Category: wine

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Rebel Wine Chat: Freehand’s Matt Eastwell and Danni Paviour-Smith

The Eastwell family purchased the Freehand vineyard in Denmark, WA in 2007 and immediately commenced conversion to organic and biodynamic farming. Led by winemaker Matt Eastwell and joined by Danni Saviour-Smith in 2013, the direction of the brand changed when Matt was introduced to preservative free wine by mentor winemaker Todd Faulkner-Pearce. Today the Freehand brand has a clear of point-of-difference: made with zero sulphur additions.

There is a distinctive energy and balance about these wines. Vibrant colours, intensity of aromas and powerful fruit flavours.

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Warming Winter Whites

It’s cold and raining on a Sunday morning, coffee’s on, the heater is blasting and you have no intention of getting out of your PJs until after midday. Planning the all important dining menu for the day, you decide it’s the perfect day to have a casserole cooking slowing (who’s in a hurry?) allowing those developing aromas to fill the house as you binge-watch a new series.

Now onto the even more important wine accompaniment for your indulgent winters day. Most of us will instinctively reach for a bottle of a warming red but if you have a thirst for loungeroom wine adventures perhaps it’s time to consider some winter white alternatives.

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Wine Revolution Terminology Guide

All wine is natural right? Just sunshine, grapes and yeast?  There’s a bit more to it with different farming techniques and winemaking methods. We’ve put together a guide to the terminology we think you need to know. Easy to understand. Learn the difference between Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable farming. Find out the difference between certification, in-conversion and practising. Don’t forget about Low Intervention, Vegan-friendly and Preservative Free!

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Rebel Wine Chat: See Saw’s Justin Jarrett

See Saw Vineyard

See Saw Wines owners Justin and Pip Jarrett moved to Orange from Young in 1991, and bought their first block of land. Prior to the move they had wanted to grow grapes, but before committing, they also considered growing apples and protea flowers. The plan was to become fully self-employed and create a product which they could add value to; something they could put on the table, have their name behind and tell you all about it. So, they decided to go ahead with vineyards.

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Rebel wine chat: “Heroes” James Thomas

James Thomas is originally from the UK where he grew up around farming. His grandparents were part of the green revolution and his granddad at 94 is still growing flowers and potatoes. His parents planted a two-acre hobby vineyard when he was a teenager, so there are no surprises as to what influenced him to become a grower and winemaker. James has been in Australia since 2004, gaining an oenology degree at Latrobe University.

We spent a couple of hours in the vineyard with James where he generously shared his time, passion, organic vineyard management techniques and a good old car boot tasting.

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