“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
“Vintage was quick this year,” says Josh Pfeiffer from Whistler Wines in the Barossa Valley. “We kicked off on the 12th of Feb and were all done by the 5th of March. All seven varieties were picked within twenty one days, and it all looked awesome.” Josh Pfeiffer is the young winegrower for his family’s business, Whistler Wines, which … Continue reading ‘New Beginnings’ – Whistler Wines, Barossa Valley, S.A.
“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
“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
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
“Lots of people say they don’t compromise in their vineyard, but we do. Especially with time.” Neil Prentice is a former ‘wine waiter’, now restauranteur and winegrower, from Sandringham in Victoria. In 1991, his parents purchased a property in the Gippsland Mountain River District, two hours east of Melbourne and established a cattle farm to … Continue reading ‘Practical Compromise’ – Moondarra Wines, Victoria
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
“If I see something working (in the vineyard), I don’t need to go and find a (research) paper to make me believe what I see,” says Nick Paulin, viticulturist for Peregrine Wines in Central Otago, New Zealand. “When you walk through the vineyard and see a healthy looking vine and the fruit it’s producing, I … Continue reading ‘Seeing is Believing’ – Peregrine Wines, Central Otago, NZ
The Mornington Peninsula, located an hour’s drive south of Melbourne, is subject to a cool, maritime climate that is accentuated by the Southern Ocean and two bays, which skirt a long length of coastline that juts out, like a boot, from the bottom of the Victorian state. The soils are naturally fertile, thanks to the nearby dormant volcano … Continue reading ‘Unbroken Continuum’ – Quealy Wines, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
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
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