About The Wine
Taras Ochota has a particular affinity with Gewürztraminer. In his wine studio, he plays with it as an accent. A splash here, some skins there. Making some of his best red wines come to life.
The Weird Berries in the Woods is a unique offering. When asked what he does to the fruit in the winery, Taras says, “Whatever they teach you to do when making aromatic whites, I just go and do the opposite”. The opposite works.
He wants the fruit to ripen at different times, making some of the berries ripe and juicy, some lean and crunchy. All adding a little something different to the overall 'feel'. Basket pressed, some old wood used as a fermenting vessel and as usual, the wildest of ferments.
This is wonderful Gewürz, full of character, personality and a little mystery.
About Ochota Barrels
The term “rockstar winemaker” gets thrown around a lot these days but Taras Ochota, owner/purveyor of cult wine label Ochota Barrels, is the real deal.
His grungy, minimalist attitude towards his label has seen him gain huge cult status internationally as one of the most boundary-pushing winemakers in Australia. From his home in the beautiful Basket Range of the Adelaide Hills, Taras and his wife Amber craft small batches of wine from surrounding vineyards in the Hills and special sites across McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley. Taras picks earlier than most as a general rule, so expect lighter, more ethereal wines with freshness and 'tension' as a motif.
These are highly sought after and extremely limited wines which have a pulsating energy and drive to them. Some of the country's most exciting vinous creations, no doubt.

Basket Range, SA