Vininspo! Podcast Episode 44: Lorraine Leheny, Bilancia

Vininspo! Podcast Episode 44: Lorraine Leheny, Bilancia

Like content like this? Get it straight to your inbox by subscribing to my Substack [https://edmerrison.substack.com/]. Follow on Instagram: @vininspo.wine [https://www.instagram.com/vininspo.wine/] The simplicity of La Collina’s label is almost as enchanting as the complexity of the liquid inside the bottle. A slender figure, arms stretched out straight on either side, effortlessly bearing evenly weighted scales. An elegantly compact statement, perfect in form, strong and enduring. The silhouette and the Syrah. I’ve long admired the Bilancia wines from afar without having visited Hawke’s Bay or met Lorraine Leheny or her husband, Warren Gibson. I rectified that, to some degree at least, when Lorraine visited Melbourne in May with a handful of fellow growers from the region. I signed up for a double header: a masterclass featuring wines from Two Terraces Vineyard (Bilancia’s sublime 2024 Chardonnay from here is the current release) and a broader regional tasting where Warren would have fronted a masterclass on Hawke’s Bay reds had he not done himself a mischief on the farm that kept him home. In any event, I got to taste the wines, and Lorraine and I made a date for this conversation. I’m glad we did. There’s plenty to enjoy here from this modest and highly accomplished vigneron. The chat is easy to follow, albeit with a few local references demanding further context. On the craft beer front, there is a reference to influential drinks entrepreneur Phil Sexton, who launched the Mathilda Bay and Little Creatures brands. He also established the Giant Steps winery in the Yarra Valley, and duly crops up in episode 11 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-episode-11-steve-flamsteed?r=59dyb2], which features its founding winemaker. The Traditional Brewing Company pubs in suburban Melbourne that we talk about are the Loaded Dog in Fitzroy North (now closed; named for a Henry Lawson short story), the Geebung Polo Club (after a Banjo Paterson poem; now the Auburn Hotel) and the Sydney Liars’ Club (from a contemporary poem; now called the Doutta Galla). Carlton United Breweries (CUB) is the brewing giant behind Carlton Draught, while Coopers is a now ubiquitous South Australian bottle-, can- or keg-conditioned ale that was hard to track down in Melbourne back in the day. Among Lorraine’s cohort at Roseworthy Agricultural College were Nick Delaforce (now making Port at Niepoort), Brian Bicknell of Mahi (Marlborough), Rebecca Salmond of Odyssey (Auckland), Herb Friedli (Poderi Crisci, Waiheke Island), Matt Harrop (Fowles, Strathbogie Ranges), Mike Gadd and Virginia Willcock (Vasse Felix winemaker Ginny was my guest on episode 32 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-32-virginia?r=59dyb2]). Lorraine and Warren’s friendship with Tom and Nadège Carson of Serrat (Yarra Valley) dates back to those times, too, likewise Stephen Pannell (episode 30 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-30-stephen?r=59dyb2]), whose family hung out with Lorraine’s at Tom and Nadège’s wedding. Sticking with the Aussie connections, the late Dr John Middleton and his wife, Marli, founders of Mount Mary, took Lorraine under their wing early on. Mario Marson (Vinea Marson, Heathcote) was their winemaker there at the time. When the conversation turns to Chardonnay, David Bicknell (Oakridge, Yarra Valley) shows up alongside Steve Flamsteed (Decades), my guest on episode 11 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-episode-11-steve-flamsteed?r=59dyb2]. Taking us full circle, Steve Flamsteed also makes wine under the Salo label with Hawke’s Bay native Dave Mackintosh. Back in Hawke’s Bay, then, Trinity Hill is the estate that lured Warren and Lorraine to the region in the late ’90s. John Hancock, one of its founders and a former winemaker at Morton Estate, crops up here and also shares some history with Warren in the flying winemaker scene, as discussed with Kym Milne (my guest on episode 41 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-41-kym-milne?r=59dyb2]). Other Hawke’s Bay names that appear are Dr Alan Limmer, founder of Stonecroft, Craggy Range (and the person who built that vision, Steve Smith MW of Pyramid Valley, Smith & Sheth and episode 16 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-episode-16-steve-smith-mw?r=59dyb2] fame) and cornerstone estate Te Mata. The lie of the land is, of course, very important, and the map above helps illustrate it. Hawke’s Bay’s three key rivers are the Tutaekuri, Ngaruroro and Tukituki. The La Collina vineyard is situated on Roys Hill, just beyond the western cusp of the Gimblett Gravels. The Bridge Pa Triangle extends behind it, and to the west of that are the Mangatahi Terraces, home to Two Terraces Vineyard. The Heretaunga Plains stretch out to the south. Besides Two Terraces, the vineyards behind Bilancia’s single-site Chardonnays are Trelinnoe, Kaikora and Lorraine’s own Tiratore site. Uvaggio is the name of Bilancia’s Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne field blend. The excellent Kumeu River, just outside Auckland, is cited as a model for these origin-specific wines. At the other end of the spectrum is the Oyster Bay brand. This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc phenomenon was just starting to bubble away while Lorraine was working at Delegat in Auckland. Founded by siblings Jim and Rose Delegat, the company’s chief winemaker at the time was Brent Marris, owner of Marisco Vineyards in Marlborough. Finally, Cyclone Gabrielle was the tropical storm that caused devastation in Hawke’s Bay and other parts of New Zealand’s North Island in 2023. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe [https://edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

