Curators of the Obscure: How Wild Legs Turned a Small Wine List Into Brisbane’s Biggest Draw
By Lexie Mamo
29 July 2026
Editorial
Silvana Calil & Manolo Lopez at Wild Legs Wine Room, Newstead. Image credit: Lexie Mamo
Twenty metres off the coast of Western Australia, Shiraz is ageing in a concrete egg on the ocean’s floor. Gently rolled by the tide, the temperature plays its part in ageing this wine, producing an entirely unique result. If this Subsea Estate wine process is news to you, that’s no surprise. However, it’s just another day in the life for Silvana Calil and Manolo Lopez, curators of the obscure in the wine world.
Silvana pours Subsea Estate Shiraz. Image credit: Lexie Mamo
The power-couple duo behind Adela Wine Bar and its newer, little sister venue, Wild Legs Wine Room, Silvana and Manolo are masters of the warm welcome and the curation of a wicked wine list. A charismatic space for European-leaning share plates, unusual wine and some of their favourite winemakers, Wild Legs began as an opportunity to push their trademark hospitality one step further.
“It just made sense. We could take everything we had learned at Adela and push it a little further. The unpretentious wines, the ones people had never heard of, unusual grapes, unheard of winemakers and all the craziness that came with our vision,” shares Silvana.
Despite the unusual winemakers and sometimes unpronounceable varietals, these curators of the obscure use warm hospitality as a safeguard against pretension, breaking down the barriers between oenophiles and entry-level vino enthusiasts.
When asked about Wild Legs' personality as a venue, Silvana maintains that the venue has an energy of its own, fostered by their laidback approach and tight-knit community of neighbours, regulars and new friends.
“Wild Legs is sassy, a little cheeky and does not take itself too seriously. We love wine, but we are not here to make anyone feel like they need a translator before ordering a glass.
You can know everything about wine, or absolutely nothing. You can talk to us about what is in your glass, or just point at something because the label has a dog or some weird picture on it and hope for the best. We can do both!”
Making the wine knowledge and attention to detail a fraction easier is the tight wine list. Whereas many other wine bars around Brisbane focus on bigger, grander, and more expansive wine lists, keeping things condensed is part of the strategy here. Manolo and Silvana take pride in their relationships with winemakers, with many long-term partnerships under their belt from their years spent travelling, exploring and constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to wine.
“If the list gets too big, things start getting a bit blurry. We like to know the wines we pour, the people who make them and, ideally, have met them too. Keeping the list small means we can stay close to the wines, change things up often and actually talk about what is in your glass. Otherwise, we would need a spreadsheet, and nobody wants that at dinner.”
It’s this type of unfussy, considered and human approach that makes Wild Legs a natural choice for Brisbane locals, with patrons spilling out over the pathway from the venue’s tiny nook on Wyandra Street. Word of mouth is the primary driver of new patrons here, with an irrepressible “if you know, you know” quality that has become part of the venue’s DNA.
Silvana shrugs this off as a natural evolution, not necessarily a marketing approach. “We’re not trying to be the trendy or cool place that everyone needs to know about. We just want to give people an unpretentious experience and treat them like friends. If they enjoy it and come back, that is enough for us.
People keep telling us how cosy and intimate Wild Legs feels. We have heard a few times that it is the perfect spot for a first date, or dinner for two before a romantic ending. We find that pretty funny.”
Wild Legs Wine Room. Image Credit: Samantha Wooller
With Locals Nights on Wednesdays growing in popularity (once a walk-ins-only destination, now books out for Wednesday night dinner weeks in advance). Events aren’t a rarity here, with trivia nights joining the roster in September and private functions taking over the indoor space, perfect for birthdays, mixers or work functions.
Twenty metres down, that Subsea Estate Shiraz has no say in how it turns out; the tide and the temperature make that call. Similarly, Manolo and Silvana have taken a chance: a tight wine list, unfamiliar varietals, and obscurity over familiarity.
But where that wine carries a risk, the hospitality never does. That’s the trade that Wild Legs took a bet on, and Brisbane keeps coming back for it.
