Podcast · Arts & Books

Halliday Wine Companion

by Halliday Wine Companion · English · Arts & Books

The Halliday Wine Companion Podcast (formerly known as By The Glass) is back with a new look, a new host, and a bunch of new and exciting guests. Join Halliday editor Anna Webster as she sits down with industry experts – including winemakers, sommeliers, distillers, critics, retailers, and mo

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 44 min
Latest: 13 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026 · 35 minNew

How Steve Flamsteed won TWO Halliday Awards in one year

What does it take to become Australia's best winemaker? And what happens when you win two of the country's most prestigious wine awards in the same year? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, we sit down with Steve Flamsteed , the 2027 Halliday Winemaker of the Year , whose Tasmanian wine venture, Decades , also claimed the coveted Best New Winery award. From helping transform Giant Steps into one of Australia's most celebrated producers of Yarra Valley pinot noir and chardonnay to launching an award-winning Tasmanian winery with longtime friend and Stone & Wood co-founder…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S2 · E26 · 29 Sep 2026 · 48 min
Black Estate: Biodynamic Wine, North Canterbury & the Future of Chardonnay
What happens when a love of wine turns into three vineyards, a restaurant and an entirely new way of thinking about the land? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, we’re joined by Pen Naish and Nicholas Brown of Black Estate , one of North Canterbury’s most distinctive family-owned wineries. Pen and Nicholas took over Black Estate in 2007, but neither started out expecting to build a life in wine. Pen was working as a corporate lawyer, while Nicholas found his way into winemaking through wine retail, vineyard work and vintages across New Zealand, Italy and the Napa Valley.…
S2 · E25 · 16 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Stephen Pannell: The godfather of modern grenache on terroir, tannin and Australian wine
Stephen Pannell is one of Australia’s most influential winemakers and a driving force behind the rise of modern McLaren Vale grenache. In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Steve shares how a childhood spent working in vineyards in Margaret River eventually led him to winemaking, despite his best efforts to avoid the family profession. From producing more than 200 million bottles of red wine at Hardys to rediscovering his creativity in Barolo, Steve explains how pinot noir and nebbiolo shaped his unique approach to grenache. The conversation explores what makes McLaren Vale…
S2 · E23 · 1 Sep 2026 · 41 min
Bruce Tyrrell on 170 Years of Wine, Risk and Reinvention
Bruce Tyrrell AM has spent more than five decades shaping Australian wine. As the fourth generation of one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries, he has helped transform Tyrrell’s, champion Hunter Valley semillon around the world, and preserve some of Australia’s most important old-vine vineyards. Fresh from being named the 2027 James Halliday Hall of Fame inductee , Bruce joins the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast to reflect on growing up at Tyrrell’s, joining the family business in 1974 and witnessing the evolution from fortified wine and manual vineyard work to modern winemaking.…
S2 · E22 · 19 Aug 2026 · 42 min
How Halliday Really Judges 9000 Australian Wines
What really goes into reviewing thousands of Australian wines and selecting the very best for the Halliday Wine Companion? To celebrate the release of the 2027 Halliday Wine Companion and the annual Halliday Awards, Halliday’s Head of Tasting and General Manager, Katrina Butler, takes us behind the scenes of Australia’s most comprehensive wine guide. Katrina explains the wine submission process, how the Halliday Tasting Team assesses quality and maintains consistency, and why the reviews are written with everyday wine drinkers in mind. The conversation also explores score inflation, the…
4 Aug 2026 · 57 min
The world underestimates Australian wine. Eddie McDougall wants to change that.
A single glass of Alsatian pinot blanc changed the direction of Eddie McDougall’s life. In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast , host Anna Webster sits down with winemaker, entrepreneur, TV personality and founder of The Flying Winemaker , Eddie McDougall. Eddie shares how his upbringing between Hong Kong and Australia, his father’s extraordinary entrepreneurial journey, and an unexpected encounter with wine inspired him to abandon the conventional business career expected of him and pursue winemaking. That decision took him from putting nets on vineyards at…
16 Jun 2026 · 58 min
Inside Henschke: Gwyn Olsen reveals what it takes to make Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Anna Webster sits down with Gwyn Olsen, senior winemaker at Henschke, one of Australia’s most iconic family-owned wineries. Gwyn’s path into wine was anything but predictable. Born in Cairns and raised in Indonesia, she went on to study biochemistry before discovering winemaking through postgraduate oenology at the University of Adelaide. From her first vintage in the south of France – a job she landed thanks to Google Translate – to roles at Villa Maria, McWilliam’s, Mount Pleasant, Briar Ridge and Pepper…