[Hiatus] Ode to Wine: Renegade Reinhard hands over the reins

The Vininspo! podcast will resume regular broadcasting next week, back with a Bilancia bang when Lorraine Leheny joins me from Hawke’s Bay. I’m taking a little breather and leaving you in the capable hands of Reinhard Löwenstein, and an article penned as a Substack post in November 2025. Read it here [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/ode-to-wine-renegade-reinhard-hands?r=59dyb2]. If it sometimes feels like we’re peering into the abyss, it’s worth lifting our gaze to these towering cliffs of slate, where all is substance and possibility… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe [https://edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Vininspo! Podcast Episode 43: Kate McIntyre MW, Moorooduc Estate

Support the show and don't miss an episode by subscribing to my Substack: edmerrison.substack.com [https://edmerrison.substack.com/] and follow on Instagram: @vininspo.wine [https://www.instagram.com/vininspo.wine/] Kate McIntyre got a taste for the wonder of travel young. Her earliest memories were formed beneath the dreaming spires of Oxford, and the exoticism of Europe cast an unbreakable spell. It’s hardly surprising, then, that she imagined a leading role that wove this rich tapestry together. And while the key was quite literally on her doorstep, she has unlocked a world of curiosity as a Master of Wine, educator and self-styled in-house style judge for the family business. I first met Kate about a decade and a half ago, among a trio of inspiring women, with Meg Brodtmann MW (episode 9) and Bree Stock MW (episode 42), teaching Wine & Spirit Education Trust qualifications in Melbourne. Another podcast guest referenced in our conversation is Matt Paul of wine importer Trembath & Taylor (episode 29). The company’s founders, Michael Trembath and Virginia Taylor, are central characters in Kate’s forays into Italian wine. In the world of Melbourne wine retail, Philip Murphy is the son of Dan Murphy, who lends his name to Australia’s most famous chain. Philip built a strong reputation before selling his stores to Coles, the arch-rival of Woolworths, the owner of Dan Murphy’s. Philip Rich and Michael McNamara, two other names that crop up in Kate’s retail days, have gone on to shape Australia’s modern fine wine merchant scene, not least through the dynamic Prince Wine Store business. Kate, Meg, Bree and I have all presented WSET courses through PWS, which also administers courses at Moorooduc Estate. I have the pleasure of teaching these with Kate. Which brings us to the Mornington Peninsula, where Kate’s parents, Jill and Richard, established their vineyard in 1982. Pioneers of the region are discussed in this podcast, including Elgee Park, Main Ridge Estate, Merricks Estate, Stonier and Crittenden (well, Dromana Estate, founded by Garry Crittenden). Kate’s official title at Moorooduc is director of wine business, which entails a crossover of vineyard, winery, cellar door, education, export markets and more. Richard is still very much involved in the winemaking, with general manager Jeremy Magyar playing a key role. We also talk about the Mornington Peninsula International Pinot Noir Celebration of 2013. Kate was the event’s ringleader, and Burgundy authority Jasper Morris MW was the star panellist. Another guest that year was the late Josh Jensen of Calera, a cool guy who grappled with “the heartbreak grape” to produce profound wines in California. Staying with Pinot, MV6 is the clone, with roots traced back to a Burgundy vineyard, that has become synonymous with the Peninsula. Kate also mentions the wines of her Peninsula pal Barney Flanders of Garagiste and Coonawarra’s Sue Bell of Bellwether (my guest on episode 31 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-31-sue-bell?utm_source=publication-search]). When talk shifts to Champagne—Kate is a big fan—we also talk of the joys to be found in Tasmanian sparkling wine. Names to look out for there are Natalie Fryar at Bellebonne, Ed Carr at House of Arras and Shane Holloway and Fran Austin at Delamere. Completing the curtain call is Eugène Ionesco, the Romanian-French dramatist Kate mentions, and his play La Cantatrice Chauve (The Bald Soprano). Other works to check out for those with an absurdist curiosity include La Leçon (The Lesson), Les Chaises (The Chairs) and Rhinocéros. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe [https://edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Vininspo! Podcast Episode 42: Bree Stock MW, Limited Addition

