Wine

New Kids on the Block

All over Australia, passionate prodigies drawn to the art, science, and allure of the vine are quietly making a name for themselves in winemaking through vision, innovation, and sheer hard work.

In a wine landscape that often feels oversaturated and overhyped, clarity of purpose is rare - and worth celebrating. Among the countless bottles on offer, a new wave is emerging: wines that reflect vision, place, and intention. A new generation of Australian winemakers is quietly reshaping the conversation, not through noise or novelty, but with vision.

I've always believed that you can't drink a story. But when a wine comes from a place of conviction and care, when it's delicious, well-crafted and adds meaningfully to the broader Australian wine dialogue - that's the kind of story I'll happily pour a second glass of.

In speaking with a handful of these new voices, what stood out wasn't just their talent, but their sense of purpose. They're not interested in replicating what already exists. They're here to contribute, challenge and reimagine. Across regions, styles and personal backgrounds, a shared ethos emerged: one built on creativity, community and a clear reason to exist.

These are wines made with intention. There's a heartbeat behind the bottle. 

Rowly Milhinch of Scion in Rutherglen  drew inspiration from his great-great-great grandfather, George Francis Morris, who was himself a pioneering Australian vigneron.

That heartbeat pulses strongly through Bloomfield, the solo project of South Australia's Lauren Hansen. Lauren's been in the game for over 15 years, making wine for others, but 2024 marked the year she stopped making excuses and backed herself. "I've always known I wanted to make my own wine," she told me. "Bloomfield is the intersection of fun, creativity and quality." The name originates from her mother's maiden name, and the labels were designed by Mum herself, featuring art by Geelong-based painter Dean DeLandre. "Dad's my delivery driver in Adelaide," she laughed.

But for all the familial charm, Lauren's talent speaks for itself, from winning Dux in the Len Evans tutorial last year to winning Best New Act at the 19th Young Gun of Wine Awards this year. She's showcasing new varieties to the Limestone Coast, such as Grüner Veltliner (sourced from Anita Goode's block in Mount Benson) and Mencia - and doing it with polish. "You need to have a reason for your wines to exist," she said. "I wanted to add something to the conversation."

That line echoed across all three conversations I had with the winemakers, that question of why. Not just how or what someone's making, but the reason why the wine exists in the first place. It's about taking up space meaningfully.

Lauren Hansen moves a bin of Petit Verdot at Bloomfield. 

PICKED WITH PURPOSE

In New South Wales, Mem Hemmings, the force behind MEREDITH Wines, is doing precisely that. As beverage manager for the Three Blue Ducks venues, Mem spends a significant amount of time on the road, meeting with growers, speaking with producers, and seeking out organically farmed fruit across regions such as Tumbarumba and Gundagai. That network of relationships, and Mem's desire to champion underdog regions and overlooked varieties, is the foundation of their wines. "There's always been a hierarchy of styles and regions," Mem said. "I'm trying to help shift that, to show that places like Gundagai are no less worthy than somewhere with gravitas like the Hunter or Barossa."

It's not just the fruit that's different - Mem's wines come in cans and kegs, packaged to serve a purpose. "I'm trying to quietly say 'don't judge a book by its cover'. This wine is made with the same integrity, hand-harvested, and thoughtfully sourced. And yes, it's in a can. That doesn't make it less serious." There's a quiet confidence to Mem's approach that I admire. And the wines? They speak for themselves. I recently tried the 2024 Rosé made from Orange-grown Cabernet. Floral, fleshy, with a lovely slip of acidity and a whisper of grip - it's the kind of wine that lingers not because it's flashy, but because it's so well crafted.

That same thread of vision, clarity and purpose runs through the work of Rowly Milhinch in Rutherglen. Through his label, Scion, Rowly is reshaping perceptions of what Rutherglen can be. He has been working with Muscat in all its forms for over 22 years now, including dry, skin-contact, and dessert expressions. "There are two main Muscat varieties here - white and brown - and traditionally the brown's been used for fortifieds," he explained. "But I make a dry table wine with it, after 60 days on skins, focusing on aromatics and texture."

Rowly's approach balances tradition and experimentation - a creative tension that feels considered and deeply rooted. His Viognier, made since 2010 with skin contact to balance its natural glycerol weight, has become a bit of a cult hit. "We had a clear vision from the start," he told me. "Even before we launched the brand, we planted specific clones of Durif (the Griffith clone) to explore how we could refine and reimagine what this region is known for."

Mem Hemmings, the force behind MEREDITH Wines

Pat Underwood's Little Reddie and Patrick Underwood labels reveal his relentless winemaking curiosity and  talent. 

That commitment to vision was something I felt strongly with all three winemakers. It's not about chasing trends or making wines that mimic. It's about offering something true, considered and different. As Rowly put it, "It might seem elitist, but having a vision transcends the wine and people can 'feel' the difference. We see it when people come through the cellar door, all the little details add up."

That same quiet conviction can be found in Central Victoria, where Pat Underwood is turning his years of experimentation into something tightly focused and masterful. Pat's work under the Little Reddie and Patrick Underwood labels carries the mark of someone who's spent a decade chasing curiosity, now refining that energy into wines of poise and presence. His 2022 Chardonnay is a case in point - aromatic and expressive, featuring orchard fruit and pristine acidity, layered with fine phenolics and subtle oak.

Pat's journey feels like one of distillation, not in the literal sense, but in how he's narrowed his gaze over time to focus on what truly matters. There's rigour in his winemaking now, not just raw passion, and the results are some of the most exciting wines I've tasted in recent memory.

PIONEERS AT ALL POINTS OF THE COMPASS

In Tasmania, Lauren and Matthias Utzinger are forging something quietly remarkable with Utzinger Wines. Based in the north, they bring a mix of Swiss precision and Tasmanian edge to their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Their wines are textured, detailed and beautifully composed - a result, no doubt, of two analytical minds with a deep respect for site and subtlety.

And over in Margaret River, Kate Morgan continues to chart her own course through her Ipso Facto label. She's part of a strong wave of winemakers in the west making wines with clarity and nerve. Kate's work is thoughtful and expressive, always built on a deep trust in the fruit and a stripped-back approach in the winery. Hers is a solo journey marked by quiet confidence and a refusal to chase anyone else's idea of success.

What links all these winemakers is a commitment to crafting wines that stand for something. Whether it's family legacy, regional pride, stylistic experimentation or simply the joy of a great glass shared, none of these wines feel like filler. They're not adding to the white noise. They're offering something better.

And that, to me, is worth celebrating.