Tamburlaine snaps up winemaking talent

Andrew Higgins, who spent almost two decades at McWilliam's Wines, has joined  Tamburlaine Organic Wines as head of winemaking for the Orange region.

Higgins was formerly group senior winemaker for McWilliam's at Hanwood in the Riverina. 

He joins Tamburlaine at a time when the organic producer has recently added a 12,000-tonne winery at Cudal and 507 hectares of vineyards to its Central West operations.

Managing director Mark Davidson says the current team is the strongest he’s worked with throughout his 37-year career.

“The vast majority of our wine production is now based in Orange," Davidson says. "This is very different to the single-site, relatively small production winery I have previously operated. 

“To produce the best wine as well as the necessary production efficiency in a facility like Cudal requires particular skills and Andrew is a natural fit. 

"Our ground-breaking work over the years involving organics, vegan fining agents and winemaking without added sulphur may be in part new to Andrew, but he instinctively understands how much the industry and consumers continue to change.”

Higgins said: “I am super-excited with the opportunity of coming on board in a lead role with the Tamburlaine winemaking team. 

“The diversity and breadth of the vineyards and viticulture knowledge puts the company in a great position to continue to be a leader in the organic and overall “Better For You” wine space. The medium bodied wines coming out of altitude NSW regions are of excellent quality and perfectly balanced for a multitude of cuisines. 

"I’m really looking forward to working with the winery team at Cudal to craft award-winning wines out of these cool-climate sites.”

Tamburlaine has become one of the fastest growing brands in Australia, with its 57-year-old operation in the Hunter Valley and 12,000-tonne winery at Cudal. 

The brand was was established in 1966 and in 1985 the Hunter winery was purchased by a small group of friends and relatives led by Davidson. 

See www.tamburlaine.com.au

Enjoy a glass or two of wine; help save the planet

Tamburlaine Organic Wines has announced an innovative collaboration with gardening expert and environmentalist Jamie Durie to create a small batch of wines called True Earth Collective. 

The very limited releases are from organically certified vineyards, but also come with extra benefits.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Jamie and Planet Ark on a project that is so synergistic with our values,” said Mark Davidson, Tamburlaine’s chief winemaker (below).

“Tamburlaine has prioritised organic and regenerative farming practices across our vineyards for over two decades now. We’re staunch believers that it’s the way forward for winemaking and more broadly for agriculture in Australia.” 

For every bottle of True Earth purchased, consumers are donating $2 to Planet Ark’s National Tree Day, as well as receiving fractional shares in an Australian sustainability exchange traded fund (which sounds like a good thing). 

"I am passionate about the need to honour and heal our land,” said Durie. “This collaboration with Tamburlaine was born through the mutual respect for land and how it’s managed. We are tremendously excited to see this project from conception through to completion." 

Durie has been an ambassador for National Tree Day since 1999 and worked with Planet Ark on environmental initiatives for over 27 years. 

There are three wines in the collection: Wild Chardonnay, Malbec Shiraz and Cabernet Shiraz, each selected from organic vineyards across Orange and Canowindra in Central West New South Wales. 

True Earth Collective wines will be available for purchase exclusively online and through Tamburlaine cellar doors in the Hunter Valley and Millthorpe. All are priced at $30 with discounts for Tamburlaine club members. 

See https://tamburlaine.com.au/collections/true-earth