HUNTER VALLEY LEGEND

Karl Stockhausen arrived in Australia a post-war German immigrant and began work at Lindeman’s, first as a labourer in Pokolbin, and then as clerk/accountant in their Sydney office. He became the manager/winemaker of Ben Ean, and was able to learn winemaking from his mentor, Lindeman’s Ray Kidd. He was obviously a very good student, as he became one of our most awarded Australian winemakers, also shown in the results of his consultancy work.

Stockhausen: ‘I am sure I have learnt many things over the years in the wine industry. Most of them are given little, if any, recognition and are just taken for granted. Something I have recognised, rather than learnt is the camaraderie that has always existed in the wine industry; the willingness to help others in spite of a healthy rivalry and competitiveness within the industry. A quite recent indication of this was given by the help offered to the Drayton Family by so many wine industry people following the tragic accident at their winery.

At the time of my starting at Lindeman’s’ Ben Ean, I frequently asked people such as the late Len Drayton for advice which was readily given. A little later, I would offer help if I could. I recall a late night call from an Upper Hunter winery in the 1960s, the air bag of their only press had been cut while grapes were waiting to be pressed. We had a spare bag which solved their problem. On the lighter side, I remember Max Lake calling me just before one vintage – he had bought a new press but didn’t know how to use it, because the instructions were in German – could I help? Of course I could.”

Karl Stockhausen was inducted as a Legend in 2007.

HUNTER VALLEY LEGEND

Brian Walsh’s wine experience began as an industrial chemist in the world of business. He took a job in a laboratory in 1952, as an assistant chemist at McWilliam’s Sydney headquarters, while still studying at Sydney Technical College. He received his diploma in 1954 and was able to gain real experience by doing vintage at the McWilliams Riverina winery at Griffith in 1955.

1956 saw Brian taking over from the ailing Maurice O’Shea as winemaker at McWilliam’s Mt Pleasant site, after completing the vintage together. For the next vintage, he had support by the family from the Riverina. The 1958 vintage was the last with help, in for form of Don McWilliam. He learnt a lot quickly, because he had to, and eventually became manager.

Brian’s straight answer summarises well: “The quality of wine is basically fixed at the time of picking and can only be enhanced in small ways by human hands and the common sense application of sound winemaking principles. 

Brian Walsh was inducted as a Legend in 2007.

HUNTER VALLEY LEGEND

John Tulloch  was brought up in the Fordwich area on the Tulloch vineyard and felt he had no reason to leave, knowing what he wanted to do even before he attended high school. He left the Hunter Valley for a little while to attend Agriculture College in Tamworth, but always came home for holidays. Despite his father (unusually) wanting him to work outside the business, at BHP, Tulloch stuck to his desire and carried on the family tradition.  His time-honoured approach to viticulture has proven successful and widely acclaimed.

Tulloch’s answer about what he has learnt: “Wine is made in the vineyards. By this, I mean the vineyard has the biggest influence on the end result. If you don’t get that right, the rest won’t be right – the whole culture in the ground counts.

The old ideas are often the best, if you try and retain the best of the old ways and not just improve as a matter of course, because of course, costs have to be taken into consideration. The cost of keeping up with modern technology can be prohibitive to the smaller grower – for example, the price of a machine harvester now, which now still does much the same job, has exploded compared to what is was when we first used one in 1975. And labour for hand-picking can be hard to find and relatively expensive when you employ people for just a couple of weeks a year, outside the towns. As the price of grapes is more or less fixed, production is the only area you could make more efficient, but the end quality still depends on the vineyard.”

John Tulloch was inducted as a Legend in 2007.

Event Hire