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Editorial
Built Different: Why Australia's Most Successful Entrepreneurs Ignored the Rulebook
By Rose Kelly
9 July 2026
Founder of The Domestic Collective, Anthea Strachan. Image supplied There is no shortage of advice on how to build a successful business. Every week, a new book, podcast or social media post promises the secret to entrepreneurial success, often wrapped in a familiar formula of bigger risks, longer hours and relentless ambition. Yet spend time with people who have actually built enduring businesses, and it quickly becomes clear that success rarely follows a predictable path. Three of Australia’s top entrepreneurs, Peter Lynch, Antony Karp and Anthea Strachan have each built impressive businesses in vastly different industries. Lynch has spent decades reshaping Australia's travel media landscape, continually adapting his business to stay ahead of seismic shifts in publishing and technology. Karp has built, led and advised high-growth companies, earning a reputation as one of Australia's most respected strategic advisors through his work helping businesses navigate transformation and growth. Strachan, meanwhile, has created a thriving residential and commercial services company with a strong social purpose at its heart, proving that commercial success and meaningful community impact can grow side by side. On paper, there is little that connects the three. One works in media, another in corporate strategy, the third in the cleaning industry. Their businesses serve different customers, operate in different markets and have been built in entirely different ways. Yet beneath those differences lies a common thread. None of them followed a conventional path. None of them built their business by copying someone else's model. Instead, each developed a distinct philosophy of leadership, shaped by experience, resilience and a willingness to trust their own instincts. For Lynch, success has meant constantly reinventing both his business and himself in an industry that refuses to stand still. For Karp, it has come from disciplined execution, accountability and understanding that even the best ideas amount to little without exceptional leadership. For Strachan, entrepreneurship has become a vehicle for creating opportunities for others, building a business that measures success not only by growth, but by the positive impact it has on people's lives. Their stories are different, but together they challenge one of the biggest myths in business: that there is a single blueprint for entrepreneurial success. If there is one lesson these three founders share, it is that the most successful businesses are rarely built by following the rulebook. More often, they are built by having the confidence to write your own. The Reinventor - Peter Lynch Peter Lynch, Media and Publishing Entrepreneur. Image supplied If there is one quality that defines Peter Lynch's career, it is curiosity. Over four decades, he has held senior media roles in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia, witnessing first-hand the transformation of an industry that has arguably changed more than almost any other. Newspapers have become digital platforms, print deadlines have given way to the 24-hour news cycle, and artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the way audiences consume information. Through every wave of disruption, Lynch has done what successful entrepreneurs often do best: adapt before he has to. It wasn't until two decades ago, however, that he decided to channel those years of experience into building something of his own. "I'd spent my career reinventing businesses or creating new products for other people," he says. "In my last corporate role, I'd already worked out how I wanted to start my own business. When the company asked me to stay, it was a difficult decision. I could have continued climbing the corporate ladder, but I knew it was time to back myself." That decision became Big Splash Media, the publishing company behind Cruise Passenger, Sydney Travel Guide and a growing portfolio of travel brands. Looking back, Lynch still smiles at one small detail from that moment in time. As a farewell gift, his team presented him with a logo for the new business. More than twenty years later, the same logo remains the face of Big Splash Media. For many business leaders, success is built on having a long-term strategy. Lynch agrees, but believes the real challenge lies in recognising the small changes that gradually reshape an industry before everyone else notices them. "People often talk about a lightning-bolt moment where everything changes," he says. "The reality is there isn't one. In business today, you can have two 'aha' moments before lunchtime. What you really have to watch for is creeping change. Those small shifts in customer behaviour or technology that don't seem significant at first, but eventually change everything." That philosophy has become even more important as artificial intelligence begins to reshape publishing. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, Lynch views it as another evolution that good businesses must learn to understand. "I'm still a news addict," he says. "Years ago, I started every day by reading newspapers from around the world. Now I'm reading about AI, digital marketing and the attention economy. I listen to podcasts, follow industry leaders and spend a lot of time talking to our clients because they're often the first to see changes in consumer behaviour." For Lynch, listening has become one of the most underrated leadership skills. He believes successful businesses need to balance two equally important relationships: understanding their audience while never losing sight of the commercial realities that sustain the business. "We have two masters," he explains. "Our readers and our clients. Keeping both happy is what makes the business work." His willingness to embrace change has also shaped the way he thinks about leadership. While many established media companies struggled to adapt to digital disruption, Lynch believes the greatest risk is assuming today's success guarantees tomorrow's relevance. "If you want to know why so many big media brands disappeared," he says, "it's because they believed they had earned the right to people's attention. You never earn it permanently. You have to earn it every day." It is perhaps the most valuable lesson of his career, and one that extends far beyond publishing. Markets evolve, technology advances and customer expectations continue to shift. Businesses that stop listening inevitably fall behind. For anyone considering launching their own venture, however, Lynch's advice is surprisingly measured. He rejects the popular narrative that everyone should aspire to become an entrepreneur. