Anything written about organic and biodynamic winegrowers and their wines can be found here!
“I feel very fortunate to be able to spend my days working on the farm with my family, all together,” says Sam Statham from Rosnay. Sam is an organic farmer. He grows organic wine grapes, olives, and figs on his family’s property in Canowindra, NSW. He studied Environmental Georgraphy at Sydney University and completed his … Continue reading ‘Go For The O!’ – Rosnay, Canowindra, NSW
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 … Continue reading ‘Good Things Come In Threes’ – Rootstock Sydney 2015
In case you haven’t noticed, Rootstock Sydney is on at Carriageworks, this weekend… Once again, there’s loads of great winegrowers, artisans and producers attending, many of which I’ve written about, here, on The Wine Idealist! So, before you go, why not read up on who’s who, what they do, and why they do it… AUSTRALIA … Continue reading Get Thee To… Rootstock Sydney 2015
“Who wants some of this?!” yells a guy wearing blue denim jeans and a ripped, red flannelette. He passes a long, skinny bottle of white wine with a strange looking label over a seething mass of party people’s heads. A hand reaches up from the mob, five fingers grasping desperately for the bottle. It eventually, … Continue reading “Hey Man!” – Rootstock Sydney 2015
– – The Wine Idealist is 3 years old! Happy Birthday to The Wine Idealist! Thank you for reading! I started this blog, back in November 2012, because I wanted to learn more about natural, organic, and biodynamic wines, specifically from Australia and New Zealand. And, because I like drinking wine… obviously. Being a journalist, I figured … Continue reading Happy Birthday! – The Wine Idealist is 3 Years Old!
– – It’s dark. A few minutes after midnight. An almost full moon shines down upon a hollow patch of clouds, turning them silver, and leaving only a little light left to illuminate the hallowed ground below. A gentle wind rises and rushes through the bony remains of harvest, causing the canes to rattle and shake, and disturb the peaceful silence. Shadows … Continue reading ‘Fortunate Futures’ – Ata Rangi Martinborough N.Z.
The Battle of Bosworth was fought on the 22nd of August 1485. It was to be the final significant battle of the War of the Roses, a civil war between two rival claimants to the throne of England by the Houses of Lancaster and York. It resulted in Henry Tudor defeating Richard III, at the … Continue reading ‘My Kingdom For A Grape Vine!’… Battle of Bosworth, McLaren Vale
“In the end, there’s a certain amount of luck in choosing to plant chardonnay on the Moutere Hills,” says Tim Finn from Neudorf Vineyards in Nelson, New Zealand. “We suspected the potential for New Zealand to make great wine…” Neudorf was first planted by Tim and his wife Judy in the late 70’s. They were … Continue reading ‘Back To Land’ – Neudorf Vineyards, Nelson, N.Z.
“When people decide they want to convert their farm or vineyard over to organics, or biodynamics, they usually go in head first and make a lot of noise about it,” says viticulturist Toby Bekkers. Toby was GM of Paxton Vineyards, and was responsible for converting their 170 acre property in the McLaren Vale over to a certified biodynamic regime. … Continue reading ‘Slow Down. Skill Up.’ How to Convert to Biodynamics…
Wine shows in Australia can be treacherous affairs. Often conducted in silence, judges typically wear white coats – possibly to avoid the inevitable occupational hazards of enthusiastic swirling prior to a wine’s assessment. They’re usually arranged in conjunction with other traditional Australian agricultural competitions, including; cattle, sheep, pig, and horse judging, but also, fine food shows, and cheese … Continue reading S.A. HOT 100 – Improving the Breed, or Pushing the Progression?
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