Leslie Henshaw is the winemaker and owner of Chroma Wines. Photo: Leslie Henshaw.
Who are you?
I’m Leslie Henshaw, and I would categorise myself as a business owner. I own Polychroma, a hair colour specialist salon, and I’m a winemaker for Chroma Wines. Those two take up a lot of my time, and I’m also a dad to a 7-year-old, which takes up the rest!
How did you get involved in winemaking?
Chroma was born out of a love for wines.
Over a decade ago, I actually wasn’t much of a wine drinker, but then I started to get into it. We did some cellar door experiences and then holidayed in wine regions. I wanted to learn more, so I did a WSET course, which is a sommelier course, focused on the wine-tasting experience. But I realised I actually wanted to learn more about the wine-making process, so I went and studied for a diploma in wine technology.
As part of that course, I did work experience at Lake George Winery and never left!
I work as an assistant winemaker for Lake George Wines and Sapling Yard. They were selling out of wine every year, so in 2022, they decided they’d outgrown making estate-only wine, and they bought in some grapes and asked if I’d like to buy some in as well. So that’s when Chroma did our first vintage, and this is our fourth year under our own label.
Making wine, washing barrels and doing hair: it’s all in a day’s work for Leslie! Photo: Supplied, Leslie Henshaw.
How do you balance being both a winemaker and a hairdresser?
The bulk of winemaking work goes over an eight-week period from the beginning of March to late April. So for that period, I’m working seven days a week to get all the grapes in and processed. At the end of that eight weeks, all the reds are in barrels and the whites are asleep in tanks or barrels, and you don’t really need to do too much to them until they’re ready for bottling, so I can focus on the salon. We bottle in July, November, and the end of January (depending on the wine), but it’s only one day at a time. And I can run the salon, do sales, and do everything else in between.
Both jobs are creative and science-based. Because Polychroma is a colour specialist salon, there’s a lot more science that goes into the colouring process than people often think. The same is true with winemaking: no two vintages are ever the same, so you can’t follow a recipe. Every year, you have to assess the grapes at the time that they’re picked and work out your additions to get the right result.
What is your winemaking philosophy?
As low intervention as possible, so not going crazy with all the additions and letting the grapes sing for themselves. The grapes are the hero, and you’re just making little adjustments to let the wine be as good as it can possibly be.
What is your favourite ingredient when cooking?
I put garlic on everything. It’s become a joke among all our friends now whenever I cook for them. They always say: “Oh, the garlic’s a bit much!”
What’s an underrated Canberra venue that you love?
I really like Queenies in Kingston. It’s a nice place to go after work, it has a really great ambience.
Leslie (L) with mentors Carla Rodeghiero (front) and Malcolm Burdett (back) and fellow winemaker Emily at Lake George Winery. Photo: Chroma Wines/Instagram.
Who do you admire in the Canberra food and wine scene?
Alex from Collector Wines. His wines are always impeccable. Nick O’Leary as well; he runs a really successful business and he’s always out winning awards and has brought attention to the Canberra region.
And, of course, Carla and Malcolm from Sapling Yard are my mentors. Chroma wines wouldn’t be possible without them.
Where’s the best place to go out for a wine in Canberra?
10 yards wine bar in Aranda. They support a lot of wine producers from the region. I think they stock a couple of wines from every winery around Canberra. It’s a really nice atmosphere, and they grow a lot of their own produce.
Where do you go for coffee in Canberra?
Pressed Coffee Co in Hobart Place. They use real Belgian chocolate in their hot chocolates and mochas. It’s really good.
Pressed Coffee Co makes their hot chocolates with Belgian chocolate: yum! Photo: Kazuri Photography.
Who is your dream dinner party guest, and what would you make them?
Lady Gaga. Not only do I find her a fascinating person, but I also really admire her creative mind. Everything she does is just next-level!
I’d cook her something Italian, probably a good lasagna. And I’d pair it with the Chroma Cabernet Sauvignon.
What is your current wine obsession?
I’m really into rosé again. It’s the right season. We just went on a wine tour around Orange and I bought like 10 bottles of rosé but only two other bottles!
What’s the best thing you ate this week?
Probably some steak I cooked at home. I cooked them with a side of pasta and veggies, and I served the steaks with a herb butter, and of course, there’s always a big spoonful of garlic in that to make a nice sauce.
What’s a food that reminds you of your childhood?
My Mum used to always cook beef stroganoff. And silverside, but I don’t eat that anymore: I can’t do the smell of boiled meat! But I still make the stroganoff. People pair stroganoff with all kinds of different things but we always used to have it with mashed potato.
Page Bottler stocks a huge range of local beers and wines. Photo: Page Bottler/Instagram.
Where do you shop for wine?
Canberra Wine and Spirits in Civic as they are the biggest supporters of the local wine making scene. The owner, John, has many years of expertise and experience and can recommend a bottle like no other.
Another big supporter of the local wine and alcohol scene in general is Page Bottler. It’s owned by two brothers, and they stock lots of local stuff. They’ve got lots of craft beers from all over Australia as well, so they’ve got something for everyone. They’ve been one of our biggest supporters, and they run a lot of community events, too.
When you can’t be bothered to cook for yourself, where do you go and what do you eat?
I normally just go to Zambreros! I try to mix it up and get different things, but it’s always a burrito.
Where are you travelling next?
I’m taking my 7-year-old to Fiji, so we’re looking for some kid-friendly activities to go out and explore the islands.
Tell me something you love about living in Canberra
I love that we get all four seasons. I love that the people are nice. I love that the place is big enough to not be fully ‘country’ and we have virtually everything that we need. There’s always something going on.
The misconception is that Canberra is boring, but there are always markets or something happening.
What TV show are you watching right now?
We’re currently watching House of David – it’s the story of David and Goliath. It’s not what I’d normally watch, but it’s really interesting. And obviously, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!
An easy one to finish – what’s your go-to coffee order?
Mocha on almond milk
Follow Chroma Wines on Facebook or Instagram.
