James Halliday

Although James Halliday is Australia’s most influential and prolific wine writer, writing is just one of his interests in wine. He is one of our most active and senior show judges, a consultant to David Jones and to Ansett and, as Southcorp’s chief winemaker, Yarra Valley, he oversees the operation of Coldstream Hills, the Yarra Valley-based wine company he founded which is today owned by Southcorp Wines.

Given what you now know concerning Coldstream Hills, would you do anything different if you were starting again?

No. I’d still come to the Yarra Valley for three reasons: the quality of its chardonnay and pinot noir in particular, its proximity to Melbourne markets and major population centres for tourism, and also for the sheer pleasure of living here.

What about your own involvement in Coldstream Hills; are you likely to slow down?

No. I’m more enthusiastic than ever about the potential to do things at Coldstream Hills and I truly believe there are obvious reasons why we will make better wine in the future than in the past, now that we either own or control over 400 acres of vineyard.

Southcorp has no intention of developing any other Yarra brand, so we will remain the flag bearer for Southcorp here. I’m excited at the prospect of making premium super-cuvees, genuine reserve wines based on fruit from our own ‘amphitheatre’ vineyard. I’m also keen to hold back the release date of our wines so they can develop more richness and complexity in the bottle before they’re opened. Southcorp aren’t setting any measurable financial constraints.

Will you also keep up your pace on the show circuit?

Certainly. I’m presently Chairman of the Adelaide and the National Show Canberra, Chairman of the Sydney International Winemakers Competition and the Tasmanian Wine Show. I judge at the Sydney Show and like to do regional shows like the Hunter Valley and the Barossa.

What do you get back from show judging?

It’s fulfilling, challenging and stimulating. It’s my only opportunity to work and interact with a significant group of my peers. I enjoy the personal interaction, the judging and the accompanying social calendar.

It provides a snapshot of where the industry is headed, the first in-depth analysis. For instance, people were initially reluctant to recognise the merits of the 1991 vintage, but the show system was first to teach us how good the 1991 reds actually were .

Show judging is a great training ground for wine tasting and appreciation, an opportunity to practice, to keep my eye in.

How do you view what some may regard as a potential conflict of interest between your writing and wine production, now that Coldstream Hills is part of Southcorp, our largest wine producer?

Much will depend on the perceived outcome of the takeover. If I was seen to move into the mainstream of Southcorp business affairs, it would have a significant and immediate impact.

If, on other hand, I am perceived to be responsible only for Coldstream and that it is being run the way it was in the past; that’s quite a different situation. I have not sought nor have I been offered a significant involvement outside of Coldstream and it’s not my intention to become more involved.

I am conscious that I have got around the conflict of interest problem in the past by not writing about Coldstream Hills in newspapers and books; circumscribing it not always to people’s satisfaction.

I can’t sensibly ignore Southcorp in the long term – it’s huge part of the premium industry. At the moment I am adopting a stand-off position, but I am just going to go on writing. I see my use-by date arriving for Southcorp/Coldstream before my use-by date as a wine writer. I am not prepared to stand back if problems arrive. If they do, I will have to address them, but I hope they won’t arrive.

In my heart of hearts I don’t think they should, because I just know I’m not compromised. I know I’m not involved. For instance, one part of me says I’d love to sit in on the classification tastings of Southcorp wines, but I know I can’t if I want to preserve my independence.

If the crunch came, I would move myself from here. That would be sad, because I certainly don’t want to.

Is your enthusiasm for wine still your main motivation?

I just can’t stop learning. I’m still fascinated by viticulture, by the way vines grow and grapes ripen and the options and alternatives out there. Not only from a purely theoretical viewpoint and from looking at vineyards around the world, but also from having the practical interface of actually making wine from them each year. All those are stimulating; they’re all challenges. There are always new things to be thought about and learned and new heights to set for the high jump.

If you left Coldstream Hills, would you set up another operation?

It all depends on whether it’s tomorrow or in five years time. I think the answer is no. I wouldn’t go and start another Coldstream. Perhaps I’d do a one-off consultancy – postulating that if I left Coldstream it would be because a conflict of interest arising from the size of Southcorp and assuming that if I did something smaller there wouldn’t be a conflict. It would have to be self-limiting. I’ve done it twice now.

I really believe Coldstream Hills is going to see me through. Please login to post comment