Seraph's Crossing

In a moment of enlightened madness, Harry Dickinson gave up his career as a lawyer in a major London law firm to work in the wine industry. He helped run the International Wine Challenge for three years, followed by stints with various wine retailers, and some PR work for the German Wine Information Service. He worked his first vintage in Australia at Hardys Tintara winery in 1997 with Stephen Pannell and Larry Cherubino; their work with open fermenters, basket presses, and their winemaking philosophy, made a huge impression. Following a period as a wine retailer in North Adelaide, he returned to winery work in 1999, in various wineries in the Clare Valley, where he and wife Chan bought a 75ha property. They restored the 1880s house on the property, and the vineyards have been extended from the original 1ha to now comprise shiraz (2ha), grenache, mourvedre and zinfandel (1ha each). Exports to the UK, the US and Ireland. -JAMES HALLIDAY