Through the Glass

With Pt. Leo Estate
Beverage Director Amy Oliver

It's a clear afternoon on the Mornington Peninsula, with a light breeze drifting in from Western Port Bay. Around us, Pt. Leo Estate is a hive of quiet activity, with preparations underway for a wedding the following day—but Amy Oliver is unruffled. Seated in a plush banquette at Laura, a glass of the estate's chardonnay in hand, she's in her element.

"I like to say that I love all wine," she smiles, "but my friends would tell you I'm a chardonnay lover, through and through. I'm always trying to turn people into chardonnay fans."

As head sommelier at Pt. Leo Estate—and previously at Rockpool—Amy knows better than anyone that it's about far more than what's in the glass. "I think one of the greatest pleasures in life is sharing a meal, pouring a great bottle and enjoying good conversation," she says. "When no one touches their phone, and you just get lost in it all. That's what wine and food do for people, in the simplest sense."

Her wine circle has grown over the years—some friends she's introduced to it, others she's met through work. "I'm constantly surprised [about wine]. If you drink widely and with an open mind, you'll discover treasure and change your perspective."

That curiosity also shapes her leadership. "Respect is earned, not automatic with a title," she says. "I will always treat people with respect, and never assume they know everything, or nothing."

At Pt. Leo Estate, women are leading the way. "Almost every head of department here is a woman," she says. "It's really lovely that we can sit as a group of people, bring our different skills to the table, have an opinion—but also be prepared to change our minds and listen. That's what we do well here."

She's also seen a shift across the industry. "You see more women at trade tastings and events than ever before. When I started, I might have been one of only two in the room—now, it's a much more even split of gender. And I think that's been driven by women. When they were in the minority, they showed up, were present and voiced their opinions. And it's built from there."

As our conversation winds down, Amy reflects on what has kept her immersed in this world. "You can surround yourself with great wine people and mentors, but the only person that really brings it at the end of the day is yourself," she says. "I'm forever learning something new. You have to show up every day, study a lot, go to all the tastings. If you do that and work hard, it goes a long way."

From the cellar: Amy's favourites

Nature of the Beast Rosé Nebbiolo 2022
(King Valley, Victoria)

Winemaker: Phoebe Grant

A great wine to take to a barbecue (food not necessarily required!). Beautiful texture is always such a hallmark of Phoebe's wines, and this rosé, made from the nebbiolo grape, is no exception. In her early 20s, Phoebe is already such an impressive winemaker.

Yayoi Wines 'Vallée of the Kings' Chenin Blanc 2023
(Swan Hill, Victoria)

Winemaker: Steffi Snook

I travelled to the Loire Valley with Steffi in 2017, before she launched her own wine label, where we had an excellent time drinking all the chenin blanc! It's exciting to see such a great expression of the grape from Victoria here—beautiful, soft fruit texture followed by a wash of delicious chenin blanc acidity.

Pt. Leo Estate Chardonnay 2017
(Mornington Peninsula, Victoria)

Winemaker: Tod Dexter

This chardonnay is from a cooler vintage down here on the Peninsula, and it's in a great place for drinking right now. There's beautiful fruit, but it's developing some savoury notes after being almost eight years in bottle. This wine calls for roast chicken—sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel!