Page 42 - Foodservice Magazine October 2018
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THE BIG ORANGE
AHEAD OF THIS YEAR’S ORANGE WINE FESTIVAL, JUSTIN JARRETT, OWNER OF SEE SAW WINES AND PRESIDENT OF THE ORANGE WINE VIGNERONS’ ASSOCIATION, DISCUSSES COOL CLIMATE WINES AND THE ORANGE VITICULTURE INDUSTRY.
What drew you to a career in wine?
My wife Pip and I both studied agriculture at university. Growing wine gives us the ultimate chance
to produce a product that reflects all our efforts and nurtures the land, resulting in beautifully balanced and handcrafted wines.
What is unique about See Saw wines?
See Saw wines is committed to being truly sustainable and achieving carbon positivity. We acknowledge that we are privileged to make wine and in doing so we need to leave the planet better off. Our wines have fantastic flavour that reflects our cool climate as well as having great acid that makes them a perfect match with food. We are working towards becoming organically certified, and by 2020 all of our wines will be certified organic, with many of them being vegan.
How would you describe your approach to wine?
We let the vineyard do the talking. A balanced vineyard will ultimately be reflected in balanced wines.
What is special about the Orange climate in terms of winemaking?
Orange’s altitude (from 600 m to 1400 m) gives us a cool climate that ensures slow ripening which in turn gives great flavours and elegant wines. October is a great time to visit for the Orange Wine Festival – wine makers across the region get together to showcase our high-quality wines and celebrate the thriving industry.
How has climate change impacted See Saw and the Orange winemaking industry?
Climate change has seen our vintage move forward by around three weeks. Orange has a lucky advantage in that over time we can move up the mountain to remain in a cool area.
However, it has also given the region a warning about potential future impact, which means we are now focusing on what we can do as a community, and individuals, to alter our business models and processes to reduce our carbon footprint and improve sustainability.
What is your favourite wine and food pairing?
My favourite pairing is See Saw pinot noir and Mandagery Creek venison (locally grown, grass-fed).
Over your career, how have you seen Australian drinking tastes change or evolve?
This has been amazing to observe. When I started drinking, sweet white wines were all the rage. Over time, there has been an evolution in what people are drinking and their understanding of what makes good wine. We saw a strong movement towards sauvignon blanc from chardonnay. Now chardonnay is fighting back with other more sophisticated styles. We are seeing more and more wines that are suited to our climate and food being consumed.


































































































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