Andrew Thomas
SETTING THE STANDARD
In the historic Hunter Valley wine region, winemaker Andrew Thomas stands out for his laser-like focus on Semillon and Shiraz. His wines help set the bar for modern Hunter Valley wine.
As a budding winemaker, Andrew’s biggest inspiration was his dad. Andrew grew up in the McLaren Vale wine region, among the vines and the wines that his father made. After graduating from winemaking, Andrew scored a job at Tyrrell’s in the Hunter Valley, a historic and iconic winery. He thought he’d end up back in South Australia, but 35 years on, he’s still in the Hunter, showcasing the region at its very best.
Honouring the historic Hunter Valley
When Andrew launched his own label, Thomas Wines, in the late 1990s, he made a bold decision to focus only on two varieties: Semillon and Shiraz. He’d come to love these during his 13 years at Tyrrell’s and wanted to find out how far he could take them. These are the Hunter Valley’s most famous varieties, with Hunter Semillon a unique gem in the wine world, renowned for its rare ability to age gracefully.
“The very best examples from the best vineyards in the hands of the best producers can potentially live for decades,” says Andrew. “It’s probably the thing that Hunter Valley is most known for around the world.”
Andrew – a father to four sons and a diehard Sydney Swans (AFL) supporter – sources his grapes from some of the top vineyards in the region. Each wine comes from a single vineyard, highlighting the subtle differences between sites and soils.
“People drinking wine these days are looking for authenticity,” says Andrew. “They want to know where it comes from, how it’s grown, how it’s made. And the beauty of single-vineyard wine is that it really gives people a true sense of place.”
Taking a no-compromise approach, Andrew crafts high-end wines that set the benchmark for modern Hunter Valley wine. His wines have won a long list of awards, and Andrew himself has twice been named Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year. These days, his focus is on minimising intervention in the winery and pushing quality even further.
“As a small producer, we don’t compete on price, we compete on quality, and that’s absolutely paramount to what we do,” says Andrew. “We are always trialling new ideas on a quest for constant improvement.”
“People these days are looking for authenticity. And the beauty of single-vineyard wine is that it gives people a true sense of place.” – Andrew Thomas
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