Peter Forrestal is a freelance wine writer who lives in Perth ('Some of the time', says his beagle, Fling). In 2009, he received the WCA's Wine Communicator of the Year award and was pretty bowled over by that. (See press release below.)
He is wine columnist for STM - the local Sunday Times Magazine - and a regular contributor to Gourmet Traveller Wine, the Qantas Magazine, and Money Magazine. He also collaborates with Oz on the Australian entries for the Oz Clarke Pocket Wine Book. Peter was founding editor of Gourmet Traveller Wine, and is the author, co-author or editor of 32 books including the Global Encyclopedia of Wine, Discover Australia: Wineries, Margaret River and A Taste of the Margaret River. He contributed the entry on 'wine' to the recently published Historical Encyclopedia of Western Australia (University of Western Australia Press). His best selling secondary English reference book, Look it Up! has been in print since 1987.
Peter Forrestal is chairman of judges both for the Fine Wine Partner / Gourmet Traveller Wine Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards and for Gourmet Traveller Wine's Winemaker of the Year Awards.
He has been judge at many wine shows including the Sydney International Top 100, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and the Wandering Wheat Belt Wine Awards. Most recently, he has judged at the Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia at Mt Barker (2006, 2007), the Perth Hills Show (2006, 2007), the Riverina Show (2007), the International Sweet Wine Challenge (2007), Sydney International Top 100 (2008), and the Geographe Show (2008). In 2009, he judged with Steve Webber and Mike de Garis at the Orange Show. In October, he will be returning to the Qantas Wine Show at Mt Barker.
His most satisfying achievement has been his regular appearances on The Walk - a 6am jaunt with trusty Beagle, Fling, and impressario, Bernie Eastman.
Peter is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers (UK), FIJEV (the International Federation of Wine & Spirits Journalists & Writers), the Wine Communicators of Australia, the International Slow Food Movement and the Australian Society of Authors.
2009 Australian Wine Communicator - Peter Forrestal
Read full press release (PDF)
