Australia's most senior wine judge and author of over 50 books — a living institution of Australian wine
James Halliday is the most senior and active wine judge Australia has produced. Between 1977 and 2009, he judged regularly not only in Australia but in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and across Europe and the United States. He has written over 50 books since 1979, and his wine journalism has been recognised internationally with awards across the industry over many decades.
His authority is not constructed — it is the accumulated result of more than four decades of tasting, judging, writing, and engaging with wine at its highest levels, across multiple countries and wine cultures. Few people alive have spent more time in the company of great wine, or thought more carefully about what distinguishes it.
For wine industry events, gala dinners, corporate hospitality, and food and wine festivals, James Halliday is among the most distinguished and knowledgeable speakers available anywhere in the country. His presence at an event carries genuine weight — both for industry audiences who understand the depth of his contribution to Australian wine, and for broader audiences who benefit from the clarity and authority with which he communicates. The breadth of his judging experience across countries and styles means his knowledge is comparative as well as deep. An engagement with James Halliday is, in the best sense, a rare occasion.
James Halliday is a keynote speaker based in Victoria who speaks on food & wine. Book through Executive Speakers Australia.
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