Emerging Talent Bursary

I am the General Manager at Swinging Bridge Wines in Orange, where I work across cellar door, hospitality, staff training, wine education, events and daily business operations. Having spent formative years in regional NSW and now living and working in Orange, I am passionate about building strong wine and hospitality pathways outside the metropolitan centres, and helping showcase the quality and character of the Orange region in particular.

My background began in restaurants, including four years as Group Sommelier for Delia Group in Melbourne, and has developed into a broader role within regional wine, tourism and education. I hold the WSET Diploma and am considering the Master of Wine qualification. I regularly lead tastings for guests, staff and colleagues, including a weekly tasting at Swinging Bridge to lift wine knowledge across our team and wider network. I also serve on the Orange FOOD Week Committee and have been an Associate Judge at the Orange Wine Show.

I work across several facets of the Australian wine industry as a writer, presenter and judge. I am a wine critic for Winepilot and Vintage Journal, and a contributor to Halliday, Broadsheet and other publications. Through my writing I aim to bring a contemporary tone to wine commentary - translating the culture, people and places behind wine in a way that feels relevant and accessible while still holding the industry to account.

Beyond writing, I judge at two to three Australian wine shows each year and regularly host masterclasses for regional and state wine professionals. Until January this year I served on the Sommeliers Australia committee, and I was selected as part of the 2025 Next Crop cohort.

I also emcee industry events and use social media to communicate wine to a broader audience, helping connect drinkers with the people, land and stories behind the glass.

I am a Sensory Scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), where I work across projects integrating sensory analysis, consumer research, and analytical chemistry to address key industry challenges. My work has contributed to research on smoke taint, helping provide evidence-based guidance to grapegrowers and winemakers managing increasing climate-related risks.

Alongside this role, I am undertaking a PhD focused on consumer preferences in the no-and-low-alcohol (NOLO) wine category. My research explores how sensory attributes and consumer expectations intersect, with the aim of supporting the development of products that better align with evolving market demands. Through both my professional role and academic research, I am actively engaged in translating scientific insights into practical applications that support innovation and resilience within the Australian wine industry.

I am the Group Sommelier for Kailis Hospitality Group in Perth, where I oversee the wine programs for venues including Gibney and The Shorehouse. My role involves curating and managing large-scale wine lists, building producer-focused selections and mentoring a team of sommeliers while championing Western Australian wines alongside international benchmarks. Beyond the restaurant floor, I am engaged in the broader Australian wine community as a wine show judge and industry participant, contributing to tastings and judging panels both within Western Australia and nationally.

My work has been recognised with multiple awards, including being named Sommelier of the Year by the WA Good Food Guide in both 2023 and 2025. I was also selected as a Len Evans Tutorial Scholar and have participated in international judging opportunities such as the Decanter and the International Wine Challenge in London, experiences that inform my perspective on Australian wine within a global context.

In 2025 I graduated from Next Crop Victoria and sat on the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Associations Technical Committee (MPVA). Whilst on the MPVA Technical Committee, I helped organise a Wine Show Judging Seminar. This aimed to bridge the knowledge gap in how Wine Shows work and to encourage more young industry professionals from the Mornington Peninsula to apply for shows.

I actively participate in regional industry events, continuing to network with local industry stakeholders and build a community in this regional area. In building community, I also participate in an informal tasting group with other young industry professionals with the aim of tasting with others outside of your business and creating a support network. I also assist on my family’s vineyard, where I can experiment with viticultural ideas with the goal of creating a sustainable vineyard.

With deep roots in the Australian wine industry, my career has evolved from key roles across Hunter Valley estates and international vineyards to launching my own label, Glover Wines. This year, I have transitioned into full-time consultancy, balancing technical expertise for boutique Hunter Valley brands with strategic winemaking for industry leaders like Fourth Wave Wine.

My involvement extends beyond the cellar through leadership roles dedicated to industry growth. As a NSW Rootlings State Champion, I collaborate with the committee to organise and execute the upcoming state conference. Additionally, I serve as the Head of the Hunter Valley Young Winemakers Group, where I facilitate quarterly tastings designed to mentor and educate the region’s emerging talent. Through this blend of independent production, corporate consulting, and professional advocacy, I am committed to advancing the quality and community spirit of the New South Wales wine industry.

I have been actively involved in the wine industry now since 2022, completing 5 vintages in the Pyrenees Wine region of Victoria. I have spent time in both large- and small-scale production and fallen in love with the industry and all its many facets. I have become heavily involved in the Pyrenees Wine Region currently sitting as the secretary of the committee.

I have also delved into various other aspects of the industry, sitting on the committee for the Western Victorian Wine Show, 2025 Alternative Varieties Wine Show steward and currently one of the Victorian State Champions for Rootling's. I am passionate about the future of the industry, finding my unique pathway through and building up other young people to experience the same joy and passion I find in this industry.

Full-time winemaker based in South Australia, working across vintage production and winery operations. As the winemaker and owner of Ms. L Wines, I manage every aspect of a small label, from vineyard logistics and contract winemaking to national sales.

I regularly engage with consumers through wine tastings, markets and hospitality venues, building stronger connections between producers and drinkers.

Wine judge since 2021, contributing to several Australian wine shows including the Australian Small Winemakers Show, Barossa Wine Show, Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Clare Valley Wine Show, National Single Vineyard Wine Show and etc.

Committee member of Wine Communicators of Australia, contributing to industry engagement initiatives. Active participant in Rootlings, the national network supporting young grape and wine professionals as one of SA state champions.

Through these roles I engage with the wine sector from multiple perspectives — production, evaluation, communication and entrepreneurship, which shapes my long-term commitment to contributing to the future of Australian wine.

I am currently employed full-time as a cellar hand at Henschke Wines in the Barossa Valley, where I am involved in all aspects of production during both vintage and non-vintage periods. My role includes fruit receival, crushing and pressing operations, fermentation monitoring, additions, transfers, and maintaining detailed production records.

I hold a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Adelaide and have built a diverse foundation across the Australian and international wine industries. My experience includes vintages at Yalumba, Oxford Landing, and Revenir Winemaking, as well as international harvests in Austria and Oregon.

This combination of practical cellar work, laboratory experience, and vineyard exposure has given me a holistic understanding of wine production and a strong commitment to contributing to the future of Australian wine.

I am currently working as a Portfolio Winemaker at Australian Vintage Ltd, based at Buronga Hill Winery. My role involves managing wine quality across a broad portfolio, including blending, fining, and ensuring compliance for domestic and export markets.

My experience in Australia spans different production scales, from premium small-scale at Lowe Family Wine Co, to mid-scale at Wine X Sam, and now large-scale commercial production at Australian Vintage. This progression has given me a strong understanding of how winemaking decisions translate across different operational contexts.

Alongside day-to-day operations, I contribute to process improvement and technical trials, including work with electrodialysis to reduce acetic acid in red wines, as well as trials with fining agents and other oenological products to optimise wine stability and quality.

My focus is on bridging practical winemaking with innovation, developing scalable solutions that improve wine quality while supporting evolving market needs.