David Hunt is the fourth generation to have custodianship of a small farm, known as Ivybrook, which is tucked away on Thomas Road, 2km from Maslin Beach, South Australia. His great grandfather, Peter Hunt, was the the first Hunt to walk onto the property in 1913, with his wife Ruth. Here, they established a sheep and … Continue reading ‘Sustainability is All In The Family’ – Ivybrook Farm, Maslin Beach, SA
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
“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.
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
According to the article, ‘What Does Sustainability Mean? Knowledge Gleaned From Applying Mixed Methods Research to Wine Grape Growing,’ by Irina Santiago-Brown, Cate Jerram, Andrew Metcalfe and Cassandra Collins,(first published online in the Journal of Mixed Methods Research, May 19, 2014), sustainability is defined as… “The continuous pursuit of equilibrium between economic, social, and … Continue reading ‘Total Sustainability’- SAW, McLaren Vale
“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
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
“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
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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