Golding Wines’ co-owner Lucy Golding chats about the life lesson learnt after tragedy and the simple joy that comes from the South Australian landscape.
Describe the best day of your life.
Putting aside that I have been fortunate enough to experience a wonderful wedding day with a pretty awesome fella and the joyous birth of three daughters, (because how was I ever going to choose between those!) I am going to say the best day in my life was the day I completed my interior architecture degree. Anyone who has studied interior architecture knows that it is a four-year journey that is not for the uncommitted! Whilst intensely satisfying and rewarding, the workload is huge and the feeling of accomplishment on completing my degree was something I will never forget. After taking a while to land on the ‘right’ course for me, the sense of pride at achieving some great results and the feeling of relief that I had finally completed my degree, will forever fill me with a sense of “yeah girl, you did it”.
What brings you joy in life?
It’s the simple things really. Spending time with my family, my dog, travel, taking some time out and immersing myself in nature, cooking up a storm for loved ones and … did I mention my dog?
I am blessed to have grown up on the lower Eyre Peninsula and now live in and work in the Adelaide Hills so I have always been surrounded by landscapes that are breathtakingly beautiful. From rugged coastline and empty beaches to picturesque rolling hills and lush gardens, I feel happiest when I am able to get out and enjoy the natural environment. This was the philosophy behind creating the expansive gardens we have at our cellar door in the Hills, we just wanted to create a beautiful space where people could really relax and enjoy a beautiful natural landscape while also enjoying some delicious wine and food. Creating a connection with nature is also a big part of our newly launched Ascend experience. When travelling to three wine regions in one day by helicopter, the beauty of the SA landscape laid out beneath you really does become a hero element of the trip. Everything just slows down when you are surrounded by nature, the calming effect is something I just love to experience.
So, a joyful and pretty awesome day for me would be a morning walk with my border collie Alfie, a wander through the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens, followed by a delicious lunch shared with friends and family at home. A porchetta on the rotisserie and a glass of Adelaide Hills pinot in my hand, happy days!
What is the best photograph you have?
As someone who is a visual communicator, I have many, many photos so this is a hard one for me! I have chosen a photo that brings me lots of happy memories. I snapped this candid shot in 2017 on a family trip to Italy in the small village of Camogli on the Ligurian Coast. I just love the way is captures the atmosphere of colourful seaside fishing village as well as the ‘il dolce far niete’ mindset of the locals. There are people of all ages, all sizes, all walks of life enjoying a sunny day at the beach. Not a care in the world. Crammed in close together, there were families yelling out to each other across the beach, young couples stealing a kiss on the pebbles, the waves were crashing in and everyone was just fully embracing the moment. We loved staying in Camogli and this photo makes me smile every time I look at it.
What is the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?
That while nature can give so much, it can also take away. In December of 2019 the Cudlee Creek bushfire raced through our property on the outskirts of Lobethal, and we lost 95 per cent of our vineyard and a lot of our farm machinery and infrastructure. Thankfully for us, lives and houses were spared. Hills people know the fire risks associated with living up here but nothing really prepares you for the reality of dealing with a fire of that size and then the destruction caused by such a brutal natural disaster. Out of that experience I have learned that I am stronger than I thought I was and that when teamed with my husband Darren, we can overcome what seemed at the time to be insurmountable challenges. I also learned how resilient our Hills community is and that there are always ‘silver linings’ to be found if you know where to look for them.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
To treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. A simple philosophy that, if applied by a few more people across the world, could lift up the oppressed and impoverished, go a long way to wiping out bullying and probably end a few global conflicts. Being kind and always treating people with respect is the way I try live my life and something that I have passed on to my daughters. To look at things from someone else’s perspective or to imagine walking in someone else’s shoes is a humbling experience and definitely keeps things grounded.
Describe the best meal you’ve ever eaten.
I have eaten some amazing meals over my life so far, so this is a hard one! Delicious restaurant meals aside, it comes down to location and company for me. Many years ago on a camping trip with friends in the Port Lincoln National Park, we ate our catch of fresh squid and King George whiting, chargrilled over the campfire while watching the sunset. There was a bottle of Riesling accompanying the seafood and many laughs on a night that has become an enduring memory. A simple but delicious meal with people who mean the world to me, what more could a gal want?
What are the best qualities of your favourite person?
I met my favourite person in 1996 and he happens to be my partner in life and wine, Darren. He is kind and funny and ridiculously capable at just getting stuff done, whatever that stuff happens to be. His ability to back a trailer into the most complex places is something that I will never not be impressed by. That’s definitely where opposites attract!
Best five songs on your playlist?
It is an ever-changing and eclectic list but here are five of my all-time faves.
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- Sleep On The Floor, The Lumineers
- Dreams, The Cranberries
- Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, George Michael & Elton John
- We Found Love, Rihanna (feat, Calvin Harris)
- Deeper Water, Paul Kelly
My life philosophy is…
Be kind and look for joy and beauty in the small everyday moments in life. Find space for nature and for doing something creative, whatever that looks like for you. Have a good cry when you need it and I find dropping a few cathartic swear words does wonders every now and then too. Nobody is perfect right?
