The Maker and Me: Smallfry Wines
‘Biodynamic’ is not a term one would expect to hear in a sentence that also contains the words ‘fifth-generation Barossa winemaker,’ but that is the story of the Valley’s Smallfry Wines.
Not only do Wayne Ahrens and Suzi Hilder make an “extensive range of vibrant and juicy biodynamic wines,” but grapes grown on their estate also flow on to “many known favourites in the natural wine movement,” says The Fruitful Pursuit’s James Hopkins.
The Maker and Me: Smallfry Wines
From 6pm at Alfred’s Bar, 14 Peel Street.
Tickets are $20 per person.
tfpthemakerandme@gmail.com to book a spot.
It’s for this reason that The Fruitful Pursuit has invited Wayne and Suzi to travel an hour down the road and host an intimate masterclass, showcasing their wines to 20 individuals crowded around the Alfred’s bar top.
“I am really looking forward to showing our two new offerings at Alfred’s,” Wayne says.
“Lady bird Grenache is a select picking from our oldest grenache vines, 100 per cent whole bunch carbonic for two weeks, then destemmed and fermented on skins for another couple of weeks before pressing to an old puncheon.
“I have been wanting to make a straight grenache again for quite some time and to have it come to fruition is very exciting. Suzi has come up with a beautiful design for the label, as she has for our other new release which is a 2015 mataro.
“We bottled and presented this wine at Rootstock 2016 but it was just too soon, [and it’s] been sitting in the warehouse resting, and [now] our rough-around-the-edges duckling has become a serene and balanced swan. We had both [the grenache and the mataro] open at cellar door over the long weekend, but this will be their first serious outing.”
The Maker and Me: Smallfry Wines is happening this Tuesday, 16 October from 6pm. Seats are $20 each and limited to 20 people. To grab a ticket, email tfpthemakerandme@gmail.com and book a spot.
