First Creek’s star winemaker has collected an impressive number of awards, while still producing top-notch wines for her own label in her spare time.
Liz Silkman tirelessly makes wine under the First Creek label, and for 25 different clients at First Creek’s contract winemaking facility, so it was no real surprise when she was crowned 2016 Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year.
Yet at the end of a long day, when daughters Isabelle, 4, and Emily, 2, are asleep, she shifts her remaining energy to Silkman, a winemaking partnership with husband Shaun. “It is something we hold onto pretty dearly.”
Growing up in Cessnock, Silkman never had the wine industry on her radar, despite having a relative making wine at Lake’s Folly and wine “always being around”. Surprisingly, no-one ever suggested a winemaking career to the budding student whose strong suits were maths and science. But while working in the cellar door at Pepper Tree Wines, winemaker Chris Archer called for some help in the cellar and Silkman’s interest was sparked. “I liked the machinery and the process,” says Silkman. “It was something so new, exciting and different.”
In 1999, armed with a freshly minted science degree, she heard on the grapevine that P.J. Charteris from Brokenwood was looking for a lab technician.
Silkman landed the job, but found it was not for her. “I was terrible at it and I found it tediously boring.” So she asked Charteris about spending some time in the cellar alongside Nick Paterson. Despite the long hours, modest wage and physical, on-the-job training, she loved it and was drawn in by the winemakers’ infectious passion for wine.
In 2002, while doing vintage in New Zealand, Silkman was offered an assistant winemaker position at Tempus Two by Sarah-Kate Dineen. “I came home in a heartbeat,” says Silkman.
Before they could make any wine, they had to build the winery, which Silkman recounts as “an amazing opportunity”.
It was the openness of the working relationship with Dineen that allowed Silkman’s knowledge to soar. Silkman loved her time at Tempus Two, including working with Lisa McGuigan and her innovative marketing approach.
She completed a graduate diploma in oenology (Adelaide University) and in 2006 was dux of the Len Evans Tutorial. In 2007 she was a finalist in the Wine Society Young Winemaker of the Year Awards. The following year she moved to First Creek, owned by her now father-in-law Greg Silkman. In 2011, as chief winemaker, she was Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year and a Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year finalist.
Crafting wine from 2,500 tonnes of grapes from many different vineyards has allowed Silkman an extraordinary in-depth perspective on the Hunter Valley. Making 30 different semillons and a similar number of chardonnays, she has gained an insight that few have. Although it is the vineyard that ultimately determines style, Silkman is mindful that each wine must have its very own character.
The First Creek range has been highly successful, winning 11 trophies and 26 gold medals in 2015 alone.
The Silkman label has an approachable Estate range as well as Reserve wines, including a semillon from Silkman’s favourite Blackberry vineyard. There is also a shiraz pinot noir blend.
Silkman credits Brokenwood, specifically Charteris and Iain Riggs, and also Len Evans, for the incredible tastings she was privy to that informed her palate. She adores riesling and good white Burgundy, particularly from Puligny-Montrachet and Chablis.
Silkman applauds the recent shift away from austere semillon and believes the Hunter can continue to improve its chardonnay. “I spend a lot of time thinking about chardonnay,” she says, and constantly experiments with different techniques and oak types.
Silkman’s humility and down-to-earth nature prevent her from being swept up in the hype of her numerous accolades. Although she confesses to being more content in the winery than in front of a crowd, one suspects her superb wines will ensure that the limelight is never far away.