Xanthe Hatcher
BLAZING TRAILS AMONG HISTORIC VINES
Whether she’s crafting world-famous wine styles or experimenting with alternative varieties, winemaker Xanthe Hatcher is helping to lead a new generation in a historic wine region.
Xanthe’s winemaking philosophy is to let the vineyard speak for itself. And as chief winemaker at one of the oldest vineyards in the historic Hunter Valley, it’s easy to see why. But while tradition and provenance influence Xanthe’s winemaking style, she’s also unafraid to make bold creative decisions in her pursuit of perfection.
Perfecting the art of winemaking
Xanthe’s love of winemaking didn’t stem from her family. They were as surprised as anyone by her decision to make wine. But her passion was clear from a young age, driven by a desire to do something creative, scientific and hands-on.
“I came across one of my old high school teachers the other day,” says Xanthe. “He said, ‘Oh, you were always talking about grapes, vineyards and wines. I wanted to do this for a really long time.”
It was this passion that led Xanthe to New South Wales’ historic Hunter Valley wine region. She joined Agnew Wines, whose brands include Audrey Wilkinson, in 2013, and in 2019 she became chief winemaker. Here, Xanthe makes some of Australia’s most unique wine styles, including Hunter Valley Semillon, a wine renowned all over the world.
Whether she’s crafting world-famous wine styles or experimenting with alternative varieties, winemaker Xanthe Hatcher is helping to lead a new generation in a historic wine region.
“The style of Audrey Wilkinson wines is dictated by the vineyard,” says Xanthe. “I try to let the vineyard express itself, speak for itself, and then nurture that into the bottle rather than creating a style, because the style is already there.”
Her philosophy might be to let the vineyard do the talking, but that doesn’t stop Xanthe from unleashing her creativity. She loves using Chardonnay as a canvas for innovative winemaking decisions and is experimenting with new varieties, including Gewürztraminer, Tempranillo and Malbec.
“We’re going to really explore our options in the vineyard,” says Xanthe. “And perhaps plant varieties that are better suited to the warmer, drier climate we seem to be experiencing,” she says.
“I love the fact that every vintage is different, every variety is different. Winemaking is an art, not something you can really learn in a book. It’s something you do by experience, taste and feel … And that takes a while to perfect.”
“Wine is my passion. Wine is my day job. Wine is my all-consuming hobby. It’s everything.” – Xanthe Hatcher
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