Follow and subscribe to this show and written content on Substack [https://edmerrison.substack.com/]; see what's happening on Instagram: @vininspo.wine [https://www.instagram.com/vininspo.wine/]. I met Bree Stock in Melbourne a decade and a half ago, and boy, has she gone a long way since then. Some 8,000 miles away now, she’s appended a pair of powerful initials to her new surname, become an authority on the wines of her adoptive home and fomented a mini-revolution in grape-growing in one of the most revered regions in the US. Brisbane-born Bree was back from a first stint in the Pacific Northwest when our paths crossed in the classroom. She was an excellent teacher: engaging, encyclopaedic, perceptive and plain-speaking. She continues to teach, and some of these acronyms and colleagues crop up in our conversation. Like my former guests Andrea Pritzker [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/episode-2-andrea-pritzker-mw?r=59dyb2], Steve Smith [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-episode-16-steve-smith-mw?r=59dyb2], Stephen Wong [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-38-stephen?r=59dyb2] and Kym Milne [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-41-kym-milne?r=59dyb2], Bree is an MW, or Master of Wine. She talks about the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), whose qualifications she and I still teach; the two fellow MWs she taught with in Melbourne, Meg Brodtmann [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/episode-9-meg-brodtmann-mw?r=59dyb2] (episode 9) and Kate McIntyre, do as well. She also mentions the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), which she abbreviates as “the court,” and which offers four levels of professional certification for sommeliers and beverage professionals. Other Australian contacts who crop up include Steve Webber and Leanne De Bortoli, whose influence is palpable in my article on Sarah Fagan. Bree also worked harvest with Yarra Valley winemaker Mac Forbes, who encouraged her to go to the UK to make contact with the likes of Justin Knock MW and Lenka Sedlackova MW. Peter Marchant is a Queensland-based sommelier and podcaster with whom she tasted after her first long stint overseas, and Scott Wasley is the founder of Melbourne-based importer The Spanish Acquisition—and my guest on episode 40 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-podcast-episode-40-scott-wasley?r=59dyb2]. And the Canberra estate Clonakilla is named in reference to a formative wine event Bree attended. In Canada, Bree talks about the Okanagan Valley, a highly regarded wine region in British Columbia, and the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. Barbara Philip is the MW she learned so much from while working in restaurants. Wine-growing in the cooler climes of northern North America gets us onto the topic of hybrid varieties, with Marquette and Phoenix mentioned in passing. For more on hybrids, check out my chat with Christina Pickard in episode 12 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/vininspo-episode-12-christina-pickard?r=59dyb2]. Bree and I also talk a lot about non-mainstream grape varieties in the Willamette Valley, where Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris—both planted here by founding estate Eyrie Vineyards—are mainstays along with Chardonnay, but Bree mentions a whole host of other grapes she’s playing with. Many of them, such as Mencía and Godello, are prevalent in Northwest Spain, and you can learn more about them from my chat with Noah Chichester in episode 5 [https://edmerrison.substack.com/p/episode-5-noah-chichester-of-winesofgaliciacom?r=59dyb2]. (Noah turns up in our chat, too.) Bree’s boundary-pushing ideas on suitable grapes for Oregon are shared by her husband, Chad Stock. Chad had previously worked at the likes of Antica Terra in Amity and Johan in Willamette’s Van Duzer Corridor, while Bree worked an early harvest at Bethel Heights. Chad used to make his own wines under the Minimus label, but these days he and Bree run the Limited Addition label, so named for the ideal of not interfering with the wines they’re making from a range of grape varieties and vineyards scattered across the Willamette Valley. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe [https://edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Vininspo! Podcast Episode 41: Kym Milne MW, Global Wine Solutions

