Nick is one of the nicest people in the wine game, generous of spirit and well loved. He is also a seriously talented grower and maker who has set his sights on championing his beloved region of Kangaroo Island, which rarely gets due attention.
All of that is now paused, but we can all help.
“It has been a serious curveball for us and was a tough wait to find out what the deal is,” wrote Nick on sharing the diagnosis. “It is not in our family, and I have been told it was just really bad luck…
“I want to talk about this, and I want people to ask me about it. I want to get educated and help to educate with what I learn. In the last two weeks I have spoken to a heap of cancer survivors, and they are my new heroes. …I’m going to write about my experience as it makes me feel better. Will share it soon.”
The road ahead is a tough one, and it’s a long one. With a young family and wine business that is built around tireless work amongst the vines, Nick and Bec need all the help they can get. The hard physical labour will simply not be possible during some stages of treatment and recovery. While their friends are many, they really need our support, too.
Thankfully, there’s more than one way to help.
As Nick wrote, “…my health and family have become my number one priority. We have postponed our Spring Release party but have put the new wines up on the website. If you’re keen to support, a purchase would mean a huge amount right now. I swear the wines are good.”
The wines are excellent, of course.
The other way is through a GoFundMe set up by fellow Young Gun alum Lauren Langfield and viticulturist Anton Groffen, who are both close friends of Nick and Bec.
“With all the doctors and hospital visits ahead, all we want to see is Duggie focusing on his health and his family, his beautiful wife Bec and their two young kids. We want to leave the hard slog in the vineyard and winery to the contract labourers… but this takes money!” says Langfield.
The path involves chemotherapy and radiotherapy, possibly followed by surgery, and that process will continue deep into 2024.
“I know so many of us want to help, so let’s dig deep and help keep the Australian Young Gun of Wine 2023 Vigneron of the Year’s Kangaroo Island vineyard going without him for the year while he puts in the big fight!” continues Langfield.
The money will help. The goodwill, too. Please help if you can, whether by buying wine or donating, or both. Let’s all try and get this precious young family through this.
Young Gun of Wine has announced the trophy winners for their 16th annual winemaker awards. Since 2007, the awards have provided an opportunity to connect emerging winemaking talent with wine drinkers, and to support creative talent shaking things up and exploring news ideas in wine. In that time, the awards have expanded and grown.
These awards are a celebration of viticulture, and it is through the championing of all the top vineyards and their growers, that we can elevate the awareness of the grower in the wines we love. This collective industry benefit is the great outcome of these awards, and the path forward is through participation. So, we’re calling all winegrowers to step forward.
For the first time in the 18 year history of the Young Gun of Wine Awards, the top trophy has gone to a Tasmanian winemaker. Indeed, three of the six trophies went to Tasmania.
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