– – – – “Do I have anything useful to say?”, asks David Fesq, creative conspirator, and winemaker behind one of Australia’s trendiest wine labels – Between Five Bells. “One thing I do know is that I don’t need to add any more wine to the industry.” “Wine can be so full of bullshit…” David … Continue reading VINTAGE WINE IDEALISM – Between Five Bells
“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?
Hi Wine Idealists! I’m currently in South Australia! I’ve been very lucky to have been invited over to judge a few choice bottles of fine SA wine at the Adelaide Review Hot 100 Wines, wine show. It’s been an enormous privilege to have participated in this year’s show, and be counted amongst some very talented and accomplished … Continue reading HOT 100 :: RETROSPECT :: ‘The Outliers’
“Some in the community don’t believe in immunisation. They would rather listen to gossipy hearsay, the views of a quack posting on the internet, or a noisy anti-science evangelist than the considered and researched opinions of just about every doctor and concerned scientist in the world.” The above quote appears in the Oct/Nov issue of the … Continue reading STIRRING THE POT – BD’s Red Herring
“If there is an attraction (for organics/biodynamics) in the marketplace, then there will be some unscrupulous people that will come along and fill that attraction, and do damage to everyone else in the process.” – Wayne Ahrens, Small Fry Wines. Wayne Ahrens told me this, back in October 2013, when I interviewed him for a … Continue reading ‘A Word On Wine’
Alex Craighead is an Australian born New Zealander who trained as a chef, before moving to Western Australia for the warm weather, and to study accounting. “I moved to WA because I was so sick of the cold in Wellington,” says Alex. “I didn’t have very much money and the only place we could go … Continue reading IS DON IS GOOD – DON Wines, Martinborough, NZ
In 2009, the Black Saturday Bushfires ripped through much of the state of Victoria, destroying 2,100 homes and properties, including Kate Kirkhope’s vineyard at Tarrawarra, in the Yarra Valley. “The fires tore through and obliterated our entire property,” says Kate, “and it was just way too big an expense to try and rehabilitate the property for winegrowing again.” … Continue reading ‘Bellarine Phoenix’ – Kiltynane Wines
Anna and Jason Flowerday are hitting their straps. As winemakers they’re experienced, having both worked for some of the bigger wine corporations in Australia and elsewhere, and since, 2003, they’ve been making wine in one of the world’s most famous wine regions… Marlborough. Known only, well… mostly, for Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough is New Zealand wine’s … Continue reading ‘Chardonnay’s New Postcode’ – Te Whare Ra, Marlborough
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