Brash Higgins
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Brash Higgins is the wine label - or nom de vin, if you will - of McLaren Vale based vigneron, Brad Hickey.
Brad started as a sommelier in New York, working for Michelin starred restaurants, and as a wine list consultant. But his vinous journey drew him away from the bright lights and dazzling displays of the big city, and ultimately to South Australia, where his desire to unravel the enigmas of the vine saw him working a vintage with Chris Ringland.
Brad fell in love with Australia (and a local vigneron, Nicole Thorpe) and his move was settled.
The wines of Brash Higgins are thought-provoking and intriguing. They draw you in through a combination of interesting varieties, unique production methods, and good ol' fashioned flavour. In 2009, Brad established the Amphora Project, a series of wines that are vinified in large clay amphorae, left on skins for various periods, and bottled without filtration. He started with Nero d'Avola, a wine that he had seen made in this way to great effect in Sicily. But the range has subsequently grown to include Zibibbo and Merlot.
Ultimately, the wines of Brash Higgins are beautifully crafted, interesting, fruit-forward styles that challenge the status quo, but without challenging the drinker. There is a consistent thread of long ferments and extended macerations through the Brash Higgins wines, whilst if oak is used, it is generally old. The focus is on the quality of the fruit and expressing the vintage and terroir without interfering in that process. Perhaps it's Brad's 'brash' approach that has given him the licence to play so much in the winery. But whatever it is, we're loving what he's doing.
Brad started as a sommelier in New York, working for Michelin starred restaurants, and as a wine list consultant. But his vinous journey drew him away from the bright lights and dazzling displays of the big city, and ultimately to South Australia, where his desire to unravel the enigmas of the vine saw him working a vintage with Chris Ringland.
Brad fell in love with Australia (and a local vigneron, Nicole Thorpe) and his move was settled.
The wines of Brash Higgins are thought-provoking and intriguing. They draw you in through a combination of interesting varieties, unique production methods, and good ol' fashioned flavour. In 2009, Brad established the Amphora Project, a series of wines that are vinified in large clay amphorae, left on skins for various periods, and bottled without filtration. He started with Nero d'Avola, a wine that he had seen made in this way to great effect in Sicily. But the range has subsequently grown to include Zibibbo and Merlot.
Ultimately, the wines of Brash Higgins are beautifully crafted, interesting, fruit-forward styles that challenge the status quo, but without challenging the drinker. There is a consistent thread of long ferments and extended macerations through the Brash Higgins wines, whilst if oak is used, it is generally old. The focus is on the quality of the fruit and expressing the vintage and terroir without interfering in that process. Perhaps it's Brad's 'brash' approach that has given him the licence to play so much in the winery. But whatever it is, we're loving what he's doing.
Brash Higgins
Brash Higgins is the wine label - or nom de vin, if you will - of McLaren Vale based vigneron, Brad Hickey.
Brad started as a sommelier in New York, working for Michel...
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