If you trek out between the vine rows in any vineyard that practices biodynamics you will soon notice how your feet are welcomed into the soil underfoot with each progressive step. Your shoes sink ever so slightly, ever so softly into the moist brown dirt, and once you’ve reached the end of one vine row … Continue reading Biodynamics 101 – The Soil = The Soul
Natural wines are, apparently, the most divisive topic in the wine world right now. Well, if that is the case, then someone forgot to tell that to the fifteen or so curious people that showed up to Real Food, in Newtown, on Tuesday night. Co-conspirators Mike Bennie (wine writer, terroirist, and dab hand at organising artisan … Continue reading Licking Molten Lava with Mike Bennie
‘It’s not about being far-out and groovy, and not using any chemicals’, says James Millton, a man who has been practicing biodynamic agriculture in New Zealand since 1986, ‘there are a whole lot of other tangents involved’. James, along with his wife Annie, have been custodians of the land at Poverty Bay, Gisborne on the … Continue reading The Spirit of Wine-Growing at Millton Vineyards
David Paxton ‘was the proper Chemical Ali’ back in the early days of grape growing at Paxton Wines in the McLaren Vale, South Australia. A strict adherent to the chemical calender, Paxton – who originally grew almonds until making the switch to grapes in the 1980’s – wanted to be known as the best. His … Continue reading The Gentle Evolution of Paxton Vineyards
The Hunter Valley is the oldest wine region in Australia. It was the first wine region to be planted, back in the early 19th century, with cuttings brought back from Europe by James Busby, the father of Australian wine. Amongst those cuttings, six were of Syrah taken from the Rhône in France… in Australia we call … Continue reading ‘Let The Grapes Speak’ – Harkham Wines, Hunter Valley NSW
For a Wine Idealist, the last few days have been like living in a dreamscape… almost three consecutive days of total immersion in the world of wine. A world filled with passionate people, exciting energy and incredible imbibing, that all culminated towards one central theme… that real wine is the best wine. The 7th Annual Organic … Continue reading Real Wine is the Best Wine… OWS and Rootstock 2013
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…
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…
The natural wine movement is a relatively new phenomenon, that could be seen as the wine industry’s participation to a whole raft of sustainably minded paradigm shifts in business throughout the world. But the wine industry, in it’s commercially minded sense, still remains fairly cynical to the whole thing… Natural wine’s themselves, however, have been around since the … Continue reading Getting back to basics…
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