REGION: New South Wales

First Creek is a family-owned winery and the Silkmans’ roots run deep in the Hunter Valley. The winemaker is Liz Silkman, the daughter of founder Greg Silkman. Liz began her career in 1999 as a lab technician at Brokenwood Wines before earning her degree in Oenology from the University of Adelaide.

If the Hunter Valley had a viticultural family tree, Kirkton Estate would be part of its root structure, which intertwines with some of the most important names of the greater Australian wine industry. The story begins with John Busby who sailed for Sydney from England on board The Triton in 1823, with his wife, Sarah, and son, James. While John would on go to establish the first …