Brad Hickey came to McLaren Vale in 2007 from New York City where he was working at the pointy end of the restaurant scene as head sommelier for two-star Michelin chef David Bouley. After working a harvest in McLaren Vale, he landed on his feet stupendously and became involved in winemaking with local vigneron Nicole Thorpe on her organic Omensetter Vineyard, where Brash Higgins Wine Co. first took shape. Since then, they’ve grafted three acres of the district’s first nero d’Avola to Omensetter and have had a fun time using amphoras, barrels and making all kinds of wines using a low intervention ethos.
