Our Story
Born and bred in the Hunter Valley, Silkman Wines is the brainchild of dynamic winemaking duo Liz and Shaun Silkman.
Silkman is what both Liz and Shaun affectionately refer to as their side hustle. A place for creativity and freedom while working full time in the family wine business First Creek, Liz as Chief Winemaker and Shaun as Chief Operating Officer. Together they produce some of the region’s most awarded wines while overseeing the production and bottling of over a million cases of wine each year.
Their vision for Silkman is well on its way to being achieved in just a few short years - to make some of the best small batch contemporary versions of traditional Hunter varieties – Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz, while exploring some exciting new styles and varieties, that are the absolute best examples of what the single vineyard fruit allows.
Liz has earned many an accolade in her winemaking career, but none as prestigious as being named Halliday Winemaker of the Year 2025, and having Silkman Shortlisted for Best Winery in the same year.
Aside from Liz’s many successes, the Silkman brand has also become recognised for producing some of the most exceptional wines in Australia. Liz and Shaun are excited to have such accolades being ticked off their list of titles they’ve been aspiring to achieve, amongst the many trophies which include winning NSW Wine of the Year, the Halliday Chardonnay Challenge, being Shortlisted for Winery of the Year and Liz being named Winemaker of the Year by the prestigious James Halliday Wine Companion 2025.
About Liz Silkman
Liz (nee Jackson) began her winemaking career in 1999 as Lab Technician at Brokenwood Wines in the Hunter. She had recently completed a Bachelor of Science Degree at Newcastle University, and later a Graduate Diploma in Oenology at the University of Adelaide. She worked at numerous wineries across Australia, the US and New Zealand before returning to the Hunter as Winemaker at Tempus Two where she worked with Lisa McGuigan and Sarah-Kate Dineen for six years prior to taking on her current role as Chief Winemaker at First Creek Wines.
In 2006 Liz was selected as a Scholar for the Len Evans Tutorial – widely regarded as one of the most exclusive wine schools in the world and was later named Dux of her graduate year. Liz has seen success on success ever since for both her wines and her winemaking prowess leading up to her ultimate success being named Halliday Winemaker of the Year in 2025, a title that no other Hunter Valley Winemaker has ever been awarded. Liz was also the first winemaker to be named Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year three times, an achievement that she was bestowed in 2011, 2016 and again in 2022.
About Shaun Silkman
Shaun began working as a cellar hand in the family wine business in 1999 while studying a Bachelor of Business & Commerce Degree at the University of Newcastle. At the time he had not intended to pursue a career in the wine industry, however quickly realised he could apply his business acumen to the rapidly expanding family business and became the driving force in creating what is today one of the most successful contract winemaking and bottling businesses in Australia. Shaun and Liz met in 2004 and Liz’s passion for wine quickly rubbed off on Shaun, which led him to study a Bachelor of Wine Science Degree through Charles Sturt University.
