By James Atkinson
Sydney will next month play host to the first ever Rootstock wine festival, an exploration of smaller wine producers from Australia and overseas who are committed to using minimal intervention winemaking techniques.
The event will be held on Sunday February 17 at the Italian Forum Cultural Centre in Leichhardt. It will showcase over 100 wines from over 30 producers from Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France, Slovenia, Greece, South Africa, USA, Japan and Spain.
Organiser Mike Bennie told TheShout the event is about the provenance of wine producers and their actions that set them apart.
"These are producers who share common philosophies on viticulture, winemaking and sustainability while working towards their own interpretations of terroir," he said.
Bennie said the opportunity to meet a series of wine producers from overseas who rarely travel is a particular high point.
"Producers of note who are attending in person on first visits to Australian include Radikon (Friuli), Princic (Friuli), Rinaldi (Piedmont), Grace (Slovenia), Bressan (Friuli), Contra Soarda (Sicily), Cantina Giardino (Sardinia), Pyramid Valley (NZ), Millton (NZ), Rippon (NZ) and more."
Entry to the wine festival is $35 online or $40 on the door. There will be an Orange Wine Bar celebrating white wines produced from extended skin contact, as well as live music and artistic performances and an all-day produce market.
Associated events will include masterclasses and a long table banquet prepared by notable chefs Luke Burgess (Garagistes, Tasmania), Aaron Turner (Loam, Victoria), Ben Greeno (Momofuku Seiobo), Mat Lindsay (Ester, Sydney), O Tama Carey (Berta) and hosted by Bennie and Giorgio di Maria (121 BC/Vini Imports).
Further information and tickets are available on the Rootstock website.