Mick started in the industry on the inhospitable side of hospitality working as a bouncer at various salubrious venues including Melbourne’s Crown Casino. After travelling the world doing odd jobs to get by including running pubs in Somerset and Edinburgh, he returned to Australia penniless and in debt so took the first job he could find working as a storeman for Tucker Seabrook, one of Australia’s oldest family owned wine merchants.

It was here that Mick was first exposed to great wines from all over the world with Tuckers representing some amazing producers from around the globe. After a short stint pushing the trolley and driving a forklift Mick was moved into the sales tem where he went on the greatest pursuit of knowledge and market research ever seen at Tuckers. This journey led him to expand both his understanding of wine as well as his waistline, gaining a lazy 50kgs in his first two years in the sales team.

In the decade that ensued, Mick worked his way up through Tucker Seabrook, then Fine Wine partners before landing a plum gig with the original Baron of the Barossa, the great Peter Lehmann. Three years working under PL honed a great understanding and respect for the Barossa, from its people and stories, to its unique sub regions and ancient vines.

When an opportunity came up to work with David Powell at Torbreck, Mick jumped at the opportunity and has since immersed himself in the wines where he intends to keep developing his palate and his understanding of Torbreck and the world of wine for many years to come. He has promised his wife and doctor however that there’ll be no such repeat of the time at Tuckers that saw him blow out like a sea turtle!