Colin started taking an interest in wine in the late 1960's which became a passion in the early 1970's.

When Colin started auctioning wine at Theodore Bruce in 1974 it gave access to a completely new world full of wonderful wine treasures, including the delights of Barossa, home of the oldest shiraz vines in the world.

Working at Bruce also gave Colin the opportunity, through Ian Bruce the inaugural Barossa Vintage Festival wine auctioneer, to attend his first Festival auction in 1977. The auctions were held at the back of one of the Penfold sheds on Railway Terrace and the industry greats used to turn up. Colin was given the chance to sell a few lots at that auction, and he still remembers selling some wine to Len Evans, even then mildly famous how good was that for a young wine lover who doted on every word that Evans wrote.

Also in 1977 Colin went to his first pre-auction dinner and tasting in the Yalumba Cask Hall, a night (the first of many), which he has never forgotten as it was the opportunity to mix with they doyens of the industry the Hill Smiths, Gramps, Henschkes, along with Len Evans, Doug Crittenden, Herman Schneider and many more, the real movers and shakers of the industry of the day. Colin continued helping Ian Bruce with the auction until the mid 1980's when he took over.

Colin's activities in the Barossa these days involves valuing wineries and vineyards and helping at the Vintage Festival auction.