With more than 35 years’ experience at Jacob’s Creek behind him, winemaker Bernard Hickin is the perfect custodian to ensure the brand’s continued reputation for high quality, contemporary Australian wines.

Having grown up a city boy, with no thought of winemaking, Bernard found his calling on a visit to a friend who was working in a winery in Adelaide’s north-east.

“Walking in, I remember the aroma of the reds fermenting, the vibrant purple colour of the red caps; it was just like being in another world.”

Bernard was sold and began the winemaking degree that would eventually see him take a job with Pernod Ricard Winemakers (then G Gramp & Sons), makers of Jacob’s Creek in 1976, the year the label was launched.

Now in 2014, Bernard says the future of Jacob’s Creek is bright with a dual focus of protecting the quality of its current wine portfolio while allowing style evolution to meet consumer demand, and to embrace innovation to release new wines.

In the meantime, he says 2014 is a good year for reds with intense colour, rich, ripe tannins and fresh varietal flavours. “There’s some excellent Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and some exciting Barossa Shiraz. The Jacob’s Creek Reserve range captures the proud history of the brand’s winemaking since 1847, with a focus on premium varietal vineyards from South Australia’s acclaimed viticultural regions. Only the best grapes are ‘reserved’ for this premium quality range, producing wines with intense varietal expression, great flavour and classic structure and length.”

Bernard Hickin's picks for Australia's best varietals:

BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ
“Rich generous wines from ancient soils and a warm temperature climate.”  

BENCHMARK DRY RIESLINGS FROM EDEN VALLEY
A high altitude region of the Barossa
“Delicate lemon-mineral flavours.”  

COOL CLIMATE CHARDONNAY FROM THE ADELAIDE HILLS
“Delicious wines that are complex, stylish and with ageing potential.”

CABERNET SAUVIGNON FROM COONAWARRA
“With its unique soils, topography and climate, Coonawarra produces some of Australia’s great cabernets.”