Brendan Carter is one of the most dynamic voices in Australian wine. Alongside his wife Laura, he’s the co-founder of Unico Zelo in the Adelaide Hills, a label built on sustainability, accessibility and a deep respect for Australian ingredients. Together they also run Applewood Distillery, celebrating native botanicals through spirits and cocktails, and they’ve grown a reputation for pushing boundaries while staying true to their roots.
Brendan is passionate about reimagining what wine can be in this country — not just a product, but a reflection of place, culture, and community. He’s also a fierce advocate for education, innovation and storytelling, drawing on lessons from great wine capitals around the world while championing South Australia as a leader in its own right.
Sneak preview from the Brendan Carter interview. Stay tuned!
PREVIEW for the wonderful interview with Pauly Vandenbergh
Pauly Vandenbergh grew up on the West Coast of South Australia with a strong sense of cultural identity and connection to Country. He went on to play professional basketball in the NBL before building a career spanning sport, community, and enterprise. Today, Pauly wears many hats — from founding Munda Wines, to leading the Tjindu Foundation, establishing the Aboriginal Basketball Academy, running Wanna Mar seafood in Port Lincoln, and serving in leadership roles with Port Adelaide Football Club and the AFL. At the heart of it all is his mission to create opportunities for the next generation, shift the narrative around Indigenous voices, and build the kind of pathways he wished were there when he was growing up. He’s a passionate storyteller, a mentor, a father of four, and makes the time to take care of his health, with the help of his wife’s yoga and breathwork routines.
Kim Longbottom’s story is one of adaptability, resilience, and quiet determination. Originally from New Zealand, she built a life on the Limestone Coast, growing a highly successful wine brand with her husband Mark in Padthaway.
When Mark was diagnosed with cancer in the early 2000s, they faced it with defiance and optimism, always believing he'd make it through. Years later leukaemia tragically claimed his life when their daughter Margo was just ten years old, leaving Kim with the world on her shoulders.
She's never stopped moving forward, balancing single motherhood with the demands of business, thinking ahead and embracing the next challenge. Today, she runs Vintage Longbottom alongside Margo, continuing to adapt to the ever-evolving world of wine.
Sneak peak from the upcoming interview with Kim Longbottom.
James Hook is one of McLaren Vale’s most respected viticulturists and agronomists, known for his practical knowledge, innovative approach, and deep commitment to sustainable grape growing. As co-founder of DJ’s Growers, he works hands-on with vineyards across the region, helping growers restore and improve blocks, adopt new technologies, and prepare for the challenges of climate and market change.
He played a leading role in creating McLaren Vale’s Sustainable Winegrowing program, which became the model for Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, and today supports thousands of growers nationally. Recognised by WSET and IWSC as one of the global wine industry’s Future 50 leaders, James combines science, community, and storytelling to highlight the importance of how grapes are grown in shaping the wines we love.
Sneak preview from the upcoming interview with James Hook.
Liz Riley is a true pillar of Australian viticulture, with more than 30 years working across vineyard management, biosecurity, sustainability, and industry leadership.
Based in the Hunter Valley, Liz runs her own consultancy through Vitibit, helping growers build healthier, more resilient vineyards. She also manages her family’s vineyards at Scarborough Wine Co, and plays a vital role in education through her teaching at Tocal College, passing on her skills and knowledge to the next generation of viticulturists.
Respected for her practical wisdom and big-picture thinking, Liz is as comfortable talking about soil microbes as she is about the future of the wine community.
Sneak preview from the upcoming episode with Liz Riley
Sami Gilligan is at the heart of two worlds that keep South Australia’s wine industry moving. As the co-owner of Flex Logistics, he’s carted countless loads of grapes from McLaren Vale vineyards to wineries, and expanded into mining transport. He also owns and runs The Wetlands Vineyard, where he’s working to restore biodiversity through the EcoVineyards program, planting native species, creating microbat habitats, and thinking long-term about land health.
On top of that, he sits on multiple industry bodies at regional, state and national level, while championing gender diversity in leadership and building businesses that reflect those values.
Sneak peek at Sami Gilligan's amazing interview,
Sue Bell and Jordan McAnaney are two voices in wine who crossed paths only last year but have already found plenty of common ground. Sue has built a reputation over decades for her focus on community, sustainability, and climate-appropriate wine at Bellwether, while also drawing on her Aboriginal heritage and a deep respect for the land.
Jordan, still early in his winemaking career, brings curiosity and courage to the table, stepping away from more traditional farming to reshape what a vineyard could be, and putting his ideas into practice straight away.
Since connecting at the Langhorne Creek wine show last year, they have shared ideas, supported each other, and found that bringing together different experiences can push the industry forward.
Sneak peek at the upcoming epsidoe with Sue Bell & Jordan McAnaney.
Andrew Kenny and Ben Castine are part of a new wave of Clare Valley growers blending respect for tradition with a push for more sustainable and regenerative practices.
Andrew runs Kenny Wine, a label focused on showcasing the best of single-vineyard fruit while caring for the land. Ben and his wife manage their own vineyard at Watervale alongside his work with EcoGrowers, helping farmers shift toward more resilient, environmentally friendly systems. Both have been recognised as Young Guns of Wine for their forward thinking, showing you can farm for the future without losing what makes this region great.
They’ve faced challenges like oversupply, water security, frost damage, and the mental toll of working in a tough climate, but they’re driven by a belief in community and a healthier way forward for wine.
Sneak preview from the next great episode, featuring Andrew Kenny and Ben Castine.
Jesslyn Francis Collins and Jessica Grozdanov are two emerging talents bringing fresh energy and diverse skills into the Australian wine industry. Jesslyn grew up in Toronto and has spent 15 years working in wine and hospitality, earning her sommelier certification and gaining vintage experience in Canada and Australia. She’s now in her third year of a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Adelaide, drawn here by its global reputation.
Jessica, originally from Wollongong, started out in engineering and advanced manufacturing before discovering wine during a vintage on the New South Wales south coast. That spark led her to Adelaide, where she is wrapping up her master’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology and preparing for an internship in Sonoma.
Together, they are part of a new generation working to blend innovation, sustainability, and a sense of community into the future of wine.
A sneak peek from the upcoming interview with the two Jess's.
Nick Dugmore is the driving force behind Stoke Wines, with vines rooted across both Kangaroo Island and McLaren Vale. A Young Gun of Wine winner, Nick brings a thoughtful approach to regenerative farming and a passion for the connection to people and place that makes wine special.
Receiving a shock stage 3 bowel cancer diagnosis at 39, Nick’s had a major rethink on everything from his relationship with alcohol, to how we look after the land, our health, and each other. Not one to shy away from the tough conversations, he’s now putting his voice out there, co-hosting The Power of Awareness Podcast, to help inform and inspire people living with cancer.
He’s passionate, determined, and not afraid to call for change where it’s needed, if you ask him, he’ll tell you he loves wine even more since cancer, for the connection and joy it brings when we treat it — and ourselves — with respect.
A sneak preview from the upcoming interview with Nick Dugmore.