natural wine – Page 2 – Welcome to Wine Idealism…

April 17, 2015September 26, 2015

‘Of Place And Time’ – The Future of Australian Wine

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

April 3, 2015April 3, 2015

‘Green Pioneers’ – Organic Winegrowing in the Hunter Valley

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

March 20, 2015November 12, 2015

‘Born Natural’ – Gentle Folk, Basket Range, SA

“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

March 13, 2015March 13, 2015

‘In Pursuit of Place’ – Black Estate, Waipara, NZ

“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

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015

‘Truth & Adventure’ – Cape Jaffa Wines, South Australia

“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

February 27, 2015February 27, 2015

‘Beloved Adventures in Natural Wine’ – Amato Vino, WA

Brad Wehr is a West Australian winemaker/marketer, better known for his progressively off beat Wine By Brad label, which he established in 2003 as, “a bit of fun on the side to whatever else I was doing at the time,” he says. “(Wine By Brad) was a bit of a crazy, quirky label that was very unique for … Continue reading ‘Beloved Adventures in Natural Wine’ – Amato Vino, WA

February 13, 2015September 11, 2015

‘Outliers’ – The Australian Wine Paradigm Shift

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

January 23, 2015January 30, 2015

‘Less is More’ – Fromm Winery, Marlborough, NZ

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

January 16, 2015September 4, 2015

Irrigation… A Sense Of Place?

Irrigation, to some in the world of winegrowing, is a bit of a dirty word. To others, it is seen as being absolutely essential to wine production. This is especially so in many parts of the New World, where irrigation is practiced in places that, ordinarily, wouldn’t be able to support viticulture. The grapevine is, … Continue reading Irrigation… A Sense Of Place?

December 11, 2014

Organic Gravels – Stonecroft, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

“Hawke’s Bay is a bit of a victim of its own success,” explains Northern Irish born, winegrower Dermot McCollum, from his vineyard home in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, “in that you can have a really good mix of wines that can match it with some of the best of the country, but because we do … Continue reading Organic Gravels – Stonecroft, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand