Tasting Australia is on in Adelaide from 13-22 April 2018 and features a number of events with a French twist. One such event as we mentioned in our 7 must attend events at Tasting Australia is the Old World vs New World event to be hosted by 2KW Bar and Restaurant on 19 April. Join 5 Australian wine-makers for a 5 course dinner by former Vue du monde guest chef Paolo Arlotta as they discuss wine-making, their lifestyle and also share their favourite vinyl albums. 5 French wines will also be poured alongside the Australian wines to demonstrate differences between new and old world wines. Tickets have sold out but you can read more about the event here.
I had a chat to Liinaa Berry who will be the Maître D for the evening about the event.
Who are the 5 South Australian minimal interventionist wine-makers that you will be featuring at the event?
The Other Right http://www.theotherrightwines.com/
Commune of Buttons
Gentle Folk http://gentlefolk.com.au/
Shobbrook Wines http://www.shobbrookwines.com.au/
Ochota Barrels http://ochotabarrels.com/
What is minimum intervention wine-making and how does it compare to its opposite?
Wines that are made with very little or no additions, like new oak, yeast, enzymes, acid and sulphur.
The opposite is a wine that is made according to a formula or recipe with the winemaker having to intervene several times during the winemaking process by adding some or all the components mentioned above.
A minimum interventionist does not mean a winemaker who does not do much during winemaking. What it means, is he or she will work every year to produce a wine that will reflect the vintage, rather than a wine that is made to standard to satisfy the common notion of what a wine should taste like. He or she also, preferably, does not fine or filter the wine in order not to strip away a lot of the qualities.
Is the old world wine from the culture of natural winemaking but the Australian, new world wine normally of the progressive winemaking side?
Both old and new world are minimum interventionists and progressive. Some of the old world counterparts are also progressive with their winemaking, as they redefine concepts of regionality and resist the rules of the AOC (appellation d’Origine Controlee)
What French wines will you be featuring?
These are all surprise wines to be revealed on the night.
What can we expect on the menu?
2KW head chef Trent collaborating with Chef Paolo (ex Vue de Monde, Tipo 00) – food that is not heavy in protein, delicate flavours to match the wines.
Who is this event for?
For anyone who is curious to understand more about what differentiates old and new world wines, wines that are made as naturally as possible, people who want to meet producers and engage them about their raison d’être, lifestyle and passion rather than just the winemaking part.
This dinner will suit the open-minded, gregarious person who is avid to be part of something progressive.
The event is said to be “More than just wine, it is really about lifestyle and how the influences of culture, social make up and climate can impact what makes it into the bottle, and in turn your glass.” How do cultural, social make-up and climatic influences impact wine-making?
The winemakers who make their wines – what influences or inspire them, what drives them to make a particular style? Like a writer who writes a book, where do the ideas stem from? Their environment, the company they hold, the food they eat, the music they listen to and the region in which they have to farm their grapes… and how to work with nature to produce wines that they want to drink, a wine that is part of them rather than a wine produced for a big company stripped of real sense or individuality.
Is it rare to find “new world” wine makers who make wine with minimum intervention, that is natural winemaking?
Won’t get into this as it is a very touchy subject.
Have you already tried wines from these 5 wine-makers? Are you going to any Tasting Australia events?
