Over the Back FenceVamp and Vines: The Dynamic World of Winemaker Lisa McGuigan - One Sip at a Time
This week Nicola and Di chat with the fun, creative and ambitious Lisa McGuigan. Lisa is a fourth generation winemaker from Australia’s Hunter Valley, blazing a new trail in wine, whilst paying homage to the work of her father, grandfather and great grandfather. You’ll hear in this interview that Lisa has a rebellious spirit, which meant she carved her own path, leaving behind the wine industry and pursuing a career in hospitality. Lisa excelled in this field, but as the years went on, she realised she couldn’t deny her genes and that winemaking is in her DNA. We’re so lucky she returned to the industry, because Lisa makes some absolutely incredible wines. She designed and directed the launch and meteoric rise of Tempus Two, one of Australia's most loved and successful wine brands and is now the founder of Lisa McGuigan Wines and Vamp.
There were lots of stories and laughs in this chat as Lisa brought some wines into the studio so Nicola and Di could have a wine tasting as they talked about her life. Lisa recalled the day she had a run-in with her father when she announced she wouldn’t be going into winemaking, which resulted in her being shipped off to Swiss Finishing School. What started as a punishment became a formative experience, and Lisa had a ball living in the alps and learnt a lot about herself in that one year alone.
Lisa shares the twists and turns along the way in her career - including the 20 years she spent working in hotels, the decision to return to winemaking in her own creative way and the adventures of starting her first brand Hermitage Road, which later became the famous Tempus Two. We also hear about Lisa’s latest brand, Lisa McGuigan Wines and her one-of-a-kind cellar door experience at Vamp.
This is a truly inspiring conversation with a woman who sees an opportunity and grabs it with both hands. She is an unstoppable and innovative force and we had so much fun (and delicious wine) with her in the studio. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.
Follow Lisa McGuigan on IG here
