From winemaker, journalist, bon viveur and raconteur Len Evans, described by his biographer as having “a golden tongue, a great palate and a genius of a liver” to scholarly, austere Brian Croser, referred to as ‘God’ by generations of his students at the famed Roseworthy agricultural college, the Australian wine industry has thrown up a number of remarkable characters.

Among these is the extrovert Brian McGuigan, whom I met for the second time recently. Brian initially comes over as loud and larger-than-life; a bit like a creation of Barry Humphries, a cousin of Dave Edna, maybe. But don’t be deceived by the wisecracks and the roaring bonhomie. This is one shrewd guy who has overcome multiple hardships and setbacks, of both a personal and business nature, to sustain a key role in the onwards-and-upwards progression of Australian wine at an age where many of his contemporaries are happy to sit with their feet up and let the next generation carry the flag. Brian has been at the forefront of the Australian wine industry for more than 40 years, utilising his skills as a winemaker, viticulturist, marketer and communications specialist to take his wines around the world.

Importers Barry & Fitzwilliam Maxxium invited a bevy of wine writers and representatives of the Irish wine trade to lunch at The Herbert Park Hotel in order to showcase his wines and get some feedback. During the course of a pre-prandial glass of bubbly he’d managed to master everyone’s names. Before we were permitted to dine, we were treated to a tasting, prefaced by the McGuigan Black Label wines that have been top sellers in Ireland for the last few years. Also included were the new ‘Collection’ series; the Nepenthe sauvignon blanc, a favourite of mine, and some upmarket gems, including the ‘Hand-Picked’ shiraz.
The Collection proved to be regional varietals of some style and character, particularly the 2006 Limestone Coast shiraz and the Hunter Valley chardonnay. Alas the impressive Eden Valley shiraz and the gorgeous aged semillon are not designated for import yet. The Collection wines will retail in independents for 11.99 and will also be available to the restaurant trade. Equivalent wines from McGuigan are available in Tesco under the Denman and Howcroft labels.