Halliday Wine Companion

Bruce Tyrrell AM has spent more than five decades shaping Australian wine. As the fourth generation of one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries, he has helped transform Tyrrell’s, champion Hunter Valley semillon around the world, and preserve some of Australia’s most important old-vine vineyards.

Fresh from being named the 2027 James Halliday Hall of Fame inductee, Bruce joins the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast to reflect on growing up at Tyrrell’s, joining the family business in 1974 and witnessing the evolution from fortified wine and manual vineyard work to modern winemaking.

Bruce shares the story behind Tyrrell’s iconic Vat 1 Semillon, including the secret decision to hold the wine back for five years despite the pressure it placed on the winery’s cash flow. He also explains why Hunter Valley semillon is unlike any other wine in the world, how screw caps changed wine quality, and what makes the Hunter Valley one of Australia’s most challenging regions for growing grapes.

The conversation also explores Tyrrell’s historic vineyards, including the 1908-planted HVD vineyard, and the Sacred Sites collection, along with the family succession plan involving Bruce’s children, Chris, John and Jane.

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In this episode:
Bruce’s earliest memories of growing up at Tyrrell’s

How a rugby injury led him back to the family winery

The evolution of Australian drinking and dining culture

Tyrrell’s role in producing Australia’s first commercial chardonnay

Why Bruce secretly stored Vat 1 Semillon to delay its release

How Hunter Valley semillon earned international recognition

The story behind Johnno’s Semillon and Tyrrell’s Sacred Sites

Why Tyrrell’s embraced screw caps

The challenges of making wine in the Hunter Valley

Bruce’s advice for Tyrell’s next generation

What comes next after more than 50 years in the wine industry

Explore Tyrrell’s Wines and discover more about the winery’s family history.

For more Australian wine stories, expert reviews and independent ratings, visit Halliday Wine Companion.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge them as the enduring custodians of this Country and recognise their continuing cultural practices of caring for the land and waters. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We extend that respect to the Traditional Owners of the many lands across Australia and beyond whose wineries and stories we are privileged to share.

What really goes into reviewing thousands of Australian wines and selecting the very best for the Halliday Wine Companion?

To celebrate the release of the 2027 Halliday Wine Companion and the annual Halliday Awards, Halliday’s Head of Tasting and General Manager, Katrina Butler, takes us behind the scenes of Australia’s most comprehensive wine guide.

Katrina explains the wine submission process, how the Halliday Tasting Team assesses quality and maintains consistency, and why the reviews are written with everyday wine drinkers in mind.

The conversation also explores score inflation, the value of bronze-medal wines, and how to remain objective when wine tasting is inherently subjective. Katrina reveals how approximately 9000 wines are narrowed down for the Companion and how the country’s best bottles are selected through blind judging.

You’ll also hear how winners are chosen across categories including Winery of the Year, Winemaker of the Year, Best New Winery, Dark Horse Winery and the James Halliday Hall of Fame.

Plus, Katrina and host Anna Webster discuss the current state of Australian wine, the growing diversity of grape varieties, the increasing prominence of women in wine and why the quality of Australian wine has never been stronger.

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In this episode:
How wineries can submit wines to Halliday Wine Companion

What Halliday’s critics look for when reviewing a wine

Blind tasting versus reviewing wines by producer

How critics manage palate fatigue

The difference between Halliday reviews and wine show judging

How a nine-person Tasting Team maintains consistent scores

Whether score inflation is affecting the 100-point wine system

Why bronze-medal wines deserve more recognition

How approximately 9000 wines are narrowed down for the Companion

How the annual Halliday Wine Companion Awards are judged

What makes a winery worthy of Winery of the Year

The strict criteria wines must meet to be inducted into the Halliday Hall of Fame

How climate change and market conditions are reshaping Australian wine

Why Australian wine belongs on the world stage

Whether you’re a winemaker considering submitting your wines, a collector searching for the best Australian bottles or simply curious about how wine scores and awards are determined, this episode offers a rare look inside the Halliday Wine Companion tasting and judging process.

This podcast was recorded on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge them as the enduring custodians of this Country, and we recognise their continuing cultural practices of caring for the land and waters. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

We extend that respect to the Traditional Owners of the many lands across Australia and beyond whose wineries and stories we are privileged to share.

