James Halliday is generally regarded as the foremost observer of and commentator on the Australian wine scene, with a career stretching back 40 years during which time he has written, or contributed to, over 60 books (some translated into five languages) and was a senior wine show judge for 35 years. He writes each weekend for The Australian and for each issue of Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine. Winning numerous awards and prizes, the most significant was the 1995 Maurice O’Shea Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Wine Industry, the James Beard Award, Julia Child Award and Louis Roederer Award.

As a patron of Wine Communicators Australia, James co-founded Brokenwood (Hunter Valley) in 1970, and founded (with wife Suzanne) Coldstream Hills (Yarra Valley) in 1985; he was an executive winemaker for 40 years. In 2010, James was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.