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In this episode, we delve into the remarkable journey of Legend Wine Imports, a venture spearheaded by two American sommeliers, Jonathan Ross and Jane Lopes. Their path to success took an unexpected turn when they immersed themselves in the vibrant Australian wine industry. The duo first crossed paths at New York’s esteemed Eleven Madison Park before making the bold decision to relocate to Australia. Jane found her niche at Melbourne’s acclaimed Attica Restaurant, while Jonathan took charge of the wine program for the Rockpool Group. This transformative experience deepened their appreciation for Australian wine, ultimately inspiring them to co-author "How to Drink Australian." This book captures the essence of Australian wine through the lenses of history, terroir, and the nation’s unwavering commitment to viticulture and winemaking excellence. Jonathan and Jane have since become passionate advocates for Australian wine in the USA, tirelessly working to enhance its presence and reputation. Join me as I sit down with Jonathan to explore his fascinating story and the origins of Legend Wine Imports.

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This episode was an extremely special way to close out what was a truly magical time in Santa Barbara Wine County – spending over an hour with two legends of the Santa Barbara, and wider Californian wine industry. You will all know Wes Hagen - wine maker, philosopher and poet, who I’ve been blessed to have previously on the show multiple times. Yet today Wes was in a supporting role. Wes and I sat down with one of the original pioneers of Santa Barbara, Mr Ken Brown. Ken Brown was among the first vintners to realize the tremendous promise for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in this cool-climate appellation beginning in the mid 1970s. He was also the first winemaker to introduce Syrah, as well as Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, to Santa Barbara County. In this conversation Ken regales us with stories, perspectives and very special insights on the Santa Barbara scene – and I sat there like an awe struck schoolboy hanging onto every word Ken and Wes spoke. I often feel at risk of becoming too absorbed in wine’s romanticism – but then conversations like these, with two legends of the game, make me so comfortable with that feeling  - the feeling that wine is only truly understood when you cross over from the science and forensics and enter into the realm of story, romanticism, identity and poetry. This was an extremely special conversation to record, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. A huge thanks to Wes and Ken for joining me. 

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I heard along the grape vine that there was a very special project unfolding at Alkina Wine Estate in the heart of the Barossa. Some contacts had told me that Pedro Parra, known to some as Dr Terroir, had joined forces with Alkina to take a deep dive into the Barossan earth to see what gold might be found. What follows is an incredible story that may be the first step in revolutionising story telling in Australian Wine as we know it. Dan Coward of Alkina wines, who has his own fascinating back story, joins me to share the exciting and fascinating tale of Pedro Parra and the Polygon Project. A huge thanks to Dan for this thoroughly enjoyable conversation. 

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Scott Lefler is the wine director at Ledger Restaurant and Bar in Salem, Massachusetts on America’s east coast. I contacted Scott when I learned that a pivotal moment in his wine journey was a trip he took to Australia. Scott worked his way across the Australian wine industry and fell in love with the wines, thereafter, returning to the USA and building a steady presence of Australian wine into his wine lists. In this conversation Scott shares his perspectives, as an Australian wine lover, on what he wants to see happening on the busy East Coast market. A huge thanks to Scott for joining me.   

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We appear to be in a golden age of technological innovation. Different industries respond to this in different ways, with some industries completely revolutionising and others taking a more cautious approach to change. Many entrepreneurs see this as a time ripe with opportunity, entrepreneurs like Moshe Weizman, the co-founder of WINEing which is a platform designed to help wine merchants move stock while creating a collaborative and communal buying experience for consumers. Moshe joined me on the show to share about the WINEing project and the story behind it, while also giving some fascinating insights into the wine culture of Moshe’s home, Israel. A massive thanks to Moshe for joining me. 

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Jesper Kjaersgaard is the Director and operator of FLEUR & VIOLA a business with the mission of connecting wineries, distributors, retailers and customers to the best wines that Australia and Europe have to offer. Jesper is originally from Denmark and it was while working in a fine wine store that he tasted Lafite 1985, an experience which made it clear to Jesper what he would do with his future. Since then, Jesper has moved wine at all levels of the industry, be that through fine wine stores, or through the larger Langton’s structure. Over time Jesper has found that his passion is for the small premium producer with a wine to sell and a story to match. Jesper joins me on the show to share his experiences across the industry and his perspectives on just how important story telling is to the success of not just a brand, but an industry as a whole. A massive thanks to Jesper for joining me.   

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My investigations tell me that most people in the Australian wine industry know of or have dealt directly with Chuck Hayward. Chuck is a Californian who has made a career from promoting, educating about and selling Australian wines in the USA market, and he’s been doing this for a long time. Chuck first fell in love with Aus wines when working at the Jug wine shop in San Francisco, where he was responsible for building an Australian and New Zealand section that represented roughly 20 percent of the stores stock. Chuck travelled to Australia to explore and investigate the country behind the wines he was developing a love for, and the relationship flourished, so much so that Australia became a regular travel destination for Chuck. Chuck’s ongoing relationship with Aus wine has stood the test of time, and he has maintained a keen interest in the domestic Australian scene and the impact and traction Australian wine gains in the USA market. Chuck joined me on the show to discuss his perception of the state of play of Australian wine in the USA market. Despite there being a bit of white noise that was difficult to edit without impacting the audio, it was an incredible conversation with Chuck. A huge thanks to Chuck for joining me.  

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Jane Campbell is the General Manager of the family owned and run Campbell’s winery which is crafting world class wines in Victoria’s Rutherglen wine region. The Campbell’s story now spans 5 successive generations, from John Campbell who set sail from St Andrews in Scotland to join in the Gold rush but who ended up planting vines near what was then the Bobbie Burns gold field. The Campbell family survived phylloxera outbreak of the late 1800’s and then, with an eye on the future, consolidated then steadily grew without compromising quality or integrity. Campbell’s is now run by 5th generation sisters Jane and Julie Campbell, who are tirelessly working to share the Campbells message. Jane sat down with me to share the Campbells story and some insights into a wine family that is part and parcel of Australian wine history. A huge thanks to Jane for joining me.

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Chris Thomas is the winemaker and managing director at Dowie Doole in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. The rumour is that in his younger schoolboy days he excelled in the math and science departments, but when it came to undertaking later studies he was convinced to pursue oenology after talking to a friend who raved about how interesting and fun it was. Chris accrued a wealth of experience across the industry and makes particular mention of the influence of Steve Serafino Maglieri who is a champion of alternative varietals and a pioneer of the modern McLaren vale wine scene. Chris aims to channel diversity and excellence through the Dowie Doole Vineyards at Blewitt Springs and Tatachilla and he joined me on the show to share a bit about his work in the McLaren vale and the mission for Dowie Doole. A huge thanks to Chris for joining me. 

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Wine personalities don’t get much bigger than that of US Master Somm Bobby Stuckey. Bobby started working tables as a bus boy, and after discovering a brochure on the Court of Master Somms while working at the Little Nell in Aspen he dedicated himself to achieving excellence in the world of wine. Bobby is now widely recognised as an industry leader in United States hospitality. After talking to Bobby about his business philosophy and his approach to leadership it’s not difficult to see why. Bobby joined me for a conversation in which he shared his story and insights into the world of wine, business and specifically hospitality. A huge thanks to Bobby for joining me. 

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