In 2009, the Black Saturday Bushfires ripped through much of the state of Victoria, destroying 2,100 homes and properties, including Kate Kirkhope’s vineyard at Tarrawarra, in the Yarra Valley. “The fires tore through and obliterated our entire property,” says Kate, “and it was just way too big an expense to try and rehabilitate the property for winegrowing again.” … Continue reading ‘Bellarine Phoenix’ – Kiltynane Wines
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
“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
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
To be, or not to be… that is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to know that your vineyard is organic or biodynamic, and let it be thus, or to seek independent third party certification from one of the many certification organisations in Australia and New Zealand, and prove, once and for all, … Continue reading To Be, Or Not To Be… Certified Authenticity?
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!
What used to be a thriving town during the prosperous days of the early 19th century, Sutton Grange has now been reduced to a population of around 150 people, after a typically devastating Australian bushfire ravaged the town, burning down most of the area’s established civic buildings and homes, and leaving behind nothing but scorched earth on the land … Continue reading ‘A Little Island of Granite’ – Sutton Grange, Victoria
“Everyone has heard of the Garden of Eden,” says John Nagorcka, winegrower and farmer from Hochkirch Wines in Victoria, “but, you haven’t heard of the Garden of Monsanto, or DuPont.” John comes from a farming family, but moved away from the land to study radiology at university in Melbourne. He worked in the field for … Continue reading ‘Nature’s Farmer’ – Hochkirch Wine, Victoria
I bought a wall planner on Friday the 3rd of January, took it home and laid it out flat, on the living room floor. I started looking at dates over 6 months away which I thought would be suitable to host a wine event, which I’d created and co-organised last year called, “What’s In Your … Continue reading Cheers Newcastle! – What’s In Your Glass? 2014
Six bottles of perfectly good wine have been sitting at the bottom of the ocean at a depth of about 8 metres, in order to find out what happens when you submerge wine under water and age it for three months. Will the increased pressure cause the bottles to explode? If not, will they make it … Continue reading What’s In Your Glass? Salty Wine? – Newcastle, NSW
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