Close Menu
News

The Master Winemaker 100: Dylan Lee, winemaker, Bird in Hand

The drinks business recently published a guide celebrating the talent of the winemakers who have scooped the highest accolade of our  Global Masters tasting series, which is judged almost exclusively by MWs. Each week we profile the winemakers behind these medal winning wines – the creatives, scientists, mavericks and dreamers who are at the pinnacle of winemaking.

Dylan Lee, winemaker, Bird in Hand

Lee studied winemaking at the University of Adelaide, and worked on vintages in the Northern Rhône Valley, Niagara Peninsula, Margaret River and McLaren Vale, to soak up a diverse range of techniques and philosophies. He moved back to Adelaide in 2010, bringing his knowledge to Bird in Hand, starting as a cellar hand for the 2011 vintage.

What or who inspired you to become a winemaker?
A field trip to a Porongurups vineyard for a high school geology class lit the fuse. But it was moving to Adelaide to study, being immersed in a culture of wine and food that gave me a curiosity in wine I doubt will ever be diminished.

What’s your favourite part of the job?
I love the diversity in the role, the fact that every day is different, every vintage is different and that there is just so much to learn in the world of wine.

What’s the hardest part of the job?
As fun and important as vintage time is, it does mean less time spent with my wife Lillian and daughter Evelyn, which is always a little tricky.

What’s your go-to drink at the end of a long day?
I am a craft beer fanatic, and at the moment I love some of the New England IPA styles.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to take some risks and make mistakes. What was your greatest winemaking mistake? I once blended a client’s wine to make Australia’s first ever Semillon Pinot Gris.

Which wine-related achievement are you most proud of?
We were recently awarded 99 points for our 2017 Syrah at the San Francisco Wine Show. This was a milestone achievement for a style we think has a bright future.

Who is your inspiration in the wine world?
I draw great inspiration from some of the winemakers in the Northern Rhône, where I worked a vintage in 2009, and adore the wines, particularly the Syrah and Viognier. Jean-Paul Jamet, Philippe Guigal and Yves Cuilleron are some of the many talented personalities in the region doing great things.

Where would your fantasy vineyard be?
The Adelaide Hills; it is such an incredibly diverse region that can grow a number of varieties to a world-class level. I think some of the best spots may not have been planted yet.

If you weren’t a winemaker, what would you be doing and why?
I would be a globetrotting burger blogger, or a boot studder at the West Coast Eagles AFL football club – two of my other great passions in life.

How has your taste in wine changed over your career?
The evolution in my taste mirrors that of many other people. I was drawn to big, sweet, juicy warmer-climate reds, and over time I have gravitated to more complex, lighter bodied and ‘prettier’ styles of reds and whites from cooler-climate regions.

What type of wine do you drink most regularly?
Adelaide is a very seasonal place to live, and I think this plays a huge role in drinking habits. Right now, in the middle of summer, I am enjoying Rieslings, textural whites and lighter bodied, aromatically driven reds – Syrah, Pinot, Gamay.

What wine would you most like to drink, and who would you share it with?
There are a certainly few Champagnes on the bucket list, to choose a couple – Krug Clos d’Ambonnay or Champagne Salon Blanc de Blanc from 2002 or 1996 – which I’d drink with the family at Christmas alongside some freshly shucked oysters.

Master medals

  • >  Nest Egg Shiraz 2012 (Syrah Masters 2016)
  • >  Marie Elizabeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (Cabernet Sauvignon Masters 2017)
  • >  Bird in Hand Shiraz 2014 (Syrah Masters 2016)
  • >  Nest Egg Chardonnay 2015 (Chardonnay Masters 2018)
  • >  Bird in Hand Nest Egg 2015 (Chardonnay Masters 2017)
  • >  Bird in Hand Nest Egg 2016 (Chardonnay Masters 2017
  • >  Nest Egg Chardonnay 2016 Chardonnay Masters 2018)

To download a copy of The Master Winemaker 100, please click here.

It looks like you're in Asia, would you like to be redirected to the Drinks Business Asia edition?

Yes, take me to the Asia edition No