HUNTER VALLEY LEGENDS
Ken Bray - Widely regarded as the Hunter Valley’s leading viticulturist, Ken has been responsible for tending some of the regions’ most cherished vineyards for almost 40 years.
Born and raised in the Hunter, Ken has been committed to the industry since beginning his career at Penfolds as a picking tally clerk.
In 1970 when Wyndham Estate was re-founded, Ken was one of the first three employees, which also included Brian McGuigan and Claude Lennard (Fay’s father). Over the next few years Ken carried out a diverse range of vineyard and winemaking tasks. Ken was then contracted in 1973 to carry out his first winemaking Vintage at Pokolbin Winemakers (today known as Wynwood). In the latter part of ‘73, as part of the Wyndham consultancy team, the Chateau Douglas, Saxonvale and Hunter Estate wineries were built.
In 1974 Ken started working at Hunter Estate until it closed 4 years later. At this time, Ken returned to Wyndham Estate as the Production Manager. In 1980 Ken and his wife Chris started their own viticulture contracting business, and purchased the Braemore Vineyard in 1992. Ken still manages this business today as well as guesthouse, the Grange on Hermitage.
Ken has been a committee member to both the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association and the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association from 1997 to 2013. He served as Secretary to the Association in both 2012 and 2013, and has served on the Viticulture Sub-Committee from 1997 to 2013, where he has had involvement in a multitude of large and small seminars and workshops, and the procurement of research funding grants.
Ken Bray was inducted as as a Legend in 2015.
RESEARCH
Hunter Valley Tourism Monitor
The Hunter Valley Tourism Monitor is a monthly reporting mechanism that records key data provided my industry across all sector of the local industry.
Below are copies of the monthly reports.
If members would like to participate in this program please contact the Association's office on 4990 0900.
Regional Tourism Statistics
Destination NSW maintains a highly sophisticated research capability to deliver latest statistical data and analysis to assist the tourism industry. Find the facts, figures and tourism insights you need to understand the latest trends in domestic and international tourism arrivals to NSW.
Click here for the Destination NSW website
HUNTER VALLEY LEGENDS
Kevin Sobels began his winemaking career in a winery owned by the Hardy family in Waikerie, South Australia under the guidance of his soon to be father in law. He spent two years working here before being appointed as assistant winemaker at the Saltrams winery in the Barossa. In 1967 at the age of 24, Seppelt’s appointed him as winemaker/manager of their Chateau Tanunda winery where he worked until he gained complete control of the winery in 1970. By 1971 the combined crush of the wineries had risen to 30,000 tonnes. Late in 1972 he moved to live in Muswellbrook to build a small winery and was asked to join a new wine venture called Denman Estate. Because of the demand for bulk wine, our Legend and his wife Margaret decided to establish their own winery in Muswellbrook, still making all Denman Estate wines, most of which were sent to South Australia, but some of which were kept to start establishing their own Queldinburg label.
By the time the ‘86 Muswellbrook vintage was over, they had negotiated a deal to buy ‘Tamalee’ a winery in Pokolbin. This new venture only lasted a few years, and following a dispute with a business partner, the pair once again relocated all of their plant, this time to the corner of Broke and Halls Road, and so began and remains Kevin Sobels Wines. With a rich family history in winemaking dating back over 160 years, this year, Kevin the 5th generation Sobels was assisted by his son Jason to make their 167th consecutive vintage thus continuing an unbroken record unrivalled in Australia.
Kevin Sobels was inducted as a Legend in 2014.
MEMBER TRAINING MANUAL
Website Manual
If you are an Operator that uses the BookEasy system, please note that you do not update any details on the www.winecountry.com.au website using this manual. Any updates need to be done on the BookEasy system. All this information will then feed to www.winecountry.com.au. Please reach out to the Visitor Centre for help with updating your listing.
Bookable Operators would only use this manual if they would like to add an event, offer or news item to the website.
BookEasy Training Manual
This is for bookable members only. The following links take you to the Bookeasy Knowledgebase.
- BookEasy Member Console Help Menu - http://support.bookeasy.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/22/member-console
- Res Online Help Menu - http://www.resonline.com/help/
- Tour Manager Help Menu - http://www.tourmanager.com.au/help/
- Rezdy Connecting to BookEasy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTkn30Ss0nE
You will need to login using your BookEasy username and password. If you need your assistance with your username and password, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 02 4993 6700.
HUNTER VALLEY LEGENDS
Ian Scarborough is the patriarch of the family and known by many in the region simply as Scarbie. After graduating from Roseworthy College in 1969 with a Diploma of Oenology, Ian worked with Peter Lehmann at Saltrams from 1970–72.
In 1973, he moved to the Hunter Valley as chief winemaker at Tullochs. During the 1980s, Ian acted as a successful winemaker and wine consultant for several Hunter wineries. This provided him with an insight and knowledge that was well used in the formation of Scarborough Wine Company.
Quietly spoken, part of the old guard of Hunter Winemakers, Scarbie is hard working and proud he has left a lasting legacy for the next generation. If Scarbie is not in the winery, he’s on a tractor, if he’s not on the tractor he’s at one of his favourite restaurants drinking something ridiculously good.
Ian Scarborough was inducted as a Legend in 2013.
Connect
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