Lisa McGuigan

Lisa McGuigan is the fourth generation of the famous Hunter Valley winemaking family, following in the footsteps of her father Brian, grandfather Perc and great-grandfather Owen. Creative, entrepreneurial and ambitious, Lisa identified a niche in the market for a well-designed boutique brand and Tempus Two was born.

Following an earlier ten-year career in hospitality and hotel management, Lisa returned to the Hunter Valley to work with her father, establishing Hunter Cellars in 1996. A new take on the traditional cellar door and raising the bar in the Hunter Valley, Hunter Cellars offered visitors sleek service, a program of chef events and the opportunity to taste and buy rare wines from Australia’s most revered producers and collectors.

Lisa’s entrepreneurial ambitions challenged her though, and in 1997 she set about developing her own label, Hermitage Road, named after the Pokolbin road where she grew up. Contracting winemakers and a small space at her father’s winery, Lisa successfully launched the brand in Sydney, selling cases from her home and making in-roads into the on-premise market. Not deterred by her first major business hurdle, the French appellation’s campaign to prevent the use of the name ‘Hermitage’; Lisa found a new name – Tempus Two, fittingly meaning ‘second time’ in Latin, and she continued her journey to build a unique and boutique premium wine brand.

Tempus Two flourished, growing through her hands-on and personal brand of marketing. Lisa’s innovation and eye for detail saw her venture to Europe, eventually sourcing the award-winning bottles and the trademark pewter labels that Tempus Two is renowned for.

Lisa McGuigan created Tempus Two wines for one reason: to share the pleasure of quality wine with those who appreciate it, and she continues to champion Tempus Two domestically and internationally in her role as Brand Ambassador.