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The payment is processed by STRIPE www.stripe.com entrusted also by Amazon Booking.com and used by other global NGOs and businesses in the world At any moment you can manage your subscription and account details Weekly updates with our latest articles and the editorial commentary A Nobel Peace Prize For Trump – COMMENTARY Why the EU Must Include Roma in Its Democracy Strategy – COMMENTARY America’s New Cold War: Europe Faces a Stark Choice – COMMENTARY The Russian Mirage: Why Europe Must Wake Up to the Real Threat – COMMENTARY The main Central European analysis and media platform Visegrad Insight generates future policy directions for Europe and transatlantic partners Established in 2012 by the Res Publica Foundation Read our ‘Farming on the edge’ report We’re delighted to confirm that Mary-Ann Ochota has been elected president of CPRE the countryside charity with immediate effect author and anthropologist whose passionate expertise has engaged people worldwide with landscapes She has presented factual programmes for the BBC Previous CPRE presidents have included Bill Bryson Mary-Ann is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society a member of Natural England’s Landscape Advisory Panel and a patron of the Ridgeway National Trail which supports disadvantaged children to access outdoor adventure a network driving better inclusion and diversity in the outdoors Mary-Ann’s books on British archaeology include Secret Britain: Unearthing Our Mysterious Past and Hidden Histories: A Spotter’s Guide to the British Landscape which was selected as a New Statesman Book of the Year She is a regular contributor to the Guardian CPRE president Mary-Ann Ochota said: ‘What an honour to be elected president of CPRE at such a critical moment for our country and our planet ‘The countryside isn’t something “over there” – green and pleasant The majority of us live in urban and suburban areas but the countryside should still be our concern Because it’s the fabric that underpins everything important – energy The countryside needs to thrive for all our sakes ‘CPRE has unique authority and expertise in advocating for the countryside – for nature for the people who visit and the people who live and work there Their campaigns on things like the lack of rural affordable housing and rooftop renewables have struck a chord with many of us ‘My day job is telling stories about our heritage I’ve seen that when people have a sense of ownership and belonging to a place or community In this country we have such a depth of history and an astonishing range of habitats and landscapes But many of those landscapes are under threat from climate change a lack of affordable and social housing and underinvestment in the right infrastructure What really excites me about working with the national team and committed network of local groups is that the solutions they’re offering are joined-up We need urgent action to tackle biodiversity loss and climate breakdown We need to secure a just transition for our farmers sustainable towns and villages with quality homes in the places people want to live championing the voices of local people and inspiring people to action ‘CPRE celebrates its 100 year anniversary in 2026 We have the chance to make change and get it right for people and for nature across the country CPRE chair Simon Murray said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Mary-Ann as CPRE’s new president a detailed understanding of the challenges it faces and a striking ability to engage with people to explain why it matters for everyone ‘Mary-Ann is a powerful advocate for the countryside its communities and the wider natural world she will be a wonderful figurehead for CPRE’s national staff Dive deeper into the topics we care about with our handy explainer guides CPRE is delighted to have patronage of His Majesty We’ll send you the latest news and information on our work events and other ways you can support our vision for a thriving countryside We hold and manage your details in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. 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You can read our privacy policy for more information This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker lighter-styled wines and becoming a cult icon to the natural wine movement Add me to the list of wine lovers that were shocked and saddened to learn of the recent passing of Australian winemaker Taras Ochota Ochota represented the leading edge of a winemaking revival in the Basket Range of Adelaide Hills low-intervention wines with modest alcohol levels made in a lighter style than most Australian wines are known for made from organically grown grapes purchased from sites around South Australia take their names from musical influences like Dead Kennedys and Fugazi Ochota’s wines, mostly Syrahs and Grenaches, are aromatic, distinctive and often highlighted by a fresh acidity and pure fruit flavors. I found them exciting—and outstanding: Of the 25 Ochota wines reviewed by Wine Spectator in the past decade, 18 earned scores of 90 points or more I’m not judgmental when it comes to alcohol percentages but it was always remarkable to unbag them and see that they typically hovered in the 11 or 12 percent ABV range a percentage point or two (or more) lower than their contemporaries hitting the best surfing spots on Mexico’s west coast that they came up with the plan to start their own winery in his home state of South Australia He became the unofficial but articulate and passionate spokesperson for the Basket Range and a new movement of low-intervention wine I was lucky enough to meet Ochota and his family on a trip to Australia with my mentor, Wine Spectator emeritus Harvey Steiman with lots of unnamed roads and hairpin turns The rugged setting feels well-suited to his minimalist approach and personality and there were vats of wines fermenting under bedsheets in a dimly lit winery adjacent to Ochota’s home Classical music was being loudly piped into the cellar Ochota played different types of music during different phases of the winemaking process Amber served us a picnic lunch that we ate under a tree She was excited