‘Good Things Come In Threes’ – Rootstock Sydney 2015

They say, ‘good things come in threes…’

Back to the Future, definitely. Godfather Trilogy, absolutely. The first and second Chicago Bulls three-peat (’91-’92-’93, then ’96-’97-’98), big time…

So, what about Rootstock Sydney, 2015?

“The collaborative spirit from food and wine people… was palpable.”

A lot has changed since 2013, when Rootstock Sydney humbly tumbled out of the underground gastronomic scene in Sydney. Up until then, it was only the cool hipster hospo kids and a few open minded wine writers who had their ear to the ground, listening out for murmurs and echoes about this thing called natural wine.

Transmissions were sent, mostly, via Paris and London. The Natural Wine Fair at Borough Market had already happened, and then splintered off into two separate, yet almost identical events, RAW and Real Wine Fair. A few years before this, La Remise and La Dive Boutille, had been coming together to celebrate the humble transformation of the grape. And, many, many, years before all of this, it was the wine bar scene in Paris that provided the steady pulse for natural wines’ slow rising…

IMG_9039 (1) — Andrew Burchell & Anton von Klopper – photo by The Wine Idealist

In Australia, thanks to the creative ideas and efforts of the (principal) organisers of Rootstock Sydney – Giorgio de Maria, James Hird, and Mike Bennie – natural, organic, and biodynamic wine producers from Australia and New Zealand have gained a forum in which to connect and converse with one another, as well as with international initiators like Jean Foillard, and, most importantly, with the people, the punters, that is, the wine lovers who will talk, drink, and ultimately buy their wines.

“I know that many people… will have come away with a denser concept of Australian culture and history.”

“The collaborative spirit from food and wine people participating, volunteering, offering help and managing various elements of this year’s festival was palpable, and so very significant to me,” said festival organiser, Mike Bennie. “Their contribution is heartwarming and emotional, and the lifeblood of Rootstock Sydney. I was also very proud of our program in general.”

The program for Rootstock Sydney 2015 expanded well beyond the wine realm to include farmer-chef collaborations, artisan cheese, beer, and coffee, and, perhaps most significantly, an entire pavilion dedicated to showcasing and celebrating Aboriginal agriculture and native food.

I didn’t get to see Bruce Pascoe’s talk, but I did get to taste the food. Aside from the fact that the mussels and pipis, which were cooked in an earth oven, were just really delicious and moorish, personally, I thought the inclusion of the Gurandgi Munjie Pavilion was one gigantic leap towards my own understanding of Australia’s first people, their culture, and contribution to agriculture.

Shell Midden in the Gurandgi Munjie Pavilion – photo by The Wine Idealist

“I felt that the Gurandgi Munjie Pavilion had deep resonance with its showcasing of indigenous produce, food, agriculture and culture,” said Mike Bennie. “It was, possibly, the first of its kind in Australia, and perhaps something that will be talked about as a part of a shifting point in conversations about this very important part of our cultural history.”

“The integration of the indigenous food and culture into the festival was awesome, and I know that many people, me included, will have come away with a denser concept of Australian culture and history,” said Tom Belford from Bobar wines.

Other agricultural highlights at Rootstock Sydney included world class cheesemakers and their delicious examples of farmhouse cheese, particularly the blue veined loveliness from Berry Creek (VIC), which would easily compete with any Stilton. The blokes at Mary’s slinging their glorious burgers, with biodymamic beef provided by Krinklewood, and the coffee pavilion, which was full of passionate baristas who know as much about coffee as the wine producers, next door, know about wine.

Steve Lubiano - photo by The Wine Idealist (Click to Read) — Steve Lubiano – photo by The Wine Idealist (Click to Read)

“Rootstock 2015 was raw and powerful. It was culturally richer and a clear evolution of the previous years,” said Tom Belford. “It was fantastic to see people excited about wines from all over the place, and it’s gratifying to have people appreciating the producers’ work and sharing their excitement… We had a few punters comment that it was the first wine festival they’d been to where they hadn’t tasted a dull wine.”

“Some wines were too esoteric for me…”

This year, 81 producers, mostly from Australia and New Zealand, but also from Italy, France, Austria, Spain, Georgia, South Africa, and America, converged on the cavernous, industrial space known as Carriageworks. Over two whole days they poured out their heart and soul and their their wines to a whole host of humans – from wine geeks and lovers, to scenesters and hipsters, snobs and charlatans, farmers, chefs, makers, and creators – there were so many curious people just there to celebrate and understand about sustainable food and wine.

“There was such a big range of wines, and if someone didn’t find something they liked, then they weren’t trying,” said Brokenwood’s, Iain Riggs

Even being there over two whole days, it was impossible to get through each and every producer, let alone each and everyone of their wines…

A few Australian highlights for me included Avani‘s 2012 Syrah, which is like drinking epic heavy metal music, Jauma‘s 2015 Why Try So Hard Traminer that tastes like clowns running amok inside the Grand Bazaar, and Tom Shobbrook’s, as yet, unreleased 2015 Beach Chenin Blanc, which reminded me of running into rolling waves on a hot day…

Some New Zealand highlights included the Sato 2014 Riesling that is as exhilarating as skiing down the Remarkables Double Cone, Cambridge Road‘s 2015 Cloudwalker Pinot Gris that I wish I could drink all day with a plate of gyoza’s, and Herzog‘s 2013 Zweigelt, which would be perfect for drinking in the drawing room, surrounded by many leather bound books, next to a warm, crackling fire.

Also, Clos de Tue-Bouef’s 2014 Qveri White and Chateau Sainte Anne’s Bandol Rosé were two of the most delicious wines I tasted from the European contingent…

“Some wines were too esoteric for me,” said Iain Riggs, “but Castagna, Cullen, Ravensworth and Lark Hill, amongst many, offered more mainstream styles. It was a great place to learn about alternative viticulture and winemaking philosophies.”

Rootstock Sydney 2015 - photo by The Wine Idealist — Rootstock Sydney 2015 – photo by The Wine Idealist

Wine festivals like Rootstock Sydney, and others, are not about diminishing wine to just another saleable product in order to cash in on a current fashionable trend. The producers they include might not all be organic, or biodynamic, certified or otherwise, but the one common denominator that unites each and everyone of them is that they all, sincerely, give a shit.

“Energy and enthusiasm continued to flow unmetered and unselfishly.”

They all recognise that, despite the economic imperatives of producing a product that people will want to buy and consume, they need to make sure that they put their heart and soul into what it is they are creating in order for them to be able to continue doing what they love – i.e. growing and making wine. If they don’t, people will know. It’ll be obvious when you talk to them.

There’s a certain spark in a winemakers eyes when they speak to you with love and passion and a commitment for what they do. And, despite the fatigue that had almost certainly set in by day’s end, on Sunday, their energy and enthusiasm continued to flow unmetered and unselfishly.

Roll on Rootstock 2016…

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D// – The Wine Idealist

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