James Halliday, Founder of Coldstream Hills
There is great anticipation in opening a bottle of Coldstream Hills. An experience that is quite unique… one of seduction
James Halliday
James Halliday has managed to combine three lives in his 70 years: as a corporate lawyer and ultimately a senior partner in one of Australia’s largest law firms for over 20 years; as a winemaker (for over 30 years) and as a journalist, wine judge & consultant (again for over 30 years).
With two other Sydney lawyers, he founded Brokenwood in the Hunter Valley in 1970 and, after moving to Melbourne for his law firm in 1983, he and his wife Suzanne established Coldstream Hills in 1985.
He worked as a hands-on winemaker at Brokenwood, in several stints in France, and at Coldstream Hills before increasing age persuaded him that jumping in and out of open vats could be a terminal health hazard.
As a journalist he has written over 60 books and several thousand newspaper and magazine articles, winning a number of major wine writing awards in Australia and the United States. He was also awarded Australia’s most prestigious wine award - the Maurice O’Shea Award - for Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Wine Industry, in 1995.