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with being exceptional at your job and deciding that's where you're happiest," he says. "Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone, and it shouldn't be." For those who do choose the path, his advice is simple: begin with the end in mind. "Know why you're building the business. Is it to create a lifestyle? Is it to scale? Is it something you eventually want to sell? Those answers shape every decision you'll make." After decades of navigating uncertainty, building businesses and embracing change, Lynch's own definition of success has remained remarkably consistent. "Happiness," he says with a smile. "That's still my definition of success." The Catalyst - Antony Karp Antony Karp, Founder and Director of Tonka Group. Image supplied. Where Peter Lynch sees patterns, Antony Karp sees potential. Over the course of his career, Karp has built, led and transformed businesses across multiple sectors, developing a reputation as one of Australia's most respected business leaders and strategic advisors. Today, as Founder and Director of Tonka Group, he works with companies on strategy, operational improvement, business transformation and growth, helping organisations navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with scaling. Despite an impressive career that includes leading businesses valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, Karp rejects the idea that he always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur. "I wouldn't say I had a passion for being an entrepreneur," he says. "I was never comfortable in a status quo type of job." That mindset has shaped every stage of his career. While others were content maintaining what already existed, Karp found himself drawn to improvement, identifying opportunities, challenging assumptions and pushing businesses to evolve. He traces that instinct back to his first job, working in his father's sporting goods store as a teenager, where he was constantly looking for ways to outperform expectations. "I just wanted to win," he says with a laugh. "From there I learned how to pivot towards opportunities. Sometimes I got the timing wrong, but I hated the idea of not succeeding, so I kept going until we did." That determination would become one of the defining characteristics of his leadership style. Success, he believes, rarely comes from having the smartest idea in the room. More often, it comes from having the discipline to execute it well. When asked what separates businesses that continue to grow from those that plateau, Karp's answer is immediate. "Passion," he says. "Companies that genuinely believe they can grow, and have a strategy that supports that growth, will succeed. The ones that rely on what worked last year, or assume they're entitled to their market position, are the ones most at risk." For Karp, however, passion is only effective when it is paired with self-awareness. One of the biggest mistakes he sees among founders is believing they have all the answers. "Founders often think they're good at everything," he says. "The reality is they're usually exceptional at one or two things. The best leaders understand their blind spots and surround themselves with people whose strengths complement their own." It is advice that reflects a broader philosophy about leadership, one built on humility rather than ego. In fact, when asked about the biggest lessons of his career, Karp doesn't talk about successful acquisitions or rapid growth. Instead, he speaks about accountability. "There have been plenty of setbacks," he says. "But the underlying lesson has always been the same. Success never is because of me. Failure is." It's a deceptively simple statement, but one that captures the way he approaches leadership. When businesses perform well, he believes the credit belongs to the people who made it happen. When they don't, responsibility sits with the leader to recognise what isn't working, reset the course and move the business forward. As someone who now advises founders across a broad range of industries, Karp has a front-row seat to the opportunities and challenges facing modern business. Artificial intelligence, he believes, is transforming industries at such a pace that predicting the next decade has become almost impossible. Rather than trying to forecast winners and losers, he points to sectors such as health and wellness, where changing demographics and consumer expectations are already creating enormous opportunities. Yet despite the rapid evolution of technology, the advice he gives first-time entrepreneurs remains remarkably traditional. "Find a mentor," he says. "Have someone alongside you who can be completely objective, someone who'll help you navigate both the failures and the successes. Building a business can be incredibly lonely and having someone who's prepared to challenge your thinking is invaluable." For Karp, success has never been about chasing the next title or transaction. It has been about building businesses that continue to grow, helping leaders unlock potential and remembering that even the strongest ideas only become meaningful when they are matched by disciplined execution. It's a philosophy that has served him well and one that continues to shape the next generation of Australian entrepreneurs. The Changemaker - Anthea Strachan Anthea Strachan, Founder of The Domestic Collective. Image Supplied. For Anthea Strachan, entrepreneurship was never about building a cleaning company. It was about building opportunities. Before launching Domestic Collective, Strachan spent time researching one question that kept resurfacing in conversations with women who had experienced domestic violence: what actually prevents someone from leaving? Again and again, the answers came back to financial insecurity and the very real prospect of homelessness. Rather than simply raising awareness of the issue, she began thinking about how business itself could become part of the solution. "I never set out to build a cleaning business," she says. "It began with a much bigger purpose. Through my research and conversations with women, I came to understand that financial constraints and homelessness are two of the biggest barriers preventing women from leaving violent relationships." From that idea, Domestic