Yesterday in Melbourne the Hunter Valley’s Liz Silkman was bestowed with the most celebrated winemaking title in Australia Halliday Winemaker of the Year 2025. Liz is the first Hunter Valley winemaker to ever be awarded this title from one of the world’s most respected wine critics.
Tonight in Melbourne the Hunter Valley’s Liz Silkman was bestowed with the most celebrated winemaking title in Australia Halliday Winemaker of the Year 2025. Liz is the first Hunter Valley winemaker to ever be awarded this title from one of the world’s most respected wine critics.
Silkman Blackberry Semillon 2023 was also named Semillon of the Year amassing an ‘Exceptional’ 98 point score out of a possible 100 points.
Silkman, which started as a place for Liz and winemaker husband Shaun to collaborate on making wines they both loved and utilising the best fruit parcels they could get their hands on is now one of the hottest micro wine brands in the country having also been Shortlisted by Halliday for Best Winery 2025.
“Anyone that knows me will attest to the fact that I’m not one for the limelight, so I’m still in shock at being named Halliday Winemaker of the Year.” jests Liz Silkman of her win.
“It’s so exciting too for Silkman, a tiny brand Shaun and I started as a platform for he and I to collaborate on winemaking ideas, styles and have a bit of fun. We love being able to identify small parcels of exceptional fruit and make contemporary wines that we love to drink ourselves and share with friends. So being shortlisted for Winery of the Year is just incredible and to see our little Sem up there as Semillon of the Year, just feels surreal. We couldn’t be happier.” adds Liz.
Shaun and Liz Silkman both juggle big day jobs as COO and Chief Winemaker respectively in their Hunter Valley family business First Creek Wines, and together are responsible for producing more than a million cases of wine each year.
Silkman became a place for creativity and freedom to make wines that they wanted to experiment with. Wines that wouldn’t necessarily fit a bigger brand and broader distribution but wines that they could have a bit of fun with.
Liz and Shaun both took different paths to winemaking in the Hunter, Liz began her career in 1999 as Lab Technician at Brokenwood Wines in the Hunter, having completed a Bachelor of Science Degree at Newcastle University, and later a Graduate Diploma in Oenology at the University of Adelaide. She worked at numerous wineries across Australia, the US and New Zealand before returning to the Hunter as Winemaker at Tempus Two for six years prior to taking on her current role as Chief Winemaker at First Creek Wines.
Liz was Dux of the Len Evans Tutorial - regarded as one of the most exclusive wine schools in the world and has seen success on success ever since for both her wines and her winemaking prowess. Liz was the first winemaker to be named Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year three times, only to be topped by this new title Winemaker of the Year 2025 by Halliday.
Shaun began working as a cellar hand in the family wine business in 1999, while studying a Bachelor of Business & Commerce Degree at the University of Newcastle. At the time he did not intend to pursue a career in the wine industry, however quickly realised he could apply his business acumen to the rapidly expanding family business and became the driving force in creating what is today one of the most successful contract winemaking and bottling businesses in Australia. Shaun’s passion for wine led him to later attain a Bachelor of Wine Science Degree through Charles Sturt University.
Liz and Shaun are excited to have such accolades being ticked off their list of accolades for their Silkman brand that they’ve long been aspiring to achieve. Trophies which include winning NSW Wine of the Year, and the Halliday Chardonnay Challenge and now this Halliday recognition.
“I couldn’t be prouder of Liz for being awarded Halliday Winemaker of Year. We are both so humbled by this new recognition for our small brand,” says Shaun Silkman “We make only tiny parcels of wine from the very best fruit available, and our aim really is just to make outstanding contemporary versions of the varieties we love.” he continued.
Silkman currently makes two ranges of wine in their small stable, Reserve and Estate, and produce extremely limited volumes of each of the wines in their portfolio, comprising Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz & Shiraz Pinot. Rumour has it that a third range ‘Silk’ will soon be added to their exciting portfolio of small batch wines.
Each of the 14 wines in the current line-up have scores of more than 95 out of a possible 100 in the revered Halliday Wine Companion which goes on sale today including these top scoring wines:-
- 98 Points Silkman Blackberry Semillon 2023 (not yet released)
- 98 Points Silkman ‘Silk’ Aged Release Chardonnay 2017 (not yet released)
- 97 Points Silkman ‘Silk’ Chardonnay 2023 (not yet released)
- 97 Points Silkman Reserve Chardonnay 2022 RRP $60
- 97 Points Silkman Reserve Chardonnay 2017 RRP $60
- 97 Points Silkman Reserve Semillon 2023 RRP $60
Silkman Wines are distributed nationally by specialist wine distributor Red + White, and available via allocation through their online store which launches this week at silkmanwines.com.au and you can sign up for their new wine club to ensure your annual allocations.
You can follow their journey at Instagram.com/silkmanwines
