Larger-Than-Life Australian Winemaker, Simon Hackett, Dies Aged 73
ABS Wine Agencies, Fri 23 Jan 2026
Larger-Than-Life Australian Winemaker, Simon Hackett, Dies Aged 73
Australian winemaker Simon Hackett died this morning after suffering a stroke. A familiar and much-loved figure in the wine trade, Hackett will be particularly missed in the UK by Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies (ABS), where he was their longest-standing producer.
Born in the Barossa Valley, Hackett grew up next door to the Saltram winery in Angaston, in a family with deep winemaking roots. He went to school with Doug Lehmann and began his winemaking career at the age of 18, learning his craft under Peter Lehmann at Saltram.
In 1984, Hackett established his own boutique winery overlooking McLaren Vale, producing rich, bold, and characterful wines that quickly gained traction in export markets, particularly the UK. His Old Vine Semillon and Old Vine Grenache became fixtures of the Oddbins Australian range during the 1990's and helped introduce many UK consumers to premium Australian wines of regional character.
Michael Awin, Managing Partner of ABS Wine Agencies, said: “I knew Simon for over 40 years, having first met him in 1985 through Peter and Doug Lehmann, whom we represented at the time. His laconic humour, joie de vivre, and way with words made him a joy to be around. He was a great winemaker when he could be bothered, but it was his personality that really shone through in his wines. I vividly remember a prestigious tasting in London where a guest was pressing him with technical questions while the rest of the room was itching to taste. When asked what sort of soil he had in his vineyards, Simon paused and simply replied, ‘Brown’, to rapturous applause.”
Following the tragic death of his long-term partner Deirdre in a fire at their winery in 2009, Hackett was never quite the same, though he always retained the spark that endeared him to so many. He will be fondly remembered across the UK wine trade as both a talented winemaker and a true original.
For further information, please contact lesley@abs.wine
