At a time when many wineries are struggling with sales and brand management, Nick Whiteway from First Growth is a breath of fresh air, selling large volumes of branded wines and private labels for some of Australia’s finest winemakers.
Nick says his key advantages are an intimate knowledge of the wine market – and an ability to know what might work best for individual wineries.
“And I love what I do,” says Nick, adding his business has been growing fast in recent months despite the woes in the wine industry.
“I offer a one-stop shop to the major buyers, supplying a multi-regional portfolio from a single point of contact. I ‘get wine’ but more importantly I understand the buyer’s business. They buy from me because I make their buying process effective and efficient.
“My skillset is one-third wine knowledge, one-third industry knowledge and one-third relationships.”
Nick’s parents loved wine; he grew up with wine at the table. “It was always associated with family, friends and good times,” he says. “As a child, we travelled to wineries in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale on the weekend and came home with a boot full of wine.”
By the time Nick reached university, his own wine tastes had developed, and a five-litre cask of Morris dry red accompanied Nick and his friends on camping trips, rock climbing, surfing and snowboarding. “What a sophisticate!” he laughs.
In his early 30s Nick lived in London, ate in fancy restaurants and travelled to Bordeaux, the Mosel, Tuscany, Jerez, Champagne and Burgundy. A hobby became an obsession, and he began to plan his travels, read wine books and pore over maps.
Following five years as a graduate accountant and economist, Nick transitioned through enterprise sales roles and into the technology sector. Upon his return from Europe, he studied the WSET Levels 1, 2 and 3, attaining distinctions and prompting a slight midlife crisis when he turned 35.
“Much to the disdain of my family and friends,” Nick says, “I resigned from a senior management role at Telstra in Sydney, and a month later I was doing vintage in the Napa Valley as a cellar hand.”
This was followed by a stint at a UK retailer and another vintage experience in the Douro Valley, Portugal. “I didn’t miss wearing a suit and tie,” he says.
Returning to Adelaide, Nick worked in sales roles at Pernod Ricard, managed a barrel finance business across Australia and New Zealand, and then had a sales role at Mollydooker, leading to a stint as GM of Howard Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.
Now Nick helps winemakers blend and finish wines, tailored to the style the market actually wants, working with them on branding and packaging. “And then I place those wines with the biggest buyers in Australia and into export markets,” he says.
Nick has direct relationships with all of the major national drinks buyers including Endeavour Drinks, Coles Liquor, Vinomofo, Qantas, Wine Selectors, The Wine Collective, Wine Partners, United Cellars and Wine Direct.
“I also place wineries with wholesale distributors and have worked with many of the best,” says Nick, who travels to Sydney and Melbourne regularly to meet face to face with the buyers. He also attends international wine trade exhibitions.
“Understanding the global wine market, the buyer’s customers and your winery are at the heart of my business,” he says.
Email Nick Whiteway at First Growth at [email protected], phone 0428 581 177 or visit firstgrowth.net.au.
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