There’s a hill in Hawke’s Bay that is divided in half by two names. It pushes high into the sky and looks out over the Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle, two of Hawke’s Bay’s most famous winegrowing sub-regions. Just over 30 years ago, this whole area was a literal wasteland. A speedway track, an army … Continue reading ‘Balance Above (a Beautiful Wasteland)’ – Bilancia/La Collina, Hawke’s Bay, N.Z.
“I have a few colleagues who are very particular about the way they think wine should be made… When we released our first wine, in 2012, we had no idea what we were going to call it, and someone at work said to me, ‘the way you make wine is the wrong way’, and I said, … Continue reading ‘Learn The Rules’ – The Other Right, South Australia
In evolutionary biology, punctuated equilibrium theory states, ‘that most species once formed will exhibit little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history, remaining in an extended state of stasis.’ However, when a significant evolutionary change does occur, the theory proposes that it is generally restricted to a rare, but rapid event (on a geological time scale), … Continue reading ‘Of Place And Time’ – The Future of Australian Wine
The Hunter Valley is not only the oldest winegrowing region in Australia; it’s also one of the hardest places in the world to grow and make wine. When James Busby made the trek up from Sydney back in 1824 and planted the first vines at Kirkton Park, there’s a strong chance he didn’t know much … Continue reading ‘Green Pioneers’ – Organic Winegrowing in the Hunter Valley
“I don’t really know how I got into wine,” says Gareth Belton from Gentle Folk. “It just sort of happened over time…” Gareth has a degree in marine biology from the University of Adelaide and was studying for a PHD, to become a specialist in seaweed phycology, which means he goes diving in search of rare … Continue reading ‘Born Natural’ – Gentle Folk, Basket Range, SA
“There’s a really nice balance that a vineyard has between its rural setting and its closeness with the land, and wine as a product that you can take and showcase around the world,” says Nicholas Brown, winemaker at Black Estate. “And, it’s a product that New Zealand seems to be doing some pretty good … Continue reading ‘In Pursuit of Place’ – Black Estate, Waipara, NZ
“Our whole approach to farming is that it’s not just about being sustainable in the vineyard and using biodynamics,” says Anna Hooper, winemaker for Cape Jaffa Wines, on the Limestone Coast, South Australia, “because (biodynamics) also encourages really creative thinking. So, we follow not just the agricultural aspects of biodynamics, but also try to be creative in the … Continue reading ‘Truth & Adventure’ – Cape Jaffa Wines, South Australia
This week’s edition of The Wine Idealist sees the first of many outside contributors writing original content for thewineidealist,com. Wine Idealists, other than myself, will be offering up new perspectives, ideas, and opinions about natural, organic and biodynamic wines from Australia and New Zealand, and it is you, the exquisitely tasteful and loyal readers of The Wine … Continue reading ‘Outliers’ – The Australian Wine Paradigm Shift
William ‘Will’ Hoare made his first wine in Marlborough when he was 11 years old, and was later kicked out of high school for selling bottles of it to his friends, and fellow students. “As punishment, I had to help out at Cloudy Bay, making boxes up by hand, for about eight months,” recalls Will. “Every day, … Continue reading ‘Less is More’ – Fromm Winery, Marlborough, NZ
The Wine Idealist was started just over two years ago with the aim to learn, explore, narrate and be an advocate for natural, organic and biodynamic wines from Australia and New Zealand… Since November 2012, thewineidealist.com has slowly been changing into more than just a blog. Through interviews with many high profile winegrowers and … Continue reading A BRAND /NEW/ WEBSITE and MORE FROM THE WINE IDEALIST!
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