Winemaking was a dream that grew over nearly 20 years, from my own wine epiphany in my early 20s. - Michael Hall
Growing up in England in the 1960s, Michael Hall would spend the summer holidays in the French provinical landscapes with his wine loving Father and family, imprinting on him a fond memory that would stick and ultimately influence his future path. While his love of wine grew during the growth of the English wine bar scene in the 1980s, finding a way to pay for such love led Michael to become involved in the somewhat unrelated albeit highly fascinating landscape of jewellery evalutation, his natural talent within this industry and hard work over two decades leading him to climb to the rarefied air of Sotheby’s in Switzerland, working with socialites, aristocrats and captains of industry and handling fortunes in precious jewels.
However, the desire and lure of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley continued to burn passionately within Michael, utlimately leading him to jump ship and apply for a Student Visa to Australia to study Wine Science in 2001. He graduated Dux in 2005 leading to an extremely impressive CV of vintage hopping back and forth between Hemispheres. His vintage work in Australia and France is a veritable who's who: in Australia with Cullen, Giaconda, Henschke, Shaw + Smith, Coldstream Hills and Veritas; in France with Domaine Leflaive, Meo-Camuzet, Vieux Telegraphe and Trevallon.
Based in the Barossa, Michael continued his leap of faith by starting Michael Hall Wines, in 2008. Sourcing fruit from 9 ha of vines within the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley, the wines are a showcase of vintage, place and minimal intervention with Michael endeavouring to allow the season and site to show its full expression.
"I have a European palate and first came to love wine via the restrained elegance of the French, rather than the heroic and muscular movement in my adopted region. Soaking up vintage at some of the world’s greatest producers in France and Australia reinforced my passion for finely-structured, complex and textural wines." - Michael Hall
"The wines are as impressive as his CV suggests they should be" - James Halliday's Wine Companion
Tasting this Saturday 21st April 2pm-5pm. Free of Charge.