Celebrity chef Matt Moran signs on the dotted line with Pepperjack

Treasury Wine Estates, parent company of Pepperjack Wines, recently axed 170 mostly office roles as part of an overall restructure it says will contribute to $100 million in annual savings. 

But it has found the money to sign up celebrity chef and restaurateur Matt Moran as a brand ambassador for Pepperjack. 

The partnership comes as Pepperjack celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, building on a legacy that began with its signature Barossa shiraz. 

"There's this idea that wine has to be precious, the right glass, the right vintage, saved for the right occasion, or that certain wines can only be enjoyed with particular foods," Moran said. 

"I don’t buy into that, and that isn’t reflected in the way Australians actually eat and drink today. That's exactly the thinking Pepperjack is going into their 30th anniversary with, and why it felt right to be involved.”

Pepperjack and Moran will bring the brand’s “Anything Goes” campaign to life, encouraging Australians to put aside traditional rules and enjoy food and wine in a way that reflects how they eat and entertain today.

Pepperjack and Moran will share approachable pairing ideas, practical inspiration and creative recipes that make it easy to enjoy wine across more meals and moments.

Since joining Pepperjack in 2007, senior winemaker Richard Mattner has grown the brand beyond its renowned Barossa shiraz, overseeing the development of a diverse portfolio that now includes rosé, chardonnay and pinot noir. 

"For a long time, food was matched to wine. What’s exciting about Pepperjack is that we think about it the other way around, creating wines that are made to be enjoyed with food,” Mattner says. 

“When I joined Pepperjack in 2007, the brand was best known for its Barossa shiraz. Today, the range is far broader, but the philosophy stays the same: if the wine doesn’t enhance the dining experience , it doesn’t go in the bottle.”

Moran adds: "For me, this isn't about telling people what to drink. It's about backing the way people actually eat and drink, and showing that a good bottle of wine belongs at any occasion. Cacio e pepe with a glass of chardonnay, or fried chicken with rosé on the couch, it's the same idea to me. Wine that just fits the moment."

See https://www.pepperjack.com.au/

Image: Sreven Woodburn

A cabernet with cheese fries? Americans happy to break wine "rules"

Americans can be easily confused. A considerable number of them still believe charlatan Donald Trump is the legitimate President of the United States.

It turn out that wine is also a difficult topic with 3/4 of Americans finding wine etiquette "intimidating" and 67% of respondents to a recent study believing that there are right and wrong ways to drink wine, Drinks Business reported.

The study conducted on behalf of Woodbridge Wines by OnePoll canvassed 2,000 US respondents aged 21 and older.

The poll found that over two-thirds think there are right and wrong ways to drink wine, while eight out of 10 respondents said they did not always follow the so-called “rules of wine”.

Just 17% swirl and sniff before they take a sip.

Seven out of 10 respondents said they drink wine more than any other type of alcohol over the winter, and, perhaps surprisingly, 62% of men and 50% of women said they would choose wine over beer while watching sports.

Fine dining is clearly not on the agenda of most of those polled. 

When asked about their favourite wine and food pairings, men preferred mac and cheese over other dishes (41%), while women opted for chicken wings (34%).

People in the colder north-east of the country (54%) prefer to add ice cubes to their wine - which makes no sense at all.

“Just like everything in life, there are so many old-school, traditional rules in wine culture that people feel they need to follow - swirling, sniffing, pairing,” said Serena Shrivastava, brand director for Woodbridge Wines, in a statement.

“We encourage everyone to play by their own rules instead and leave any judgement behind.
“We think there should only be one rule: enjoy wine your way - however, wherever, and whenever you want.

“Wine is for more than fancy occasions and fancy glasses. Don’t be afraid to drop an ice cube in your wine glass at home, grab a can of wine instead of a beer at a tailgate, or pair a cabernet with some delicious cheese fries at the ballpark. When you ‘wine your way,’ anything goes.”

Image: Phuong Nguyen, Scop.io