Denis Horgan
BUILDING A WINE DYNASTY
It was pure chance that Denis Horgan began growing grapes. He went on to establish one of Australia’s best wineries and helped transform a sleepy surf community into a premium wine destination.
Denis bought a plumbing business in Western Australia’s Margaret River in the late 1960s, mainly so that he could come and surf more often at the region’s famous surf break. He didn’t realise he’d also bought a unique piece of land in premium wine paradise. In the years that followed, Denis and his wife Tricia built Leeuwin Estate, producing wines that today are poured all over the world. From surf-loving accountant to wine dynasty founder, Denis Horgan is now determined to keep his legacy alive for the next generations.
Accidental vigneron
When Margaret River was emerging as a wine region in the 1960s and 70s, a few pioneers laid the groundwork for what is now a world-class region. Most were industry newcomers who knew little about wine except that they liked to drink it. Denis was one of those trailblazers.
“I knew nothing about wine,” he says. “I was a beer-drinking surfie. I was an accountant. You couldn’t get anyone more square than that to get into the wine industry.”
The plumbing business that Denis and Tricia bought sat on a grazing property, and, unsure what to do with it, they left it untouched for several years – until they found out that US-based Robert Mondavi, a wine-world legend, was interested in buying the property.
“Mondavi told us right from the start: ‘You people have got a piece of land that, if you husband it appropriately, you will be able to produce wines that rank with the best in the world’,” says Denis.
Ultimately they decided to plant a vineyard in partnership, and this led to Leeuwin Estate’s most iconic wine, the ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay, which still sets the benchmark for Margaret River Chardonnay.
Wine isn’t Denis’s only passion and together with Tricia he has established a much-loved estate that’s also home to an award-winning restaurant, art gallery and high-profile music events. Success achieved, Denis is now making sure the business can thrive for generations to come. And it’s well on its way, with his daughter Simone Furlong and son Justin Horgan as joint CEOs.
“We’ve got four kids, nine grandkids, one great-grandkid and I’m sure we’ll have many more,” says Denis. “What happens with a winery like this is you put in enormous efforts in the first 20 to 30 years, then it’s about how you keep it going for the next generation and the next.”
“You put in enormous efforts in the first 20 to 30 years of a winery, then it’s about how you keep it going for the next generation and the next.” – Denis Horgan
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