A single glass of Alsatian pinot blanc changed the direction of Eddie McDougall’s life.
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, host Anna Webster sits down with winemaker, entrepreneur, TV personality and founder of The Flying Winemaker, Eddie McDougall.
Eddie shares how his upbringing between Hong Kong and Australia, his father’s extraordinary entrepreneurial journey, and an unexpected encounter with wine inspired him to abandon the conventional business career expected of him and pursue winemaking.
That decision took him from putting nets on vineyards at Shadowfax to working alongside respected winemakers at O’Leary Walker, Clyde Park and Giant Steps, before travelling to Italy to work at renowned Barolo producer Vietti.
Eddie also reveals how he became involved with a pioneering urban winery in Hong Kong, where grapes from regions including the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Bordeaux, Tuscany and Piedmont were snap-frozen and transported to the city for winemaking.
The conversation explores the explosive growth of Hong Kong’s wine market, the rise of Chinese fine wine, changing drinking preferences across Asia and the global perception problem currently facing Australian wine.
Eddie explains why Australian wine is too often viewed internationally as either inexpensive and uncomplicated, or represented solely by a handful of famous luxury producers. He believes Australia needs to present its wines with greater confidence, pride and aspiration.
Anna and Eddie also delve into the creation of his premium E.J. McDougall label, including its old-vine McLaren Vale Shiraz and Grenache, Margaret River Chardonnay and forthcoming Tasmanian Riesling.
They discuss the importance of trusted grower relationships, limited production, international allocations and Eddie’s ambition to produce wines capable of representing Australia on the world stage.
Plus, Eddie shares the remarkable story behind The Flying Winemaker television series, his work promoting Chinese wine through the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards and the philosophy that continues to guide his career.
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Discover The Flying Winemaker
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Preorder the 2027 Halliday Wine Companion

In This Episode
The glass of pinot blanc that changed Eddie’s life
Growing up between Hong Kong and Australia
Learning winemaking at Shadowfax, O’Leary Walker and Giant Steps
Working at Vietti in Piedmont
Making wine inside a Hong Kong industrial building
How snap-frozen grapes can be used for winemaking
Why Hong Kong became one of the world’s major wine hubs
How The Flying Winemaker business model works
Why Australian wine is struggling for global recognition
The launch of the premium E.J. McDougall label
Old-vine Shiraz and Grenache from McLaren Vale
Margaret River Chardonnay and Tasmanian Riesling
The changing Chinese wine market
Creating The Flying Winemaker television series
The growth of the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards
Why relationships remain essential in the wine industry

00:00 Introducing Eddie McDougall
00:29 Growing up in Hong Kong and Australia
01:46 The glass of wine that changed Eddie’s life
03:24 Leaving business behind to study winemaking
04:31 Eddie’s first vintage at Shadowfax
07:32 O’Leary Walker, Clyde Park and Giant Steps
09:56 Working at Vietti and discovering fine wine
12:24 Inside Hong Kong’s urban winery
17:04 What happens when grapes are snap-frozen?
18:40 How Hong Kong became a global wine hub
21:09 The Flying Winemaker business model
24:24 Australian wine’s international perception problem
29:01 Creating the E.J. McDougall fine wine label
30:50 McLaren Vale old-vine Shiraz
35:40 Producing Margaret River Chardonnay
38:41 Tasmanian Riesling and international allocations
41:30 Turning The Flying Winemaker into a television series
45:03 Connecting wine with Asian food and culture
47:23 The rise of Chinese fine wine
51:45 Why Australian exports to China have changed
53:19 Relationships, responsibility and giving back
54:35 Eddie’s pursuit of simplicity and mastery

Eddie McDougall, Halliday Wine Companion podcast, Australian wine, The Flying Winemaker, E.J. McDougall Wines, Australian winemaker, McLaren Vale Shiraz, McLaren Vale Grenache, Margaret River Chardonnay, Tasmanian Riesling, Hong Kong wine industry, Chinese wine, Australian fine wine, wine podcast, Anna Webster, Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards.
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In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Anna Webster sits down with Gwyn Olsen, senior winemaker at Henschke, one of Australia’s most iconic family-owned wineries.
Gwyn’s path into wine was anything but predictable. Born in Cairns and raised in Indonesia, she went on to study biochemistry before discovering winemaking through postgraduate oenology at the University of Adelaide. From her first vintage in the south of France – a job she landed thanks to Google Translate – to roles at Villa Maria, McWilliam’s, Mount Pleasant, Briar Ridge and Pepper Tree, Gwyn’s career has been shaped by science, resilience, family-owned wine businesses and a love of site-driven winemaking.
Now based in the Barossa’s Eden Valley, Gwyn shares what it is like to work with some of the most famous vineyard sites in Australia, including Hill of Grace, Mount Edelstone, The Wheelwright and Cyril Henschke. She talks about the pressure of making wines with such deep history, the importance of patience in the winery, and how small one-percent improvements in picking, topping, sulphur, oak and blending can help protect and elevate Henschke’s legacy.
Anna and Gwyn also explore the story behind The Nurturer, a bright, crunchy new Henschke wine inspired by Prue Henschke’s experimental plantings, plus the future of Lenswood, sustainability, old vines, biosecurity and what succession might look like inside one of Australia’s most respected wine families.