2 Jun 2026 · 51 min
Winery of the Year’s secret to world-class Hunter Valley wine | Stuart Hordern of Brokenwood
What makes a truly iconic Australian wine? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Anna Webster sits down with Brokenwood Chief Winemaker Stuart Hordern to explore the history, philosophy and future of one of Australia’s most celebrated wineries. From growing up on a small Hunter Valley vineyard to becoming only the second chief winemaker in Brokenwood’s history, Stuart shares the lessons learned from legends like Iain Riggs and PJ Charteris, the pressure and privilege of making the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, and why Hunter Valley semillon remains one of…
19 May 2026 · 46 min
The ambitious winery hidden 35 minutes from Melbourne CBD
What happens when a former linguistics student leaves the Hunter Valley to help build one of Victoria’s most ambitious wine estates from the ground up? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Anna Webster sits down with Alex Beckett, Director of Wine at Marnong Estate, to unpack the philosophy, ambition, and evolution behind one of Victoria’s most talked-about wine destinations. From cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay to Italian varieties like fiano and sangiovese, Alex explains how Marnong is shaping a modern identity for the historic Sunbury wine region…
5 May 2026 · 56 min
Why Australian wine must change now | Louisa Rose of Yalumba
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, host Anna Webster sits down with legendary Australian winemaker Louisa Rose from Yalumba. From growing up in Melbourne to becoming one of the most respected voices in Australian wine, Louisa shares her remarkable journey through decades of winemaking, sustainability leadership and innovation. They explore Yalumba’s pioneering work with viognier, wild fermentation, vegan-friendly wines, climate adaptation, old vines, and the challenges facing the global wine industry today. This is a must-listen for wine lovers, collectors,…
21 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
The King of Chardonnay: Tony Bish on reinvention, innovation and obsession
What does it take to become known as the “King of Chardonnay” ? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast , we sit down with New Zealand winemaking legend Tony Bish to unpack a career that broke every rule. From dropping out of law school to pioneering chardonnay in Hawke’s Bay, Tony shares the raw, unfiltered story behind building a globally respected wine label. We go deep on: Why chardonnay became his singular obsession The early days of New Zealand’s wine industry How innovation in fermentation (including concrete and oak eggs) changed everything The…
7 Apr 2026 · 44 min
Bushfire recovery & rebuilding with Matt Fowles of Fowles Wine
Matt Fowles of Fowles Wine in Victoria's Strathbogie Ranges describes surviving a catastrophic bushfire that burned through his 1400 acre property in under 45 minutes on January 8th 2026, destroying his family home, 1200 (of 1260) sheep, and severely damaging both vineyards – while the winery and cellar door survived. In the aftermath, he prioritised family stability and practical problem-solving before turning to longer term decisions about replanting and farm redesign. The experience has reshaped his thinking on fire resilience, variety selection, regional diversification, and the…
24 Mar 2026 · 42 min
How Melbourne’s best wine bars are built | Lyndon Kubis (Toorak Cellars, Milton Wine Shop, The Alps, Clover)
What actually makes a wine bar successful? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, we sit down with Lyndon Kubis , the force behind some of Melbourne’s most loved venues including Toorak Cellars, Milton Wine Shop, The Alps and Clover. From starting at 18 years old with zero plan… to building a portfolio of iconic neighbourhood wine bars, Lyndon breaks down what really drives success in hospitality. This isn’t about wine lists or interior design. It’s about people, culture, and creating spaces that make people feel something. We cover: How Lyndon…
10 Mar 2026 · 58 min
Gentle Folk’s Gareth Belton on seaweed, science, and sauvignon blanc
Gareth Belton from Gentle Folk joins the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast to talk about his unlikely path from marine botany and seaweed fieldwork to farming some of the Adelaide Hills’ most compelling sites. We dig into how Gareth’s scientific mindset influences decisions in the vineyard and winery, why site (aspect, altitude, soil) matters so much in the Adelaide Hills, and how Gentle Folk’s style has evolved from early, freewheeling releases into refined, terroir-driven wines. You’ll also hear the story behind the Gentle Folk name, the reality of organic farming on…
24 Feb 2026 · 48 min
From flute to ferment: Medhurst’s Rohan Smith on changing careers, making rosé, and the art of picking.
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast , host Anna Webster sits down with Rohan Smith , Chief Winemaker at Medhurst in the Yarra Valley , to talk about his unconventional path into wine, what it really takes to “speed-run” a winemaking career, and why the single most important decision in the winery happens before the grapes even arrive: picking . Rohan shares how a classical music background shaped his approach to interpretation and craft, then gets practical on vineyard and cellar decisions, from diurnal shift differences between Yarra and Mornington, to…
