Daniel McMahon is the Moorilla Brand Ambassador for Mona.  Moorilla is a boutique, cool-climate winery that shares a site with the Museum of Old and New Art, known as Mona, overlooking the beautiful Derwent River in Hobart.  Mona houses the vast, and often controversial, private art collection of its owner, Tasmanian David Walsh, as well as series of thought-provoking temporary exhibitions.  Since 2005, Daniel has been responsible for the management of the Mona cellar door, export relationships and the development and contracting of Mona’s travel packages as well as advising on Moorilla wine’s marketing and PR.  

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It would be easy to assume from talking to Daniel that he has spent his career tasting and discussing wine, honing his skills as an informative and engaging cellar door host.  While it is certainly true that his experience to this point has contributed considerably to his position, wine was never his primary passion, and, even now, he is quick to modestly downplay the extent of his wine knowledge.

 

Having grown up in a small community on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Daniel was eager from a young age to explore.  At nineteen he travelled to Paris where he was moved by the passion and culture of the French.  “There is a great respect for agriculture, respect for winemakers, a sense of pride”.   Returning to Australia, he began working in hospitality, managing youth hostels.  He met his wife, Annabelle, and together they began to plan their next adventure.

 

Daniel and Annabelle embarked on a journey through North America and Canada on their quest to experience winter.  Having grown up in the temperate climate of Australia’s south coast, for them both the experience of a true snowy winter was high on their list of ambitions. From a New York hostel to the famous Canadian Pacific Hotel Group (now Fairmont Hotels), to Camp Denali, in Alaska’s Denali National Park, Daniel and Annabelle spent the following decade accumulating career-enhancing experience while travelling to some of the world’s most intriguing destinations.  

 

It is fitting, therefore, that the next and permanent stop on the list was Tasmania.  Having enjoyed multiple snow seasons and worked in such close proximity to nature, Daniel and Annabelle knew that inner city living, in the traditional sense, was not going to suit them.  Fortune intervened and Daniel and Annabelle were offered positions as lodge managers on the Freycinet Experience Walk.    For a couple who were keen to maintain a close connection to the wilderness, this was the perfect opportunity.  The Freycinet Experience is the original guided walk on Tasmania’s east coast, winding through the pink granite Hazard Mountains, rich coastal forests, and pure white-sand beaches including the world-renowned Wineglass Bay.  It was the ideal reintroduction to Australia and cemented a love affair with the island that has now become their home.  

 

After a season at Freycinet, Daniel applied for the position of Personal Assistant to the CEO of Moorilla.   It was soon apparent that Daniel lacked the necessary skills for the position of PA but, fortuitously, through this introduction, he was offered the position of Cellar Door Manager.  Daniel was, in his words, “quick to point out that I knew very little about wine”, but it was his hospitality experience and natural ease in engaging visitors that won him the job and it is a position that continues to inspire and challenge him on a daily basis.

 

In 2001, David Walsh founded the Moorilla Museum of Antiquities on the Berriedale peninsula in Hobart.  In 2007 the site underwent an enormous $75 million renovation. It was re-opened in January 2011 as the Museum of Old and New Art or Mona.  Since then this incredible local landmark, museum and tourist attraction has gone from strength to strength, in 2012 winning the Australian Tourism Award for best new development.

 

When the former Moorilla CEO left the business and David Walsh assumed responsibility, the winery reduced production from over, 500 tonnes to 120 tonnes, enabling the new Winemaker, Conor van der Reest, to produce an improved, more refined, boutique product.  Daniel was fortunate to arrive at a time when he could witness the transition, and develop a greater understanding of the process from grape to glass.  It has enabled him to communicate with visitors fluently, to discuss wine but not preach, to share his knowledge and exchange opinion.  “Each vintage has a character and we can direct them towards that character so they can understand and appreciate it”. 

 

The Moorilla Cellar door is encased in glass, taking advantage of views across the Moorilla vineyard, Mt. Wellington and the Derwent River.  Above, John Olsen's The Source provides a connection to Moorilla’s unique home within the Mona site.  

 

As Daniel puts it “Moorilla is a trinity of wine and experience and art and how the three of those relate to one another.”    This trinity is central to Daniel’s vision for Moorilla and Mona.  Through combining winery tours and guided tastings with access to the museum Daniel is able to reinforce this idea that wine, experience and art all tap into the same sensory intuition, each is unique to the individual at that time and place.   

 

As part of his role Daniel holds a seat on the Board of Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia, a hand-selected collection of Australia’s premium wineries, including Moorilla, offering quality winery experiences based around world class wines, warm and knowledgeable hospitality and culinary excellence.  It is a position Daniel is passionate about and believes Australia is leading the way with experiential wine tourism.   From prestigious, globally recognised labels to relatively young, boutique producers each offering an exceptional visitor experience, it is a highly successful concept that is an authentic reflection of the Australian spirit of warmth and hospitality. 

 

Currently there are two Tasmanian Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia members, Moorilla and Josef Chromy, located close to Launceston in the island’s north.  Both wineries provide highly diverse but equally exciting ‘beyond the cellar door’ experiences.  The popularity of Tasmania as a tourist destination is sure to mean more Tasmanian wineries will follow.  

 

So what is it about Tasmania that is so appealing to visitors?  

 

“Look at a picture of the Bay of Fires and Walls of Jerusalem National Park and you’ll immediately add them to your bucket list.  Tasmania is so beautiful, the people are lovely, the food is grown in the freshest air in the world and the seafood is incredible.  Add on the history and new cultural experiences and it truly is a must-visit destination.”

 

Please contact us to bespoke your ultimate winery experiences in Australia. Email: travel@onlyluxe.com.au