The Australian Drinks Media All-Rounder

Mike Bennie is a Sydney-based writer, wine judge, presenter, and one of the few people on earth on which a world-class palate and a trucker cap can safely cohabit.

He's also the third writer to join Campbell Mattinson and Gary Walsh from The Wine Front, an online membership-based magazine covering all things fermented.

Bennie initially trained as a lawyer, but decided that he'd probably rather spend his time talking wine, and so began a career in drinks with the prestigious job of unloading pallets and turning bottles on the shelf so that the labels faced the front at Sydney's Best Cellars. He spent his time learning and tasting, eventually becoming the General Manager of the store before going onto what he describes as being a "freelance wine dude" in 2008.

Speaking engagements, countless articles in the likes of the Sydney Morning Herald, Wine Business Magazine, and his continuing work with winefront.com.au followed, as well as a hectic schedule judging wine shows both locally and abroad.

He's a graduate of the highly regarded Len Evans Tutorial, and was most recently named Digital Communicator of the Year by the Wine Communicators of Australia. He is also a driving force behind "Rootstock", a Sydney wine festival focusing on 'natural wine' that began in 2013 and has seen massive growth in its second year.

Bennie is a no-nonsense, calls it like he sees it, drinks media all-rounder, whose palate and penmanship are in high demand worldwide, and who's not afraid to suggest the wine match of "a few beers" with a stir-fry.

Mike Bennie writes and reviews for the The Wine Front, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine, Wine Business Magazine, Sun Herald Style Magazine and other esteemed publications.

For more information and to subscribe visit www.winefront.com.au.

Share