Henschke
Henschke on Instagram
Halliday Wine Companion
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Anna Webster on Instagram
Buy the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion

🍷 Gwyn’s childhood in Indonesia and unlikely path into wine
🍷 Studying biochemistry before discovering oenology
🍷 Her first vintage in France after using Google Translate to apply
🍷 Working at Villa Maria, McWilliam’s, Mount Pleasant, Briar Ridge and Pepper Tree
🍷 How she landed the senior winemaker role at Henschke while on maternity leave
🍷 The pressure of making Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone
🍷 Why patience has become central to her winemaking philosophy
🍷 The story behind Henschke’s The Nurturer
🍷 How Prue Henschke’s vineyard experiments are shaping new wines
🍷 What sustainability, old vines and succession mean for Henschke’s future

00:00 Meet Gwyn Olsen
01:29 From biochemistry to winemaking
03:05 Gwyn’s first vintage in the south of France
04:57 Learning winery French and working in Saint-Émilion
06:08 Villa Maria and family-owned wine businesses
08:45 McWilliam’s, Mount Pleasant and the Hunter Valley
09:22 Pepper Tree, Briar Ridge and career-defining awards
12:17 Landing the Henschke role while on maternity leave
16:19 The blind tasting moment in the Henschke interview
21:20 The pressure of working with iconic vineyards
23:08 Small changes and one-percenters in the winery
27:41 The story behind The Nurturer
31:35 Tappa Pass Shiraz and a cooler Barossa vintage
32:39 Mount Edelstone, Hill of Grace and the single vineyard sites
35:40 The weight of Henschke history
39:31 Apollonia Shiraz and new expressions
46:45 How Gwyn’s winemaking philosophy has evolved
47:42 Succession and Gwyn’s role in Henschke’s future
54:47 What’s next for Henschke

Gwyn Olsen, Henschke, Henschke wine, Hill of Grace, Mount Edelstone, Eden Valley wine, Barossa wine, Australian wine podcast, Halliday Wine Companion, Prue Henschke, Stephen Henschke, Australian winemaker, female winemaker, The Nurturer Henschke, Tappa Pass Shiraz, single vineyard wine, old vine Shiraz.
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What makes a truly iconic Australian wine?
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Anna Webster sits down with Brokenwood Chief Winemaker Stuart Hordern to explore the history, philosophy and future of one of Australia’s most celebrated wineries.
From growing up on a small Hunter Valley vineyard to becoming only the second chief winemaker in Brokenwood’s history, Stuart shares the lessons learned from legends like Iain Riggs and PJ Charteris, the pressure and privilege of making the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, and why Hunter Valley semillon remains one of Australia’s greatest gifts to the wine world.
The conversation dives deep into vineyard expression, wine evolution, vintage variation, cellar ageing, the realities of modern winemaking, and why Brokenwood sources fruit from some of Australia’s best wine regions including Beechworth, McLaren Vale and Orange.
You’ll also hear the remarkable story behind Brokenwood’s Halliday Winery of the Year win, the evolution of the Oakey Creek vineyard, and why some of Australia’s greatest wines are defined not by power, but by finesse.
Whether you're a wine lover, collector, sommelier or simply curious about how great Australian wine is made, this is a fascinating deep dive into one of the country’s benchmark producers.

Brokenwood Wines
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Stuart Hordern on Instagram
Halliday Wine Companion
Halliday Wine Companion on Instagram
Anna Webster on Instagram
Buy the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion

What to expect:
Stuart Hordern’s journey from family vineyard to Brokenwood Chief Winemaker
Growing up in the Hunter Valley wine region
Working harvests in France and California
The influence of Iain Riggs, PJ Charteris and Simon Steele
Why Brokenwood sources fruit from multiple wine regions
The story behind Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz
Why Hunter Valley semillon ages so uniquely
The philosophy behind ILR Reserve Semillon
The impact of the 2020 bushfires on Australian wine
How Brokenwood became Halliday Winery of the Year
The future of Oakey Creek Vineyard and Hunter Valley Chardonnay
Chapters
00:00 Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country
00:25 Meet Stuart Hordern from Brokenwood
01:20 Growing up in the Hunter Valley
03:06 First vintages & cellar work
05:31 Studying winemaking in Adelaide
07:48 Returning to the Hunter Valley
09:23 What makes Hunter Valley wine unique
10:34 Joining Brokenwood
12:16 Learning from Iain Riggs & PJ Charteris
17:26 The evolution of Brokenwood
20:07 Why Brokenwood sources fruit outside the Hunter
24:01 The challenge of Australian vintages
28:36 The story of Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz
37:06 Brokenwood’s winemaking philosophy
38:56 The ILR Reserve Semillon story
43:59 Why some vintages are never released
45:10 Winning Halliday Winery of the Year
50:15 What’s next for Brokenwood


Brokenwood Wines, Stuart Hordern, Halliday Wine Companion, Hunter Valley wine, Hunter Valley Semillon, Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, ILR Semillon, Australian wine podcast, Australian winemaker interview, fine wine Australia, wine ageing, Hunter Valley Shiraz, winery of the year, Beechworth Chardonnay, Australian wine industry, single vineyard wine, premium Australian wine, Halliday winery of the year, wine collecting, Australian wine regions

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