LR Hayley Purbrick, James Halliday, Alister Purbrick, Mark Purbrick. Image courtesy Tahbilk

Tahbilk, has announced a new member of their Estate ‘family’. Building on a long-held tradition of dedication, fourth generation board member and former CEO, Alister Purbrick, unveiled a cellar on the historic estate dedicated to Australian wine writer James Halliday AM.

A walk around the Estate will reveal many plaques on buildings, honouring long time, loyal staff members or signifying building openings by Prime Ministers, Federal Ministers and State Premiers.  And yesterday, James Halliday himself was present on the Estate to witness the unveiling of the James Halliday Cellar, in view of family members, staff and colleagues from the wine media fraternity.

“Tahbilk and the Purbrick family have long been friends of mine, and I am humbled by this dedication, even if it suggests I am near the end of my useful life,” Halliday said With his typical self-deprecating and sometimes dark humour.

“My family has agreed that naming one of our buildings after James is so appropriate and a small token of our gratitude for his support of our great industry, Tahbilk and my family over many years,” Tahbilk’s Alister Purbrick, who unveiled the plaque with James present said.

“In keeping with our Estate tradition, we believe that naming a cellar for James provides lasting recognition of his enormous contribution to the wine landscape in Australia and beyond.

“His wine ratings are followed by a global audience of consumers and industry and are an unquestioned measure of wine quality and we look forward to welcoming James back to the Estate to visit any time.”

An Australian wine writer, critic, winemaker, judge and globally recognised authority on all things wine, James Halliday AM is on of the pioneers of Australian wine writing, along with his friend and former colleague Len Evans, who had the Estate’s Museum named after him during Tahbilk’s 135th anniversary celebrations in 1995.

Since 1979 James has written and co-authored over 40 books on wine and contributed to international publications including The Oxford Companion to Wine.

Creator of the best-selling, annual Halliday Wine Companion and its associated rating system, James’ eponymous website houses over 100,000 tasting notes covering thousands of wineries which has become by far Australia’s most comprehensive wine resource.

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