10 Feb 2026 · 44 min
Jasper Hill’s Emily McNally: Family, place and 50 years of Heathcote wine
Emily McNally has spent the past two decades furthering the legacy of her parents, Ron and Elva Laughton, who bought a young vineyard in the late 1970s in Heathcote and established the iconic Jasper Hill. In this episode, host Anna Webster asks Emily why her parents chose Heathcote, how the region earned its identity (and her family’s role in it), what “organic and dry grown” actually means on the ground, why they’re picking grapes earlier than they used to, and adapting to a hotter, less predictable climate. We also dig into Jasper Hill’s key vineyards,…
25 Nov 2025 · 53 min
Wines with swagger: The Michael Hill-Smith Story
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, host Anna Webster sits down with Michael Hill-Smith AM MW, one of the most influential figures in Australian wine. As Australia’s first Master of Wine and co-founder of Shaw + Smith, Tolpuddle Vineyard and MMAD, Michael shares stories from his childhood at Yalumba, his early connection to food and wine, and the pivotal moments that shaped his career. Anna and Michael explore his personal relationship with Len Evans, the bold move to pursue the Master of Wine qualification in the UK, and how a dramatic family buyout at Yalumba…
4 Nov 2025 · 43 min
Wine with altitude: Tessa Brown from Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, winemaker Tessa Brown shares her remarkable journey from growing up on a sugarcane farm in Queensland to establishing boutique winery Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown in Beechworth . Tessa opens up about the challenges and triumphs of winemaking , the importance of careful site selection , and her philosophy of capturing purity of fruit in their wines. She discusses the benefits of collaboration with neighbouring vineyards, the unique impact of high altitude viticulture, and insights into their range, including riesling and nebbiolo.…
21 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
Unlocking the secrets of terroir with Pedro Parra, aka Dr Terroir
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast , we sit down with Pedro Parra , one of the world’s most respected terroir consultants , to explore the deep and fascinating relationship between land and wine. Pedro shares his remarkable journey from studying music to becoming a global expert on terroir , helping winemakers across continents – including Alkina Wine Estate in the Barossa – understand how soil, rocks, and climate shape the soul of a wine. From the complexities of soil structure to the evolving tastes of modern wine drinkers, Pedro breaks down why…
6 Oct 2025 · 44 min
Matt Preston meets his match | The ultimate food and wine pairings
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast we sit down with food critic, author, former MasterChef Australia judge, and wine enthusiast Matt Preston to share his distinctive perspective on the world of wine. From the art of tasting and the magic of food pairings to the crucial role of sommeliers, Matt delves into what makes wine such a captivating experience. He opens up about his personal journey with wine, memorable moments that shaped his palate, and the evolving landscape of global wine culture. We touch on wine pricing, value, and the joy of discovering new regions and…
23 Sep 2025 · 42 min
"Wine should be judged by style, not variety." | Mike Bennie is a Podcast Natural
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion podcast, Halliday taster, drinks writer and liquor merchant Mike Bennie shares his path into the wine industry, his passion for natural wines, and how Australia’s wine scene has evolved. He reflects on founding Sydney’s groundbreaking Rootstock Festival, the challenge of defining natural wine, and judging Halliday’s inaugural ‘wildcard’ category. Mike also makes a case for judging wine by style, explains why he’s a champion of under-the-radar regions such as Queensland’s Granite Belt, and discusses how…
9 Sep 2025 · 41 min
2026 Halliday Wine of the Year | Giles Cooke of Thistledown Wines
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Giles Cooke MW, co-founder of Thistledown Wines , shares his journey in the wine industry and the philosophy behind his winemaking. He reflects on winning Wine of the Year, the history of the Smart Vineyard in McLaren Vale, and the techniques used to craft wines that are expressive of site. Host Anna Webster and Giles explore the challenges and rewards of the Master of Wine program, the potential of grenache in Australia, and Giles’ personal passion for food and wine pairing. The conversation also touches on the 2024 vintage, the…
26 Aug 2025 · 45 min
2026 Halliday Winemaker of the Year: Virginia Willcock, Vasse Felix
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, recorded the morning after the 2026 Halliday Awards, Anna Webster sits down with Vasse Felix’s chief winemaker Virginia Willcock over a strong coffee to discuss her latest accolade, Winemaker of the Year. Virginia reflects on her remarkable career in the wine industry, shares the stories behind iconic wines such as Tom Cullity and Heytesbury Chardonnay , and details the evolution of her winemaking practices and the role of terroir in shaping exceptional wines. Virginia also highlights her passion for sustainability, the importance…
