Consolidating a lifetime in wine, Lisa McGuigan has launched her own independently owned wine label, aptly named Lisa McGuigan Wines. As fourth generation of the established Hunter Valley winemaking family, founder of the successful Tempus Two label for McGuigan Simeon Wines (now Australian Vintage) and in recent years, wine retailer, Lisa has seen the evolution of the wine industry first hand, an
d her eponymous label embodies what she has learned – and loves - about wine.
“I started Tempus Two in 1999 from my garage, and when I left to open my wine retail stores in 2007 it was a global brand of more than 250,000 cases. While I was proud of its success, I missed the hands-on challenges of those early days,” Lisa says.
“Back then, the formula was to make the best wine I could from great little parcels of fruit, and take it to the people in the hope they would be as excited about it as I was. I didn’t have the resources or the experience to do it on my own then, but now is my time, and I am returning to that original formula – albeit now as a small business owner.”
The first releases, launched as a collection of four wines line priced at RRP$25, are made by Liz Jackson, whose career was fostered by Lisa at Tempus Two before going on to become Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year in 2010. The two have collaborated in the winery with fruit from growers Lisa and Liz have come to know over the years. The wines are: 2011 Orange Pinot Gris; 2011 Hunter Valley Chardonnay; 2011 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir; and 2009 Canberra Shiraz. The range will expand from the 2012 vintage with collaborations with other winemakers Lisa has worked with in the past, or been inspired by when she had her two wine stores.
“This is a very personal experience for me, not least because I am putting my name behind these wines. The wonderful winemakers who have come on board this journey know the styles of wine I want to make. These are wines by friends, for friends.”
The marketing model for Lisa McGuigan Wines is hands-on all the way, with Lisa taking to the road to sell her wine with a small team based in Sydney. The packaging follows Lisa’s proven ability to break with convention, having won multiple international packaging awards for her work with Tempus Two. Lisa, who was last year named one of the 21 Most Influential Liquor Identities of the Past 21 Years by her peers in the industry, will launch her brand with independent liquor stores in Sydney. Stockists will be announced when the website is launched in November.
