aboutus

Who are we?
In a nutshell; oenophiles. People in the wine game who love what we do, and love to have an excuse to get together to taste and discuss some of the best wines in Australia.

Dru Reschke Winner of the Global Geoffrey Roberts award in 2000 (presented by UK Wine writer Jancis Robinson MW) for innovations in the food & wine industry. Having worked on the family vineyards most of his life, in 1998 Dru has set up Koonara wines, his family's wine company, which he continues to run. He completed his advanced wine assessment course run by the Australian Wine Research Institute for wine judges in 2009.

Tim Holmes - Currently winemaker at Katnook, Tim has previously has done overseas vintages in France and the US, plus vintages here in Australia at such esteemed wineries such as D'Arrenberg, Yering Station, and Wynns.

Katie Murray - Katie has been Cellar door manager and head sommelier at Hollick Restaurant in Coonawarra for seven years, before taking on the role of regional marketing manager at Di Giorgio's Family wines.

Julian Langworthy Winemaker hailing from Denmark, in Western Australia. Formerly with Jameson's Run and Wynns Estate, Julian is currently the Chief winemaker for Knappstein Wines In the Clare Valley.

Johnathon Leustner is a winemaker with previous vintages at Orlando and Norfolk Rise wines, ex-Jamesons Run winery, The Poplars, in Coonawarra, and Dr Frank Wines in New York State, with Wine Report 2009 - Naming Dr. Frank the Greatest Wine Producer in the Northeast for the 5th year in a row.

Alana Hill-Ling is winemaker with Johnathon Leustner at Poplars, plus has her own wine label, Fabric. Alana has previous vintages under her belt from France.

TJ Smith is the assistant winemaker at Balnaves, (judged by James Halliday as the best winery in Australia for 2007). TJ works alongside Pete Bissell, voted Qantas/Gourmet Traveler Winemaker of the Year in 2005.