Subscribe to edmerrison.substack.com [https://edmerrison.substack.com/]Follow on Instagram: @vininspo.wine [https://www.instagram.com/vininspo.wine/] With his teetotal forebears and country-town upbringing, Kym Milne wasn’t an obvious candidate for clocking up airmiles and accolades as one of the world’s most influential flying winemakers. But a thirst for travel, a nose for opportunity and a mild-mannered approach to collaboration have taken him from Bordertown to the furthest frontiers and back again. Kym and I crossed paths only recently, when we judged together at the 2026 Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show. I’d been told to look out for him by one of his deeply satisfied clients, our mutual friend Anita Goode of the Mount Benson winery Wangolina. I could immediately see the cause of her affection. Kym has the kind of deep well of experience that is unfathomable to most of us, but wears his knowledge lightly. He’s seen it all but listens intently, and while you sense the conscientiousness that has taken him so far, he is clearly light of heart. I couldn’t wait to get him on the podcast. Much of the context for this conversation is filled in as we go, but as always, some references could do with clarification. Mundulla-raised Kym talks about the start of his career at Berri Estates in the Riverland, South Australia. The winery and its wares have undergone changes through the years; it now comes under the Vinarchy banner, formed by a merger of parts of the Accolade and Pernod-Ricard operations. One of his mentors there was Ian Mackenzie, a renowned figure in Australian wine judging and sparkling production, perhaps best known for his time at Seppelt.  At Roseworthy, he studied under Bryce Rankine, author of the seminal text Making Good Wine, and the influential NZ viticulturist, Richard Smart. Richard, who died last year, was discussed in my interview with Steve Smith MW for episode 16. Coincidentally, Steve was part of the turnaround at Villa Maria alongside Kym under owner George Fistonich. The Hawke’s Bay brands Esk Valley and Vidal also came under his purview as Villa Maria. Other notable Kiwis who enter the fray during discussions about flying winemaking projects are John Hancock of Morton Estate and Trinity Hill fame, and Warren Gibson, founder of Bilancia and Trinity Hill (Hawke’s Bay), as well as consulting winemaker Alastair Maling MW. Elsewhere in the flying winemaking years, we come across the Bordelais Jacques Lurton, who is associated with various projects from Kangaroo Island to Mendoza, and Hugh Ryman, who has likewise made wine everywhere and is one of the partners, along with British wine writer Robert Joseph, behind wine brand Le Grand Noir. Grants of St. James’s was the UK importer of Villa Maria, through which Kym made important contacts. When it was taken over, Kym was part of the small group that engineered the management buyout of its own-label division, International Wine Services (IWS). Lynne Sheriff MW helped Kym scout opportunities in South Africa, and Reid Bosward (instrumental in the modern iteration of Kaesler) is the Barossa winemaker Kym installed in Stellenbosch. Speaking of Stellenbosch, we also mention a few of Global Wine Services’ present and past clients, namely Rustenberg in South Africa, Hunter’s in Marlborough, New Zealand, and, in Chile, Valdivieso and Errázuriz. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe [https://edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]