Don’t talk to Neil McGuigan, chief winemaker of McGuigan Wines, about ‘organic winemaking’. The words invite a sardonic smile; an expression that unlocks the door to a minefield. “Ten years ago, I converted a big vineyard to organic because everyone around the world wanted organic wines. It cost me a fortune. Then when I went to the same people who wanted organic wines, they said, ‘That’s fantastic. How much cheaper do they cost?’,” says the 61-year-old Australian. “I converted the vineyard back [to nonorganic].”
“If someone can explain to me how I can make better wines from organic winemaking, I’d be happy to listen,” he adds.
You suspect few would take up his gauntlet. Or if they do, they’d better do their homework. With four decades of winemaking experience, Neil is an icon in the Australian wine scene, having seen all the ups and downs of the industry. He also led McGuigan Wines to the prestigious titles of International Winemaker of the Year and Australian Producer of the Year in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2016 at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, becoming the first winemaker to win the awards four times at the competition.
ADAPT AND EVOLVE
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Denne historien er fra March/April 2020-utgaven av WINE&DINE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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New Blood
The next-generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.
Sharing Is Caring
Compared to its flagship at Serene Centre, Fat Belly Social at Boon Tat Street is a classier and bolder affair, in more than one sense.
Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History
From tales of it being used to ward off the plague in mid-1300s Europe to one of the ingredients in dessert, we have all known, tasted, or at least heard of nutmeg. But not many know of the spice’s role in Singapore’s history.
New And Improved
The ever-profound chef-owner Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida finds more room, three to be exact, to express a Ha Ri philosophy at Hashida Singapore’s new location at Amoy Street.
Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine
Pairing spice-driven cuisines with wine has long been a challenge but with a little imagination, it doesn’t have to be.
Let Land Grow Wild
Niew Tai-Ran has worn many hats: aeronautical engineering major, investment banker, avid surfer, and, for the last 14 years, winemaker. Discover how this Malaysia-born, Singapore-native is championing the “do-nothing farming” philosophy at his vineyard in Oregon.
The South Asian Misnomer
Incredibly diverse and varied than most know, Indian food is far more intriguing than butter chicken or thosai. Here is a crash course on the extensive cuisine from region to region, recognisable for the seemingly infinite ways of using spices.
Keepers Of The Spice Trade
From its glory days along trade routes to pantry staples all over the world, spices have become so commonplace that we’ve taken them for granted. For these three trailblazers, however, spice is their livelihood and motivation: Langit Collective working with indigenous rural farming communities in Malaysia; IDH’s Sustainable Spice Initiative; and chef Nak’s one-woman mission to share forgotten Khmer cuisine.
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
Like food, spices bring vibrancy and variety to alcoholic beverages. Surfacing in unexpected ways on the palate, find everything from cumin to tamarind, cloves to cardamom enriching these drinks.
Building Blocks From The Archipelago
For the smorgasbord of dishes found in Indonesian cuisine, it is a little known secret that the modest bumbu, in all its variants, is the bedrock of such flavourful fare.
