The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – gift wine, not stuff!
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – gift wine, not stuff!

I’ve never been a huge lover of material objects, particularly when they are just for the sake of giving. Christmas time often has us scrambling around trying to find presents for each other – my thoughts for the best presents often induce a thirst. When buying gifts, I make sure they are either experiences, consumable or highly practical. If you get where I am going with this, wine perfectly fits all! more

The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – there ain't no party like a pet-nat party
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – there ain’t no party like a pet-nat party

There is something hypnotising about the moment when a bottle of effervescent wine is opened. It pulls you in as the force of beads rush to the bottle neck, the billowing wash of foam that fills the glass, the delicate hiss of bubbles as they dissolve, ready for the sipping. I’m not one discriminate when it comes to fizz, whether it be champagne, prosecco, cava or a local sparkling, but none have taken such a hold in recent years as pet nat. Its fresh popularity would imply the wine is a new style, but as we explore its ancient roots, it assures me that pet nat is more than just a trend. more

The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – spring fling with riesling
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – spring fling with riesling

Today I had a craving for a bunch of sweet lilies and the tang of lime juice on the rim of a margarita. I wanted to roam through a field on a just-warm day, where the air carries the scent of fresh grass to your sensory bank. A moment sat by a river that runs over stones baking under sunlight that, when you truly think about it, creates a scent that is undeniably mineral. There’s a feeling of anticipation as the drone of bees fill the backyard and your skin begins to show pink from the day. In shorter words, spring has arrived and what I crave is a glass of riesling. more

The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – a guide to winter wine pairing for dinner parties at home
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – a guide to winter wine pairing for dinner parties at home

I’ve just lit the last candle on the dinner table, the final mood-setting touch set amongst the array of plates, glasses, wine vessels, cutlery-topped napkins and a flower from the garden. My guests will be here at any minute and my giddy hands are fluttering on details that I’m unsure whether they are for my own pleasure or for theirs, both I hope! A winter dinner party – quite possibly my favourite social occasion, my way of saying “I love you, let’s drink wine together”, all while we share food from a dish that permeates warmth from the centre of the table, revelling in the brief window of cold nights in Brisbane. Just as I pull the cork on the first bottle, there is a knock at the door. Perfect timing … more

The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – what are biodynamic and organic wines?
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – what are biodynamic and organic wines?

The use of the phrase ‘farm to table’ has been exhausted in its endeavour to create an idyllic image of fresh produce. The authenticity in statements of ‘sustainability’ and ‘natural’ is starting to blur – the terms have been both championed by devoted producers and exploited by others. That’s evident in the food industry, but what’s to say about wine? At its roots, wine is an expression of agriculture. The farming aspect of wine is overlooked, convoluted or often just misunderstood. So with that in mind, I readily welcome a topic that I hold in high regard, sustainable viticulture. In this issue of The Drop we are going to explore the foundations of organic and biodynamic farming, how that applies to wines, and why you should drink them. more


The Locals Next week:

The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – orange-coloured autumn
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – orange-coloured autumn

The change in season from summer to autumn is a moment to relish and reflect. Days begin to shorten and light jumpers keep exposed skin at the right temperature. I begin to crave mushrooms and soups before I can say noodle broth. A bounty of citrus is upon us, perfect for healthy doses of vitamin C before winter. But the orange beverage that I desire is made from grapes and often finds a way to pair with my mood. more

The Drop
The Drop with Olivia Evans – Mediterranean summer in an Australian glass
Food & Drink

The Drop with Olivia Evans – Mediterranean summer in an Australian glass

Wine is a unique way to travel, particularly when you can’t. Grape varieties continue to be cultivated on Australian land, with rising interest in alternative strands that differ from the likes of your everyday pinot grigio. It makes for marvellous diversity and creative breadth for wine producers. For those of us who long to travel to regions out of reach, we can dream in our glass with produce that is both exotic and our own. more