wine preservers, which only delay the oxidation of your wine, the Coravin Wine Preservation System is designed to pour wine without removing the cork, so wine always tastes like it has just been opened – even years later. We are honoured to be involved with the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards as they have the same values on quality wines and offering them in the perfect condition.
H. What is your favourite Australian wine region and why?
G. Macedon Ranges, VIC, as it has a picturesque landscape, but more importantly the handcrafted wines made there showcase unique authenticity.
H. What is your favourite varietal and why?
G. Pinot noir – a grape for me that can be a voice and key to communicate the terroir and the origin the most of all grapes. It can really create a symphony for taste buds.
Anthony Ghattas – Managing Director, United Cellars
H. Can you tell us a little bit about your brand and why you chose to partner with the Halliday Awards?
A. At United Cellars, we work with some of the world's best winemakers to bring our clients the very best available wines in both the local and global marketplace – we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to our recommendations. In addition to tasting and experiencing a vast selection of wines and spirits, we also hold over 100 events annually in the form of exclusive dinners, tastings, tutorials and masterclasses. Being a partner for the 2022 Halliday Winery of the Year means a great deal to us and is a natural extension of this desire to work with the best of the best.
H. What is your favourite Australian wine region and why?
A. Margaret River, WA – despite being one of the most isolated wine regions on earth, and one of Australia's youngest regions, Margaret River has built a name for itself as one of Australia's most quality-focused regions.
H. What is your favourite varietal and why?
A. Chardonnay – it is the ultimate chameleon, and can be found in any wine region worth its salt around the globe. It's such reliable a grape to grow, and always expresses a sense of where it comes from.
Justin Dry – Co-Founder, Vinomofo
H. Can you tell us a little bit about your brand and why you chose to partner with the Halliday Awards?
J. At Vinomofo, we are a team of wine lovers who work with the best producers in the world to find the wines we love, curate them to your taste and deliver them direct to your door. Happiness guaranteed. Our mantra is: "These are the wines we drink. If we don’t love it, we don’t sell it". We are all about good wine and epic deals so the opportunity to sponsor the Halliday Best Value Winery category seemed only appropriate!
H. What is your favourite Australian wine region and why?
J. The Barossa, SA, because it has family history, and I grew up in South Australia. However, since living in Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula has become a favourite because it combines all the things I love in one region: the ocean, great food and great wine.
H. What is your favourite varietal and why?
J. Pinot noir – it is incredible by itself or paired with food. It’s seductive, complex, elegant, silky, incredibly sexy and it speaks of place better than most.
Thibaut Caumont – Brand Manager, Vintec & Vintec Club
H. Can you tell us a little bit about your brand and why you chose to partner with the Halliday Awards?
T. As wine lovers, we understand how important temperature and the right conditions are for the enjoyment of wine – that’s why our products are designed to recreate the perfect storage conditions found in the best natural underground cellars. Winemakers are the backbone of our industry and without them working tirelessly to produce fantastic wines for us all to share, life will be a little less exciting. That’s why it was a logical choice to partner with the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, to celebrate Australian wine diversity and spread the word about our fantastic local producers.
H. What is your favourite Australian wine region and why?
T. Great Southern, WA – I’m amazed how pioneers of this relatively new wine region are always pushing boundaries vintages after vintages. They work with the climate with perfection and produce wines to be remembered at a great price point.
H. What is your favourite varietal and why?
T. Pinot noir – I love its unique aromas and how it develops on the palate after the first sip. In my opinion, it’s also one of the only red grapes that truly represents the wine region its been grown in.
Richard Owens – CEO & Founder, WithWine
H. Can you tell us a little bit about your brand and why you chose to partner with the Halliday Awards?
R. I started WithWine because I was a customer who found it difficult to buy wine directly from wineries. It made me think that if I was finding it hard to buy wine, wineries must be finding it hard to sell – so we built this platform. Unlocking the value of that customer can not only help you survive, but thrive. We still feel like the new kids on the block, so sponsoring Halliday’s Best New Winery category felt like the perfect fit.
H. What is your favourite Australian wine region and why?
R. Hunter Valley, NSW. They say you shouldn’t play favourites, especially as I’m lucky enough to be chair of the World’s Best Vineyards Academy for Australia. That being said, I spent a lot of my time as a kid in the Hunter and it remains a special place to me, however, I am also consistently impressed with Margaret River and their sense of community.
H. What is your favourite varietal and why?
R. Shiraz – I love shiraz and it’s my default for “drink now” but tack on 10+ years and I can’t go past cabernet sauvignon. The person who turned me onto wine taught me all about ageing cab sauv and I have had a love for a well-aged red since.
This article was produced in partnership with our 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards sponsors.
