Barossa winemaker Simon Hackett has died aged 73 following a stroke.

With his business, Simon Hackett Wines, he was Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies’ longest-standing producer.

Michael Awin, managing partner of ABS, says: “I knew Simon for over 40 years, having first met him in 1985 through Peter and Doug Lehmann, whom we represented at the time. His laconic humour, joie de vivre and way with words made him a joy to be around.

“He was a great winemaker when he could be bothered, but it was his personality that really shone through in his wines. I vividly remember a prestigious tasting in London where a guest was pressing him with technical questions while the rest of the room was itching to taste. When asked what sort of soil he had in his vineyards, Simon paused and simply replied ‘brown’, to rapturous applause.

“Following the tragic death of his long-term partner Deirdre in a fire at their winery in 2009, Hackett was never quite the same, though he always retained the spark that endeared him to so many. He will be fondly remembered across the UK wine trade as both a talented winemaker and a true original.”