I spent Sunday (17th February) wandering around soaking up the energy and positive vibes of the sustainable wine festival, Rootstock, in Sydney… It was a fantastic event, full of passion and enthusiasm, personality and character… and amazing tasting wine! So, before I post my new narrative about the event, and the days leading up to … Continue reading Three Questions for Rootstock…
Almost 12 months ago, in London, there were two ‘rival’ wine fairs held on the same weekend, both singing from the exact same hymn sheet about natural, organic and bio-dynamic wines. Both promoted artisan winegrowers from all over the world, from the unaware stalwarts of Italy and France, who have been practicing sustainable wine making … Continue reading Rootstock Sydney – Australia’s Own Real Wine Fair…
I recently watched a keynote speech ‘On Authenticity in Wine’ (below) by Mike Bennie, freelance wine writer and Wine/Drinks Editor for delicious magazine, speaking at the Pinot 2013 conference in Wellington, New Zealand. It got me thinking… There are no more gatekeepers. Traditional communication mediums have been broken up and divided into millions of different … Continue reading Charlatans and Monks – Authenticity in the Wine World?
Central Otago wine country, a part of the world that bombards you with relentless beauty and stunning vistas. Gigantic, snow specked mountains separate the land from the sky, and surround you from all sides as you drive alongside the glacial blue waters of Lake Dunstan, in towards Cromwell – the suburban hub of Otago wine country. Following the signposts … Continue reading Pioneering Patience – Rudi Bauer & Quartz Reef Wines.
I used to be one of those Australian’s – you know, the one’s that don’t bother with countries that are too close to their own to really care to go and take a look. Much like many Brits that don’t quite appreciate the fact that they’re on Europe’s doorstep and, instead, prefer to come over and visit … Continue reading Mountains/Wine/People – The Beautiful Central Otago…
According to Max Allen’s book, The Future Makers, the future of Australian wine is changing towards sustainability, which is being driven by a mix of economics, climate change and a shift towards more organic and biodynamic winegrowing. Economic factors are having a substantial impact with the high Australian dollar affecting export to the US and others – … Continue reading 2013 – New Year Resolutions And Beyond…
“To make the best wines possible,”… It was at this moment that I thought, ‘I should probably try a few (if not all) of these Macquariedale wines,’ and see, or rather taste for myself just how good they actually are. Ross led me over to the cellar door tasting bar. A small, but beautifully timbered … Continue reading A Visit to Macquariedale: Part Two
The Wine Idealist is a direct result of my time spent in London, serving, tasting, and drinking some of Europe’s most amazing examples of sustainable winemaking. Thanks, mostly in part to my boss, Giles, the owner of Albertine Wine Bar, I was exposed first hand to the current evolution (or is that revolution?) of wine … Continue reading Champions of Europe…
Hello… My name is Daniel… I have an immense passion for wine, in particular, natural, organic, and bio-dynamic wine’s. It’s a passion that has intensified slowly over my 28 short years, and ignited during my two years in London when I worked in west London’s best wine bar… Albertine W12 7DP. I’ve decided to make it … Continue reading The Wine Paradigm Shift
Welcome to Wine Idealism... 