Hamish Laurie, president of Australia’s Adelaide Hills Wine Area industry frame, used to be amongst the ones main tributes to Ochota Barrels cofounder Taras Ochota following information of his loss of life this week.
‘Some of the vibrant and well-loved wine personalities has long gone effectively prior to his time,’ stated Laurie in a tribute posted on Instagram.
‘Taras introduced a stupendous power and creativity that very much influenced the wines and winemakers of our area. We have now such a lot to thank him for.’
He added, ‘Our ideas are with [Taras’ wife] Amber and his circle of relatives at this extremely tricky time.’
Having spent a number of years taking part in bass in punk bands and following his hobby for browsing, Taras Ochota graduated with an oenology stage from Adelaide College.
He received enjoy of winemaking in numerous areas all over the world, significantly in California but in addition as a Eu winemaking advisor for Swedish importer Oenofros. Nearer to house, Ochota additionally labored at for a number of years as assistant winemaker at Two Palms Wines in Barossa Valley.
Then again, he therefore turned into best-known for the Ochota Barrels vineyard that he co-founded with spouse Amber in Adelaide Hills – an concept that had first come to the couple right through a browsing highway travel in 2000.
Along being dubbed a ‘rockstar’ winemaker through some, Ochota turned into a number one mild of Australia’s rising minimum-intervention wine motion, as Chris Losh wrote in a profile of the vineyard for Decanter Top class previous this yr.
‘Talkative, laconic and self-deprecating, [Taras] Ochota does now not act like probably the most Large Tales of Australian wine. However he’s,’ Losh wrote.
Along a mild contact within the cellar, Ochota informed Losh that he handiest labored with natural vineyards. ‘I don’t wish to consume chemical compounds,’ he stated.
Ochota’s wines have turn into extremely sought-after, and come with a variety of kinds constituted of grapes sourced throughout South Australia, together with Barossa Valley Mourvèdre, the vineyard’s ‘Fugazi’ Grenache from McLaren Vale and ‘Slint’ Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills itself.
Prime-profile admirers of Ochota wines come with the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, who visited in 2014.
Paying tribute to Ochota, Two Palms Wines owner Michael Twelftree stated on Twitter that he would ‘carry a pitcher to my pricey buddy’. He stated, ‘He used to be, merely put, a most sensible bloke and I used to be so proud and glad to peer what he and Amber had created.’
UK importer Indigo Wine stated its staff used to be devastated to be informed Ochota had gave up the ghost.
‘Taras used to be a real power of nature, whose power and excellent humour stuffed the room and made everybody he met really feel particular,’ it stated on Instagram.
‘As a winemaker he created stunning, thrilling wines that challenged perceptions of Australian wine. However maximum of all, he used to be a loving husband, father, and a excellent buddy.’