Collective was born. Today, the Australian-owned residential and commercial cleaning company has built a strong reputation for premium service, while creating meaningful employment opportunities for women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence. It is a business model that proves commercial success and social impact don't have to exist in separate worlds. "Domestic Collective was built to provide more than employment," Strachan explains. "It creates meaningful opportunities where women can rebuild their confidence, regain their independence and work towards financial freedom." That purpose may be what first captures people's attention, but Strachan is adamant it is not what has fuelled the company's rapid growth. "Our purpose has certainly helped us connect with people," she says, "but clients stay because we provide an outstanding service." It's a distinction she returns to repeatedly. In an increasingly competitive market, she believes customers expect excellence before anything else. Values may open the door, but consistency, professionalism and reliability are what build long-term trust. "I don't believe purpose and exceptional service need to be mutually exclusive," she says. "Customers expect exceptional service first and foremost, and rightly so. A strong purpose will never compensate for poor service." That philosophy is reflected in every aspect of the business. Rather than treating cleaning as a transactional service, Domestic Collective takes a highly personalised approach, tailoring every clean to the individual needs of its residential and commercial clients. Whether it's using natural products, following manufacturer recommendations for specialist surfaces or simply taking the time to understand what matters most to each customer, the emphasis is always on delivering a premium experience. For Strachan, however, the culture behind the business is just as important as the service itself. While creating opportunities for women rebuilding their lives remains central to Domestic Collective's mission, she has deliberately built a diverse team made up of women from many different backgrounds. The result is a workplace grounded in empathy, respect and inclusion rather than labels. "Leading women who are rebuilding their lives has reinforced the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels safe, supported and genuinely valued," she says. "When people feel believed in, they're empowered to do their best work." Only towards the end of our conversation does Strachan reveal how deeply personal that mission really is. Her commitment to supporting women affected by domestic violence stems not only from witnessing the experiences of people close to her, but from surviving coercive control and violence in her own first relationship. "For me, that purpose has always been personal," she says. "It's what continues to drive every decision I make." It's a powerful insight, yet Strachan speaks about it without seeking sympathy. Instead, she returns the conversation to the future of the business and the opportunities that continued growth creates. "The most rewarding part has been watching Domestic Collective grow," she says. "Every new client, every new contract and every stage of growth allows us to create more employment opportunities and support more women." Asked what advice she would offer aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to build businesses with both profit and purpose, her answer reflects the same pragmatic thinking that has underpinned Domestic Collective from the beginning. "Start by building an exceptional business," she says. "Social impact is only sustainable if the business itself is successful. Deliver real value, look after your customers and create a strong commercial foundation. Then make sure your purpose is authentic. It has to be something you're genuinely passionate about, not something created for marketing." It's advice that encapsulates her approach to entrepreneurship. Purpose may have inspired Domestic Collective, but excellence is what continues to drive its success. No Rulebook Required Spend enough time interviewing successful entrepreneurs and one thing quickly becomes apparent: the businesses may be different, but the qualities that underpin them are remarkably consistent. Curiosity. Resilience. Accountability. The willingness to adapt when circumstances change and the confidence to trust your own judgement when there is no obvious path forward. Peter Lynch has built his career by recognising that standing still is rarely an option. In an industry that has been transformed time and again by technology, his willingness to listen, evolve and embrace change has allowed his business to stay relevant while others have struggled to keep pace. Antony Karp's success has come from a different philosophy. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated that great businesses are rarely built on ideas alone. They are built by leaders who take responsibility, understand their limitations, surround themselves with exceptional people and execute with discipline. For Anthea Strachan, entrepreneurship has become something more than commercial success. Domestic Collective is proof that businesses can deliver outstanding customer experiences while creating genuine social impact, provided purpose is authentic and supported by operational excellence. Three entrepreneurs. Three industries. Three entirely different journeys. Yet perhaps the most striking similarity is that none of them set out to follow a formula for success. Each responded to the opportunities in front of them, trusted their instincts and built businesses that reflected their own values rather than someone else's expectations. In an age where social media is saturated with business gurus promising shortcuts to success and artificial intelligence can generate endless lists of entrepreneurial advice, their stories offer something far more valuable: perspective. There is no perfect blueprint. There is no universal playbook. Success is rarely about copying someone else's journey. It comes from understanding your own strengths, surrounding yourself with the right people, remaining curious enough to keep learning and courageous enough to make decisions when there are no guarantees. Perhaps that's why Peter Lynch, Antony Karp and Anthea Strachan have each succeeded in such different ways. They didn't ignore the rulebook because they wanted to be different. They simply understood that the most enduring businesses are built by people prepared to write their own.
