David Inchley Members Spotlight
What sparked your love for wine, and how did your wine journey begin?
Dad liked, and Mum likes, wine. They were part of a wine club—a group of friends that took turns to host a dinner party, all bringing and sharing wine from their cellars. I remember many trips as a kid visiting wineries; the smell of oak and fermenting wine wasn’t nice as a kid. We were introduced to small amounts of wine reasonably young.
When my friends and I were about sixteen, we found it a lot easier to drink wine at restaurants than get into clubs. I fondly remember my 18th birthday at Rosati in Flinders Lane, where we’d all been drinking for a couple of years. Yes, I’m old—haha. Rosati got pulled down in 2015 after it closed and was gutted.
After university, my work took me around Australia, travelling at least six months of the year. I was always entertaining clients and prospective clients, which naturally involved restaurants and wine. On top of Melbourne's excellent dining scene, Sydney and Brisbane were always fun.
I started seeing Fiona in 2013, and we share a massive interest in food and wine. We’ve never really stopped since—taking every opportunity for a degustation with matched wine or a solid wine list. Our favourite holidays are to wine regions, where we can get to as many wineries as possible. It’s great to grab wine from the cellar that reminds us of the trip we bought it on.
Do you have a particular wine or wine region that holds special significance to you?
Being a kid of the Yarra (Outer East), I love our wineries, especially Upper Yarra Chardonnay and Cabernet. They’re so good. You can’t beat a Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, Yarra Yering or Seville Estate Cabernet, or anything from Giant Steps. I must also mention Rochford—there’s so much great premium wine there, but everyone thinks it’s all about the events. Pimpernel makes excellent wine across the board.
Given the Chardonnay and Cabernet bent, we also love Margaret River and Great Southern regions. Howard Park, and especially Marchand & Burch, make awesome Chardonnay and Cabernet. There are just too many to mention—Singlefile also does great work for Great Southern.
I have to mention Pinot, so of course, the Peninsula—more specifically, Balnarring and Moorooduc. If you get the chance to drink any Hurley Pinot that’s 10+ years old, you’ll be blown away. Moorooduc Estate, like Pimpernel, makes just as wonderful, age-worthy wines across their range. Just like the Hurley, a 10+ year old Robinson Vineyard Chardonnay or Pinot is equally as good.
As a Jungle Club member, what do you enjoy most about being part of this community?
I have a passion for producers who make their wine with a love of their place. Breno brings a huge amount of energy, which is inspiring. We nearly always buy direct, join clubs (now getting a little out of control), and attend winery-hosted dinners. I've been drinking some great Jungle Club cellar release wines—not types I’d usually buy, or from wineries we’ve previously bought from. I’m on the older side of your members, so it’s nice to see younger people getting into great wine.
What’s the most memorable bottle of wine you’ve ever opened, and what made it so special?
We stayed at Mona on our honeymoon in 2015. The degustation at The Source opened with Krug Grande Cuvée. We were blown away—it was next level. Krug on our honeymoon, how can it get more special than that!
How has being a Jungle Club member influenced your approach to wine, whether it’s learning, collecting, or enjoying?
It’s got me interested in some different wines. Our cellar is 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot, 15% Cabernet, and the rest is mixed. I’m enjoying Shiraz much more now—after being (think Clockwork Orange) "forced" to drink Moorooduc and buying some Paradise IV from the Jungle Club. Amazing. I would never have bought Shiraz otherwise.
Do you have a favourite Wine Animal event or offer that has stood out to you, and why?
We’ve only attended one event—the Cabernet Challenge—but it was a great time. The wine was excellent, but it’s the people you share wine with that really make the difference. It was a great group, and we look forward to more events. I also enjoy the cellar releases with the Jungle Club, where you can get small quantities of some really great wines.
What advice would you give to someone who is just beginning their wine journey?
Try everything. Visit wineries, do tastings, drive if it’s your turn, try it all, and use a spittoon. Join some winery clubs and hassle them for back vintages—you’d be surprised what you can get.
The worst part about cellaring wine is the first 10 years. We use off-site cellaring so everything is perfectly kept, and there is also self-storage for wine, where you can cellar 25 dozen bottles for about $75 a month. We think it’s worthwhile. Lots of people we talk to aren’t aware that wine-specific self-storage exists.
Take every opportunity to ask questions of sommeliers, cellar door staff, and winemakers at functions. It’s their trade—they know so much. You never stop learning.
Are there any specific wines or experiences you’re hoping to explore through the Jungle Club in the future?
I can’t wait for a Chardonnay Challenge!
How do you usually enjoy your wine—do you pair it with food, share it with friends, or save it for special moments?
We love entertaining friends and family, and we always enjoy wine with food—it just takes it to another level. We enjoy finding the best wine match for all kinds of food we cook, from Asian to French, Italian, and Middle Eastern. It’s all special when there’s great company, food, and wine!
What’s one wine or wine region you think every Jungle Club member should try, and why?
A Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2018 or older. It’s one of the best value Chardonnays you can find for its quality, and it ages beautifully. I had a 2014 recently, and it was stunning—consistently good across vintages.
