Australia Day Ambassador
Brian McGuigan AM
Ambassador for Gloucester Shire Council
Brian McGuigan, former Managing Director and still a Director of McGuigan Simeon Wines Limited, has been at the forefront of the Australian Wine Industry for more than 35 years.
Mr McGuigan is one of the wine industry’s most versatile and well-known figures, utilising his skills as a winemaker, viticulturist, marketer and communications specialist to take his wines all over Australia and around the world.
Brian McGuigan established his position as one of Australia’s foremost winemakers and marketers when he founded the Wyndham Estate Wine Company at Dalwood in the Hunter Valley in the 1970’s and 1980’s. As Managing Director of the Wyndham Estate Group he built one of the most successful wine companies in Australia. The brands covered by the Wyndham Estate Group included Richmond Grove, Montrose, Poets Corner, Craigmoor, Saxonvale, Hunter Estate and the Amberton Labels. He built sales of the company’s products to in excess of 1,250,000 cases.
During his time with Wyndham Brian and his wife Fay saw great potential for Australian wines in the International market place. Accordingly, Wyndham also became one of the leading exporters of Australian wine to the world.
Following the sale of Wyndham in 1991 Brian established a new company; Brian McGuigan Wines, in 1992 through a publicly listed Company. In the ten years since the formation of the Company growth has been extraordinary with total sales now approaching 8 million cases. Brian’s faith in Australia to produce premium quality wines is evidenced by the fact that the McGuigan Company now controls and manages some 18,500 acres of vines throughout Australia putting it amongst the top grape growers in Australia and the world. Exports continue to be a major focus of the McGuigan Simeon Wines operation. At present in excess of 67% of total production is allocated to satisfy the demands of the International market. The success of McGuigan Wines in both Europe and the USA and New Zealand has been outstanding and with the quality of McGuigan Wines supported by their policy of controlling their own vineyards the future of export sales seems assured.
Brian McGuigan’s personal accolades include:
1. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the 1988 Queens Birthday Honours.
2. Being voted the NSW Winemaker of the Year.
3. Brian has been named NSW Outstanding Liquor Industry Executive.
4. Brian has been a Foundation member of the Hunter Economic Development Corporation.
5. Executive of the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association for 30 years, having served four periods as the Chairman.
6. Awarded Businessman of the Year for Northern NSW for the Year 1997.
7. His company was awarded the Enterprise Award by Newcastle Council of Commerce – 1984.
8. Past Director of the Australian Rural Group Limited.
9. His Company was awarded Exporter of the Year for 1986.
10. Rotary Annual Award for Vocational Excellence in 1994 for outstanding contribution to the field of Viticulture and for the leadership in the management,
marketing and development of the Australian wine export industry.
11. Current Chairman of the Mater Misericordia Hospital in Newcastle.
12. Former Director of Coal & Allied Community Trust.
13. Chairman and foundation member of the Broke Fordwich and Hunter Wine Country Private Irrigation District.
14. Former Director of Hunter Valley Wine Country Tourist Board.
15. Recipient of the 2001 Graham Gregory Trophy for his significant contribution to the NSW Wine Industry.
16. Recipient of the Ernst & Young Eastern Region Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2002.
