MEET TOM KLINE
We recently welcomed Australian musician and master of all things vinous, Tom Kline, to the Voyager Team as our new Market Development Manager.
Growing up in the King Valley wine region in northeast Victoria with a wine educator father and a well-stocked cellar, Tom caught the wine bug early. In addition to being our east coast Brand Ambassador, Tom is a WSET educator, offers self-written wine courses, and is a contributor to Gourmet Traveller WINE. He is also a passionate musician and talented singer songwriter.
Has there been a particularly memorable moment in your wine journey to date?
Collections of moments while spending time in regions like Piemonte in Italy, and Burgundy in France are hard to go past. Otherwise, getting to have a glass of wine and a chat with Jancis Robinson at the winery a couple of years back was pretty surreal!
What do you see as the biggest wine trend in Australia right now?
Chilled reds have a huge vibe at the moment. This is more readily an option with the increased array of more delicately structured and fruit driven wines in the market. Outside of that I think it’s simply a move to more finessed and brighter wine styles both from a producer and consumer standpoint. Wines that are more about intensity than weight.
Is there a particular ‘genesis’ wine that led you down the path to a career in wine?
I grew up around wine, so I think it was more of an osmosis situation. I’d love to regale you with a romantic story of that “one bottle” that forged the path, but it was my father and his love of wine and wine culture that led me to the industry.
What is your favourite wine in the Voyager Estate portfolio and why?
I’m a big fan of the Estate Chardonnay. It consistently shows such site transparency and balances power and elegance beautifully year on year.
As a passionate musician drawn to wine, do you see any synergies between the two?
Yes, there’s creativity and sensory experience around both, but I think it’s about being put in the moment. As a songwriter, there’s no greater feeling for me than when an inspired idea takes hold. Hours pass like minutes, and I think the appeal is the escapism from everyday life. I get that same reward from wine – when I’m smelling, tasting, or drinking wine I’m completely in that moment and freed from thinking of any of life’s stresses. I love that.
What are you listening to when you’re out on the road?
I love listening to podcasts when I’m on the road. You’d think I’d be devouring music given I’m a musician, but I enjoy learning while I drive around (usually about wine!).