Editorial
Digital detox: for these execs winter’s the perfect time to switch off
By Max Reynolds
25 June 2026
Nick Ireland relishes his work as one of Australia’s leading jewellers. Even so, the diamond retailer says it’s critical, from time to time, to get away from the office for a digital detox. Winter is the ideal time to escape devices, and the cold, for the European summer, he says. Nick Ireland likes to head to Europe to recharge Brisbane-based Ireland says staying off the phone and email on vacation helps “catching up with my family and having some down time visiting new places." “It’s a great break and gives a new lease of life for the July 1 start for a new financial year,” he says. “A large amount of our time is spent not only making fabulous jewellery but with our website developer, SEO team, and marketing team as well as brainstorming, discussing and implementing new ideas. “So the downtime experienced in June from both day to day physical work and being away from major IT decisions is a welcome reprieve to which I feel completely rejuvenated when I return.” It’s a bonus, he says, that the studio’s operations can be left “in the capable hands of my son Zac”, allowing time off with “no phone, nice long walks on the beach with our dogs and a swim of course.” Ireland and son Zac Ireland at their Brisbane showroom Tailoring a digital detox to personal circumstances is one of the big keys to success, says Jamieson Private Wealth founder Alex Jamieson. The Melbourne-based financial planner, who likes to escape the city with family and no devices, often times his winter digital detox with the Kings Birthday long weekend. A big upside is that the timing aligns with wider community expectations of less communication over the three-day public holiday, he says. Alex Jamieson sees gains from digital detoxes “To some degree a three-day weekend to reset yourself is something I’ve developed over quite some time, and it’s a really valuable trait to have,” he says. There’s “a culturally alignment” on taking some time off, meaning “there’s the expectation that you’re probably not going to be around to answer stuff.” Even so, he concedes that it can be tough to find the time to down digital tools in a fast-paced and demanding sector like financial services. “For me personally because of the intense type of work that we do the ability to disengage and recharge in more micro settings, as opposed to ‘I need to go away to an ashram for a week’ is an actual skill to develop,” he says. “It’s something more paramount because you’re building those abilities to get away for those periods to disconnect.” Jamieson makes time to get away from screens At the same time, he urges executives keen for a break to ensure they’re clear on expectations before shutting off tech, even for just a few days. This includes handing over duties to key staff and not relying on a basic out of office email. “The level of being wired in is being amplified on the back of community expectations and so you have to create a more constructive period of time where you put the phone down, turn off and walk away from it.,” he says. Jack Kapoor, CEO of Sydney-based Agile Energy, also keeps it brief when digital detoxing. “I wouldn't say I'm someone who disappears onto a farm for two weeks with a journal and a yoga mat,” Kapoor says. “My version of a digital detox is getting completely absorbed in something that has nothing to do with notifications, emails or energy contracts. “Usually that means spending time with family, getting out with mates, travelling, enjoying a long lunch, or opening a good bottle of wine from the cellar.” To enforce digital downtime, he often heads somewhere with bad phone reception. “If I'm lucky enough to get away, somewhere with poor phone reception is surprisingly effective,” he says. “It's amazing how quickly you realise the world keeps turning even when you don't answer an email for a few hours. He points to winter, and especially the end of the financial year, as a perfect time to reset, offering a chance to reassess priorities and clear “digital clutter” built up since January. That’s essential, he says, given how much digital correspondence accumulates daily. “As a founder and CEO, my day is effectively a constant stream of information,” he says. “Emails, Teams messages, WhatsApp, calls, market updates, board papers, financial reports and now AI tools that can generate answers, reports and analysis in seconds. “Technology has become incredibly good at demanding our attention. The challenge today isn't accessing information—it's filtering it.” For Kapoor, the upside of a winter digital detox makes it worth the time, pointing to key gains on creative thinking and out-of-the-box solutions. “The most valuable ideas rarely arrive while you're responding to your 127th email of the day. They arrive when your mind finally has room to wander. “One thing I've learned in business is that when you're too close to a process, you stop seeing its flaws. The same applies to technology and AI. We become so focused on using the tools that we rarely stop and ask whether we're using them effectively.” “Sometimes the most productive thing a leader can do is spend an hour with no screen, no notifications and no AI prompts—just thinking,” he adds. The comments fit with recent research into the benefits of digital detoxes. For instance, a landmark 2024 study in US-based medical science journal Cureus found that many of those who take time off from screens and devices made positive lifestyle changes and achieved health-related outcomes. These were maintained after the detox ended. “The notion of "digital detox" is gaining popularity as a means to combat technological anxiety and its effects on both happiness and performance,” the research found. While some people have initial apprehensions, many end up enjoying the process, according to the research, which highlights the importance of a personalised approach.