Meet Yasmin - Krinklewood Estate
Krinklewood is a vineyard in the Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley is just three and a half hours drive north of Sydney and we knew that its rolling hills and valleys peppered with vineyards would be the perfect backdrop to our stunning collection. Our passion for protecting Mother Earth led us to Krinklewood, who have been certified as biodynamic and organic since 2007. We immediately fell in love with the French-inspired estate with exquisite gardens, sprawling vines, a lively farm and boutique cellar door.
Below we talk to Yasmin, special occasions manager of Krinklewood Estate about biodynamic and organic wine, food, philosophy and their shared passion for protecting the planet.
Plus, get an Arnhem VIP discount code to use when you shop their wines!
If Krinklewood was a person, how would they introduce themselves at a party...
Bonjour. Would you like to taste delicious biodynamic wine?
The 19-hectare organic vineyard was certified organic and biodynamic in 2007: for those who don’t know, what’s the difference between biodynamic, and organic wine?
Both organic and biodynamic wine is made from grapes that have been grown free from artificial or synthetic chemicals, such as herbicides and pesticides. Biodynamics goes a step further than organics and is all about nurturing the soil and treating the vineyard as one big living organism. It's based on the ideas of scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner and follows the lunar cycle, which guides the timing of things like pruning and harvesting. Krinklewood has been certified organic and biodynamic since 2007.
Indulge our senses and tell us about the best-selling Krinklewood wines.
Sold out in a flash - 2020 Francesca Rose with notes of turkish delight, strawberry and citrus blossom. The palate is refreshingly dry with aromatic hints of rose petals and violets. A beautiful lunchtime wine, best enjoyed well chilled in its youth.
2019 Wild Red with crushed boysenberry, blackberry jam and green peppercorn with a hint of vanilla thanks to the aged French barrels where this wine matured.
Recently awarded the Number 1 Verdelho in Australia by The Real Review - 2019 Krinklewood Verdelho, light iridescent green in colour, this wine offers bright aromas of white peach, citrus and subtle tropical notes. The palate has racy melons, ripe lime and grapefruit characters balanced with a light herbaceous line. Refreshing and zesty to finish.
Your eco-friendly approach filters through to your biodynamic farm and garden: what seasonal delights have you been enjoying lately and what wine should we pair with them?
In our garden the figs, kaffir limes and lemons are growing in overjoyed abundance. I make a lovely fig, goat cheese and baby arugula salad, the Shiraz is perfect for this dish. For the kaffir limes I have been making spicy Thai dishes, the Verdelho pairs nicely. A French man who works in our cellar door, makes the most delicious lemon cake in the world... perhaps it has something to do with our biodynamic lemons?! He recently gave me the recipe and one day when I perfect it, I may bake this cake for our cellar door - it will be called Quentin's lemon cake. The combination of zesty and sweetness pairs well with our Semillon.
Why is caring for the health of our soil important to you?
Soil should be important to everyone, it is the backbone of our life support system and healthy soil makes a global difference. If we care for the health of soil, it will care for us and feed us. The nutrients of our crops is heavily reliant on the nutrients and minerals found in our soils and
despite the fundamental importance of soil quality there are few champions for soil. Soil health is much too important to forget. Our farm manager really is a hero on sustainability and Biodynamics.
What does a typical day on the Krinklewood estate look like?
A typical day at an organic/biodynamic vineyard is largely dictated by the weather and lunar cycle. We're incredibly lucky to have a formidable team of winemakers, farmers, groundskeepers and Cellar Door staff who we’re constantly learning from every day.
Since embarking on the Krinklewood journey how has your lifestyle changed?
We now spend our time between the Hunter Valley and Northern Beaches in Sydney.
We bought a Maremma since buying Krinklewood, her name is Polare and she absolutely rules the roost. I also eat a lot more cheese and smell lots of wine...which is interesting.
You have some ambitious plans for the Krinklewood estate; please tell us about them.
We have ambitious plans for Krinklewood to become a number one destination in NSW as well as a true demonstration of sustainability. Our mission is to make people think about the earth and the impact they're having on it. Watch this space.
Working with, rather than against nature is a Krinklewood philosophy: how does this translate into your personal lifes?
I have always been aware of harmful ingredients such as parabens, SLS, SLES in everyday household products, so much so at one stage I wanted to create my own eco product line. I make everyday choices by choosing not to buy selected products containing certain ingredients. Other principles we follow; we wash our clothes in cold water, line dry our laundry, opt for energy saving light bulbs and buy vintage recycled furniture from auction houses.
If we’re heading to the Hunter Valley for the weekend, what’s the best way to spend our time?
After your wine tasting at Krinklewood grab a gelato and walk around our gorgeous grounds, follow this by travelling along the tranquil Broke Fordwich wine trail where you will have a plethora of wineries to visit, maybe a lunch at Mount Broke or Margan. I also recommend Bistro Molines, Botanica and Muse for a nice dinner- make sure to book!
Krinklewood are offering you 10% OFF their wines.
Head on over to their online store and use code ARNHEM at checkout.