The New World Growers
This year we are pleased to welcome a particularly strong representation of producers from the United States. Evan Lewandowski, whose winery is actually in Utah, makes pure, no-sulphur wines from historic vineyards in Mendocino; Mike Roth (Lo-Fi) purveyor of very elegant low-intervention Chenin, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, works mainly in Santa Barbara. Martha Stoumen will be bringing some of her latest releases from extraordinary old vineyards, and we welcome Diego Roig with a quintet of super-drinkable wines under the Populis label.
Oregon again is very well served. Kelley Fox will be pouring her world-famous Pinot Noirs and a new single-vineyard Pinot Blanc; Chad Stock (Minimus Wines) will be showing a zero-sulphur Pinot Noir and a biodynamically-farmed Gruner Veltliner; Andrew & Annedria Beckham will be presenting a stunning skin contact Pinot Gris, and a new Syrah-Viognier (from vineyards in Washington State) both made in clay. Specialist in aromatic grapes, John House (Ovum Wines), will demonstrate that Riesling and Gewurztraminer can flourish superbly in the Oregon climate and Scott Frank will be back to enthuse with his sappy natural Bow & Arrow Loire-influenced wines – biodynamic single-vineyard Melon and his Pinot/Gamay Rhinestones will be two highlights.
Finally, we are delighted to see the return to the Real Wine Fair of Deirdre Heekin & Caleb Barber of La Garagista. Deirdre and Caleb own a tiny farm with vines in a remote part of Vermont and make extraordinary, vital wines from unfashionable hybrid grapes such as La Crescent, Brianna and Marquette.
South Africans Johan Meyer (Mother Rock), Craig Hawkins (Testalonga El Bandito) and Jurgen Gouws (Intellego Wines) will be flying the flag for Swartland with world-class Chenin and elegant Rhone-style reds. Mauricio Gonzalez Carreno from Bio-Bio in Chile, a Real Wine debutant, is going to be pouring Pais from 200-year-old vines and a Moscatel made in traditional clay tinajas.
Australia will be providing a quintet of vignerons. Real Wine veteran, Patrick Sullivan, will be pouring blends (many from biodynamically-farmed grapes in the Yarra Valley); Momento Mori’s Dane Johns (first timer) will be exhibiting his zero-sulphur skin-macerated Italian grape blends; Xavier Goodridge will have his elegant natural wines and Gareth Belton from Gentle Folk will be showing a small range of wines from the Adelaide Hills. Julian Castagna will also be over with his classic biodynamic Syrah from Beechworth called Genesis and the brilliant Sangiovese, La Chiave.
Last, but by no means least, Anna and Jason Flowerday of Marlborough-based Te Whare Ra will be sole ambassadors for New Zealand, exhibiting among other wines their wonderful single vineyard – singly unique – Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer and Syrah.
The Real Wine Fair always showcases the exciting and unusual, and the growers all have their stories to tell. Producing wine in truly tiny quantities, these artisans of the New World are beginning to make waves throughout the wider wine world.