Growing up in
Marital Status
Married to Kim Tyrer – her family didn’t own a brewery they owned a winery instead, Galafrey Wines
What you do for a living
Run two farms with cropping program and sheep and run Galafrey Wines Vineyard.
Q: How would you define your culinary style?
Rustic and manly
Q: What do you enjoy most about cooking?
Flavours and enjoying the rewards of my efforts…eating it!Q: At what age did you start cooking?
18…what can I say …I left home.
Q: When it comes to cooking, who inspired you?
My mother…I come from a family of big boys and we never went hungry.
Q: What culinary training have you received? Where have you learned more, in class or by experimenting?
Self taught.
Q: Who cooks in your home?
My wife and I
Q: If any chef in the world could prepare a meal for you, who would it be? Why?
Peter Russell Clarke….watched him on television as I was growing up and he’d be a great character to have cook a meal…afterall….conversation , wine and meal complete a great night…and he loves a drink!
Q: Do you select and buy the ingredients yourself?
We have a strict rule in our garden…if you can’t eat it why grow it…everything is source for the vegie patch..plus the sheep in the paddock and wine from the winery….it’s a great lifestyle.
Q: Is there a website or blog where we can see something about you and your cooking and/or wine?
Novice…but have a lot of potential
Q: What would you say to a novice in the kitchen to help them get over their fear of cooking?
Practice makes perfect.
Q: What is your favorite cooking gadget?
Crockpot….turns cheap cuts of meat into devine heaven.
Q: Do you have a signature dish?
Italian beef rissoles
Q: Who are your biggest fans?
My wife loves it when I cook and complains that I don’t do it enough.
Q: Do you clean up after yourself?
Yes….the dishwasher is the greatest of modern inventions.
Q: How did you get into wine?
Married into it……apparently you can’t marry shiraz ?
Q: What wine would you pair with your recipe?
Galafrey 2004 Museum release shiraz …drinking some now while I fill out this form…beautiful stuff! The Sweetness of Shiraz goes so well with the sweetness of Lamb.
Q: How did you get into the wine industry?
Married into it….My wife family are pioneers in the Western Australian Wine Industry. Now we live on the property and I have an endless supply of wine… aka Shiraz ….is Shiraz not the best variety ever?
Q: Did you (or do you) have another career before getting into wine?
Agriculture…the two go well together.
Q: Who owns the winery?
The Family…Linda , Kim and Nigel and now our son Jack Rowe.
Q:What is your role there?
Vineyard manager, sales Representative, Vintage worker, cellar hand, maintenance man and general dogs body.
Q: Who is on your winery team and what are their roles?
Linda Tyrer- owner and Pioneer in industry but now has the main role as the ministry of NO! …..aka finance department
Kim Tyrer- Marketing and sales representative, general manager and the face of Galafrey Wines.
Henry- the winery dog, greets customers and chases my sheep.
Jack Rowe- just born but we have big plans for the little guy!
Q: Briefly tell us about your winery and what is unique about it.
A family winery , we have a Dry Grown Vineyard with superb fruit. One of the pioneers we strive to make straight varietals from first class fruit reflecting the regional cool climate characteristics of the area.
Q: What wines do you produce?
Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc , Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and the greatest wine of all….Shiraz.
Q: What is your annual production? 6000 cases
13 HA Chardonnay, Muller Thurgau, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and ….you guess it…Shiraz .
Q: Do you purchase grapes from other vineyards or is everything estate grown?
Yes, we purchase Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from neighboring vineyards
Q: What wines do you produce?
Reserve Chardonnay, Unwooded Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, DryLand Rielsing, Dry Grown Merlot, Dry Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dry Grown Shiraz
Q: Which wines are your top sellers?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz
Q: Who is your winemaker? Team effort
Q: Favorite type of wine to use for cooking? Why?
Rose…great flavor enhancer and honestly… who would drink it?
Q: Wine Experience –
Lots of experience….love wine…love Shiraz …love to travel and try different wines from different areas. Just went to Hunter Valley in New South Wales Australia ..love trying their Shiraz ’s which are hot climate styles…gamey, sweaty saddles, spice…great stuff.
Mmmm….Shiraz…cool climate Shiraz is vegetative, spicy, vanillin, sweet, earthy, great length, solid structure and a joy to drink!
Q. How did you get interested in wine? Where did you learn about wine?
Learned about wine from a hands on approach. Love the final product so it was only natural to wonder how it all began?
Q: - What is the best way for our readers to find or purchase your wine? Where is it distributed?
Q: Do you host any wine festivals/events?
Grapes and Gallops festival combine wine with country horse racing a great day out.
Q: What experience do you want people who drink your wines to have?
Q: What is your favorite wine?
Err….Shiraz…have I not said it enough? If Shiraz was a person…I’d vote him Prime minister…
Q: Anything else you’d like to share with us?
Drink more wine, cook more food, spend more time with your family….and if you have any time left…grow a vegie patch!
Braised Shanks with Crusted Herb Potatoes
* 4 large lamb shanks (from the paddock but butcher will do)
* plain flour ( I use the local ‘The Lilly Flour)
* butter
* olive oil ( Galafrey Wines Olive Oil I use)
* 2 red onions , thinly sliced
* 2 garlic cloves , crushed ( garden)
* 100ml (3 1/2 ounces) balsamic vinegar
* 500ml ( 2 cups) red wine , full bodied ( not rose for this one, Shiraz !)
* 2 tbsp tomato purée
* a sprig of rosemary (from the garden.)
* 1kg (about 2 pounds) new potatoes , peeled and cut into small chunks
* 2 large sprigs of thyme , leaves only ( from the garden)
* 4 large sprigs mint , leaves only, chopped (from the garden)
- Heat the oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. (American Ovens 300 F) Dust the lamb shanks with flour and season. Heat a casserole and add a little butter and olive oil. Add the onions and cook until soft, then scoop out. Put in the lamb shanks and brown all over. Put the onions back in the casserole with the garlic, balsamic, wine, tomato purée, rosemary and season.
- Cover, put in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is almost falling off the bone. Remove the lamb from the casserole and keep warm. Boil down the juices to thicken them if they seem too thin.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until soft. Drain, add a knob of butter, thyme, mint, then season and crush lightly. Serve with the lamb shanks and gravy.