Uncorked: Paul Bridgeman of Levantine Hill

Paul Bridgeman, a Yarra Valley native, is the winemaker at Australia’s Levantine Hill winery. Before joining the winery in 2013, Bridgeman spent five years as winemarker at Yarra Yering, playing a key role in steering the direction of the winery after the passing of its founder, Bailey Carrodus. Producing a diverse range of wines from Syrah to whites and rosé, its ‘Samantha’s Paddock Mélange Traditionnel’, a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated Bordeaux blend, was a particular standout, winning the coveted Master title at our Asian Cabernet Sauvignon Masters competition. In this interview, Paul chats to dbHK about his non-reciprocal love affair with Islay single-malt whisky and Mateus Rosé.

What vintage are you?

1969. A great year for music, not so good for wine.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

It all started with Mateus Rosé, but the deal was sealed by a chance encounter with a bottle of 1983 DRC Le Montrachet when I was 25 years old.

What would you be as a wine?

Off-dry.

Where are you happiest?

Quiet time after hours of tasting through barrels with tunes playing in the cellar. Or fire side in the Scottish Highlands with my wife and a pint.

What’s your greatest vice?

A non-reciprocal love affair with Islay single-malt whisky. I love it. It doesn’t care for me so much.

Best advice you ever got?

Don’t waste time and energy worrying about things that you cannot control.

Your cellar’s underwater, which bottle would you dive in and save?

The one closest to the surface.

What’s the best and worst thing about the wine business?

Best: Creativity with amazing raw material and world travel. Wine regions generally coincide with some pretty amazing locations.

Worst: Too much ‘me-too’-ism, lack of individualism and just doing whatever everyone else is doing.

What’s on your wine bucket list?

I would love to make wine in Chianti.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Sir David Attenborough, Jimmy Page, PJ Harvey, Nancy Wake, Peter Cundall, Noël Verset, Tina Fey, Forrest Whittaker, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, Gil Scott-Heron, Sir Paul McCartney, David Bowie, David Suzuki, Ben Harper, Brett and Jemaine from ‘Flight of the Conchords’ and Ian MacKaye from Fugazi.

Personal satisfaction (Parker points – out of 100)?

90+ points on that. Need to open up, breathe and mature a bit.

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

Something with more life left in it than me.