The Canowindra-born kid says while it's taken 20 years to become an overnight sensation, mastering the wine world's long game is all about doing the little things; and doing them really well.
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A worthy empire in their own right, the Swinging Bridge crew of seven grabbed six big gongs in the prestigious 2023 Wine Show Awards, judged during late September.
Owner of the business, Tom Ward says while it's a very "capital-intensive game" - with tricky plays waiting at many corners throughout his two-decades at full throttle - tackling challenges in the business with a positive attitude has proven the best game plan yet.
"You've got to get it right, the balance of it all in a tough and long-game industry, so for a small producer to be doing that is not only a testament to the team, but showcases our strength as a unit," Mr Ward said.
"If you can't look after the land and your own staff and family while you're doing it, then the drive isn't sustainable for the region as a whole, or when it comes to fostering the relationships around you.
"Be it a father, a husband, or the owner of a business, I don't always get it right, no one does; but I'm always wanting to be better."
Professionally and personally, Mr Ward describes his network as being surrounded by mammoth levels of talent.
Paying tribute to these people as key players in his own evolving, each member of Swinging Bridge knows their strengths.
Used to propel different areas of the business, it's this united tact Mr Ward says makes way for the brand's bouts of success.
"We say the number one thing is community first, profit second, and I've been really lucky to have colleagues who understand and mirror those shared values and ethics," he said.
"Rhys [Baker] and Wil [Arnold] do the little things so well, their attention to detail and being so highly organised allows me to my job really well at a high-level.
"So, part of it has been about trying to work out what you're not the best at, and letting the people who are incredible at what they do, do exactly that.
"My strength is I'm great at wine-making and production; but it's the hard work of an entire team to enable me to look good while doing it."
Swinging bridge picked up a half-dozen gongs at the 2023 Orange Wine Show, being: Best Wine of the Show, Best Red Wine of the Show, Most Successful Exhibitor of the Show, Best Older Chardonnay, Best Pinor Noir, Best Shiraz.
Of the 21 wine entries the crew put forward, all 21 received a medal.
Part of it has been about trying to work out what you're not the best at, and letting the people who are incredible at what they do, do exactly that.
- Swinging Bridge owner, Tom Ward on business success.
Hard to wrap his head around at times, these pinch-worthy outcomes find Mr Ward constantly circling back to the word "community",.
He says nurturing connections is crucial to their growth.
"It's such a vital part of our work and I've always wanted that reflected in what we do, especially with having such community-facing parents growing up," he said.
"We've spent many, many years trying to make the hard decisions and push ourselves with other winemakers' support.
Community and a great team has helped me grow personally and it's one incredible wine region to be a part of."
Describing it as a "collegiate industry", Mr Ward says the region's winemakers recognise the importance of cooperative group work.
Balancing this with a side of healthy competition to push everyone to their best, of course, he says it's a good thing to be a part of.
But what it's always fermented down to for the fifth-generation Cabonne kid is looking out for one another; and it starts in his own backyard.
"We're making sure [our staff have] got a great life, that we're sustaining good relationships with wholesalers and forging strong connections with direct-to-consumer customers," he said.
"As a legacy, we want to help the region to be sustainable in all facets, in the land and in peoples' personal lives.
"Every family has a story and we're really proud of ours. We're just lucky we get to tell ours through what we do; every day."
Check out the full list of 2023 Orange Wine Show trophy winners here.
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