12 Aug 2025 · 46 min
Going, going, Grange: Cracking the code of fine-wine auctions with LANGTONS’ Michael Anderson
Step onto the auction floor with Michael Anderson, Head of Auctions at LANGTONS, and discover how rare bottles move from cellar to gavel. We unpack the do’s and don’ts of bidding, reveal the labels that keep climbing in value, and hear Michael’s personal journey from hospitality to helming Australia’s biggest fine-wine marketplace. Whether you buy to drink, invest, or simply daydream, this chat demystifies the world of wine auctions so you can bid (or sell) with confidence. Connect with us: LANGTONS LANGTONS on Instagram Halliday Wine Companion Wine Companion on…
29 Jul 2025 · 42 min
Philip Rich reveals what it’s really like to be a wine critic, and why Burgundy has his heart | Halliday Tasting Team
In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast , respected wine critic and educator Philip Rich reflects on his decades-long journey through the Australian and global wine landscape. Drawing on his early days in wine retail, including co-founding Prince Wine Store, Philip shares insights into the evolution of wine knowledge and the challenges of modern wine sourcing. He unpacks what makes Burgundy so compelling, the nuances of pinot noir, and the delicate balance required in curating a successful wine list. The conversation is rich with personal stories, professional learnings, and…
15 Jul 2025 · 40 min
Winery of the Year drops its brand new range | Melanie Chester of Giant Steps
In the first episode of the new and improved Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Halliday editor and host Anna Webster speaks with Melanie Chester, head winemaker at Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley. We celebrate Giant Steps being named the 2025 Winery of the Year, discuss the importance of terroir, and the inspiration behind the new Circle of Fifths range. Mel also shares insights into wine judging, the art of blending, and how music plays a role in their winemaking process. The episode closes with a look at quality control, future plans for Giant Steps, and a rapid-fire segment on Mel’s…
25 Nov 2021 · 37 min
Tradition vs. innovation in Rutherglen
Halliday Wine Companion 'By the Glass' EP 17: Rowly Milhinch, Scion , Rutherglen Rutherglen is one of Australia's oldest wine regions. Grapevines came to the region in the 1850s during the gold rush and Rutherglen, as many of you will already know, became Australia's unchallenged capital of fortified wines. The future of regions like Rutherglen rely heavily on either new blood moving in or subsequent generations, from existing wine families, continuing to carry those legacies into the future. Rowland Milhinch, known as Rowly about town, is a descendant of George Francis Morris - one of…
11 Nov 2021 · 41 min
Muscat with Nick Brown
Halliday Wine Companion 'By the Glass' EP 16: Nick Brown, All Saints , Rutherglen Today I am in Rutherglen in Victoria’s Northeast and I am joined by a descendant of wine royalty. Nick Brown from All Saints Estate. If the last name hasn’t given it away, Nick has lived and breathed wine his whole life, spending his childhood running about the cellars of his family winery Brown Brothers in Milawa. And while he initially started off pursuing a career in geological engineering, he thankfully found his way back into wine. Now, today’s area of focus is Muscat. And Muscat of…
28 Oct 2021 · 26 min
Varietal focus: Tempranillo
Halliday Wine Companion 'By the Glass' EP 15: Daniel Tokar, Tokar Estate , Yarra Valley Today we are talking all things Tempranillo! There’s no denying it’s the signature wine grape of Spain, and a very very old one at that…dating back to 1100 BC. There are about 500 clones of Tempranillo in Spain alone, and it is not only one of the world’s most planted grape varieties, it’s one of the most expanded varieties globally. Meaning it’s on the increase. Daniel Tokar, from Tokar Estate in Victoria’s Yarra Valley has been surrounded by this variety since…
14 Oct 2021 · 35 min
Responding to COVID-19 with Dylan McMahon
Halliday Wine Companion 'By the Glass' EP 14: Dylan McMahon, Seville Estate , Yarra Valley. Join me as I sit down with Dylan McMahon from Seville Estate in Victoria's Yarra Valley to reflect on the last two years. From his greatest learnings, to the moments that shaped Seville Estate as a business. Dylan candidly discusses what life was like running a business during one of the most difficult periods in history, the COVID-19 global pandemic. Seville Estate was established in 1972 and has a diverse offering from accommodation, to events, an on-site restaurant, and of course, a cellar door…

About Halliday Wine Companion

Halliday Wine Companion is a English arts & books podcast from Halliday Wine Companion. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Halliday Wine Companion
Language: English
Category: Arts & Books
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 44 min
Latest episode: 13 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1393471002
Rights: Halliday Wine Companion

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