Australian wine identity Peter Muscet has passed away suddenly in Adelaide at the age of 61.
He died at home just a few days after returning to Adelaide from the SIMEI wine expo in Milan.
Peter was a champion of Australian small family winemakers and published Wine Showcase Magazine.
Ben Murray winemaker Dan Eggleton from the Barossa and other winemakers had been with Peter at SIMEI.
“I can’t believe it,” Dan said. “It’s a big shock.
“A true gent and a champion of South Australia and broader Aussie wine.
“The group Peter had brought together for the expo in Italy had such a great time.
“We were even talking about having a reunion. Now Peter is gone.
“Vale to a very good man.”
Peter Muscet (right) with Dan Eggleton from Ben Murray Wines in SIMEI.
Peter launched Wine Showcase Magazine in 2010 and promoted Australian wine at world events.
Before that he was marketing manager for Winestate Magazine – from 2004 to 2009.
Peter was the Australian brand ambassador for the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London from 2011 to 2018.
Phil Reedman MW is the editor of Wine Showcase Magazine.
“I had the pleasure of working with Peter for about a dozen years on Wine Showcase Magazine; a magazine Peter created around the needs of the wine producers and the trade at whom it was aimed,” Phil said.
“Wine Showcase was a smart piece of product design and marketing, things at which Peter excelled.
“Peter was great to work with; he’d float an idea and leave me to get on and write it.
“My overly long articles didn’t phase him and I tried not to let the sometimes overly tight deadlines he’d set phase me either.
“Peter was boundlessly cheerful, generous with his time and knowledge, a great supporter and promoter of the Australian wine industry.”
Phil said Peter was constantly thinking of new projects and opportunities to drive our industry forward.
“We will miss Peter’s drive and energy,” he said.
“I’ve had a quiet moment and have raised a glass in his memory and to the fact that I was lucky enough to know him a little.”
Long-time friend and colleague Peter Jackson also paid tribute to his mate.
“Over the last 20 years Peter Muscet and I became great mates,” he said.
“We drank lots of wines, of course, and shared a love of France.
“On our numerous trips to Paris, Champagne, Alsace and Cognac we both ate too much cheese and drank too much Champagne.
“From our early connections at Winestate Magazine where I took over from Peter as marketing manager in early 2010 – to recent years writing for Wine Showcase Magazine and forever trying to encourage Peter to improve his French – he was a great mate who we will all miss.”
Peter Muscet was a company director of both MediaLOGIC Australia and Street Vision Media.
The company he founded, Muscet Media, was also involved in outdoor advertising.
In 2021 Wine Showcase Magazine won Best Specialist Wine Publication in the UK Food & Drinks Awards.
WBM – Australia’s Wine Business Magazine extends our condolences to Peter’s family, friends and business associates.
Peter Muscet (second from left) with Australians in SIMEI recently.
Peter was a true gentleman in every sense of the word – kind, generous, humble and with never a bad word to say about anyone. He was great company and would always help the underdog or struggling winery. I will miss him greatly, he was a good friend and he is a loss to the industry as a whole. I really hope someone can keep his legacy Wine Showcase Magazine going.
Thanks Madge. We will treasure PMs memory.