Winery of the Year’s secret to world-class Hunter Valley wine | Stuart Hordern of Brokenwood

What makes a truly iconic Australian wine? In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, Anna Webster sits down with Brokenwood Chief Winemaker Stuart Hordern to explore the history, philosophy and future of one of Australia’s most celebrated wineries. From growing up on a small Hunter Valley vineyard to becoming only the second chief winemaker in Brokenwood’s history, Stuart shares the lessons learned from legends like Iain Riggs and PJ Charteris, the pressure and privilege of making the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, and why Hunter Valley semillon remains one of Australia’s greatest gifts to the wine world. The conversation dives deep into vineyard expression, wine evolution, vintage variation, cellar ageing, the realities of modern winemaking, and why Brokenwood sources fruit from some of Australia’s best wine regions including Beechworth, McLaren Vale and Orange. You’ll also hear the remarkable story behind Brokenwood’s Halliday Winery of the Year win, the evolution of the Oakey Creek vineyard, and why some of Australia’s greatest wines are defined not by power, but by finesse. Whether you're a wine lover, collector, sommelier or simply curious about how great Australian wine is made, this is a fascinating deep dive into one of the country’s benchmark producers.   Brokenwood Wines Brokenwood on Instagram Stuart Hordern on Instagram Halliday Wine Companion Halliday Wine Companion on Instagram Anna Webster on Instagram Buy the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion   What to expect: Stuart Hordern’s journey from family vineyard to Brokenwood Chief Winemaker Growing up in the Hunter Valley wine region Working harvests in France and California The influence of Iain Riggs, PJ Charteris and Simon Steele Why Brokenwood sources fruit from multiple wine regions The story behind Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz Why Hunter Valley semillon ages so uniquely The philosophy behind ILR Reserve Semillon The impact of the 2020 bushfires on Australian wine How Brokenwood became Halliday Winery of the Year The future of Oakey Creek Vineyard and Hunter Valley Chardonnay Chapters 00:00 Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country00:25 Meet Stuart Hordern from Brokenwood01:20 Growing up in the Hunter Valley03:06 First vintages & cellar work05:31 Studying winemaking in Adelaide07:48 Returning to the Hunter Valley09:23 What makes Hunter Valley wine unique10:34 Joining Brokenwood12:16 Learning from Iain Riggs & PJ Charteris17:26 The evolution of Brokenwood20:07 Why Brokenwood sources fruit outside the Hunter24:01 The challenge of Australian vintages28:36 The story of Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz37:06 Brokenwood’s winemaking philosophy38:56 The ILR Reserve Semillon story43:59 Why some vintages are never released45:10 Winning Halliday Winery of the Year50:15 What’s next for Brokenwood Brokenwood Wines, Stuart Hordern, Halliday Wine Companion, Hunter Valley wine, Hunter Valley Semillon, Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, ILR Semillon, Australian wine podcast, Australian winemaker interview, fine wine Australia, wine ageing, Hunter Valley Shiraz, winery of the year, Beechworth Chardonnay, Australian wine industry, single vineyard wine, premium Australian wine, Halliday winery of the year, wine collecting, Australian wine regions  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.