Kirkwood set to lead Aria in new direction

Aria's Head Sommelier, Alex Kirkwood has been promoted to the position of General Manager. The appointment signifies a progressive shift for Aria in its 21st year.

Kirkwood, 32, has played an integral role in the development of the venue and its highly awarded wine program, which he will continue to oversee in his new role. The restaurant was awarded the Best Food & Wine Matching List in the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards 2020.

Kirkwood's new role will see him lead the new direction of Aria, particularly with the launch of Aria Wine Bar planned for later this year.

"I'm so honoured to be appointed as General Manager of Aria, earning the trust of such a brilliant team to lead the venue through a new and exciting phase. The program and commitment to excellence has never been stronger," said Kirkwood.

"We have one of the greatest wine programs in Australia, but we're definitely not content to sit on our laurels. We want to keep pushing boundaries and challenging ourselves, and that's exactly what we have planned for the launch of Aria Wine Bar. To be able to showcase a wine bar concept within a large format wine program is quite unique and something we're very proud of".

Spearheaded by Kirkwood and Executive Chef Joel Bickford, the highly anticipated launch of Aria Wine Bar is slated for the later in 2021. Taking a more relaxed approach to the venue's traditional offering, guests will be able to enjoy wines by the glass alongside a produce driven snack-style menu.

Kirkwood’s introduction to wine and beverage specialisation began in his role as Aria Brisbane Bar Manager in 2009. Here, he built relationships with growers and producers, learning to understand the processes and individual philosophies behind their wine making. Kirkwood was promoted to the position of Head Sommelier at Aria Brisbane before making the move to Sydney in 2012 to launch Chiswick restaurant in Woollahra and join the Aria Sydney team.

Kirkwood focuses on the larger local and international players as well as supporting winemakers whose primary emphasis is the quality of their produce. His tendency to seek out ‘those who want to make wine that speaks of place’ allows Aria to showcase some of the world’s smaller producers and ‘cult heroes’ that may be largely unfamiliar, yet worthy of the spotlight.

Kirkwood also developed Vacay seltzer last summer for James McPhie, a low calorie, unique and crisp seltzer, designed to appeal to the Australian palate. He designed four flavours: raspberry, lime, pure and Kakadu plum with more yet to come.