David Hook Wines

“David is well known for his Pinot Grigio…this is a real staple of his range, an easy drinking, everyday wine”. 

David Hook was the founder of David Hook Wines, originating in the Hunter Valley in the 1980s. These are great wines and well made by an expert winemaker. The David Hook varieties highlight the strengths and styles of the regions they originate from.  

We chatted with Caitlin at the cellar door at Pokolbin about what they are known for, and how they like doing things a little bit differently.

Barbera, one of their emerging grape varieties, “is originally from the Piedmont region, so the north of Italy up near the alps”.

“Among their many virtues, these wines are great with food, with its bracing acidity it is a brilliant accompaniment, refreshing the palate and stimulating the appetite”.

“There are a lot more producers starting to do it, whether it be local or from out of region. David, when he started, did do a Hunter Barbera, but as the range evolved and he became more popular he then started getting the fruit in from Orange.

He still does Barbera from the Hunter depending on the year, but with a more consistent vintage he is able to produce a Barbera wine from Orange every year.

David is best known for his Pinot Grigio. “He has been doing it for 27 years”, explains Caitlin, “and was the first in the Hunter. This is a real staple of his range…an easy drinking, everyday wine”.

Just like fashion, music and pop culture, different wines become “on trend” at different times. And right now it’s all about the Rose.

Caitlin admits, “I think Australia has been a bit slow in terms of the uptake to rose, it’s been massive in Europe for a number of years. It’s fabulous, a good food wine as well, good on its own and in that warmer weather”.

David had been doing a rose right up until 2014 and then decided to switch to a sparkling rose.

“Just to do something different, and to see how it would go. It flew off the shelf”, continues Caitlin, “so he hasn’t gone back to doing the still”.