that a beekeeping kit had just arrived in the mail I asked Ochota how he felt about being the poster child of the Basket Range’s “natural” wine movement “I was a bit too hardcore of using ‘natural’ as marketing,” he admitted can we call it a ‘beautiful wine movement'?” Ochota was careful not to put down his winemaking predecessors in Australia He wanted to broaden the conversation of Australian wines “I’d like to make wines that you could drink a bottle by accident and feel OK the next day.” His recognition fueled more projects and more creativity Ochota and business partner Charlie Lawrence opened a wood-fired pizzeria and wine lounge called Lost in a Forest in the town of Uraidla in the Adelaide Hills Keenan and Ochota later collaborated on a blend of Adelaide Hills Grenache and Gewürztraminer, called A Sense of Compression. “We had chatted about doing an Arizona version with Verde Valley Garnacha and Albariño or Vermentino or some unheard-of combo. We both like swinging for the fence. Just never got around to it,” Keenan said. “I’m gutted.” I’m also gutted by the loss of a talented, generous winemaker. But I think he’d want us all to listen to some loud music, drink an entire bottle of wine by accident and feel OK tomorrow. The first family of Sicilian wine teams with French investors to make biodynamic, bi-cultur… As CEO of Houston’s Goodnight Hospitality—the group behind restaurants March, Rosie … Winemaker Jared Etzel moves on from Domaine Roy & Fils to success with a new Pinot Noir … Winemakers bringing the region’s terroir to the fore Top wine pros share the sweet wines they think deserve more love, from Pedro Ximénez Sherry … Castello Solicchiata is the volcano’s most historic noble winery. Why is it hidden away? Log in and download the free e-publication of the latest A&B The printed version is available for sale online in our store and press salons throughout Poland unique e-mail [will also be used as login in the portal] Only name - check the correctness of the data Only the last name - check the correctness of the data password must be at least 8 characters long * fields required for registration; data can be completed in account settings after logging in ** establishment of a student account follows verification of the validity of the student ID card Please try later or let us know: contact Technology: aitnet.pl Ⓒ AiB Publishing House 2025 president of Australia’s Adelaide Hills Wine Region trade body was among those leading tributes to Ochota Barrels cofounder Taras Ochota following news of his death this week ‘One of the most colourful and well-loved wine personalities has gone well before his time,’ said Laurie in a tribute posted on Instagram ‘Taras brought a beautiful energy and creativity that greatly influenced the wines and winemakers of our region ‘Our thoughts are with [Taras’ wife] Amber and his family at this incredibly tough time.’ Having spent several years playing bass in punk bands and following his passion for surfing Taras Ochota graduated with an oenology degree from Adelaide University He gained experience of winemaking in different regions around the world notably in California but also as a European winemaking consultant for Swedish importer Oenofros Ochota also worked at for several years as assistant winemaker at Two Hands Wines in Barossa Valley he subsequently became best-known for the Ochota Barrels winery that he co-founded with wife Amber in Adelaide Hills – an idea that had first come to the couple during a surfing road trip in 2000 Alongside being dubbed a ‘rockstar’ winemaker by some, Ochota became a leading light of Australia’s growing minimum-intervention wine movement, as Chris Losh wrote in a profile of the winery for Decanter Premium earlier this year [Taras] Ochota does not act like one of the Big Stories of Australian wine Ochota told Losh that he only worked with organic vineyards Ochota’s wines have become highly sought-after and include a wide range of styles produced from grapes sourced across South Australia the winery’s ‘Fugazi’ Grenache from McLaren Vale and ‘Slint’ Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills itself High-profile admirers of Ochota wines include the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger Two Hands Wines proprietor Michael Twelftree said on Twitter that he would ‘raise a glass to my dear friend’ a top bloke and I was so proud and happy to see what he and Amber had created.’ UK importer Indigo Wine said its team was devastated to learn Ochota had passed away whose energy and good humour filled the room and made everyone he met feel special,’ it said on Instagram exciting wines that challenged perceptions of Australian wine With millennia of history hidden beneath our feet connecting with the ancient past offers endless fascination I watched a TV documentary about a frozen human body that had been discovered at the summit of Mount Ampato in Peru killed in about 1450 at the age of 14 or so – the same age I was as well as historical and anthropological knowledge the anthropologist-archaeologist-mountaineers who discovered Juanita were able to unpick the story of her final months I was astounded to learn that discovering and explaining such mysteries could be an actual job and the challenge of making the strange familiar Callanish (also known as Calanais) standing stones in Lewis Photograph: Nigel Scott/AlamyTo prepare for university interviews I found an archaeological dig in Cheshire that was willing to let me and my friend Helen camp for the week and help out a lumpy field for camping and a “mess tent” with chairs tables and a limitless supply of hot tea served in brown-stained mugs The professional archaeologists were the coolest people I’d ever met They looked more hobo than emeritus professor but it was clear they were intellectual and scientific heavyweights piecing together the story of a complex site that spanned thousands of years of human activity I helped excavate the foundations of a medieval chapel and the skeletons that had been buried around it there were no obvious traces above ground – it was just a grassy field But it had always been known as Chapel Field and generations of farmers had avoided ploughing the area for fear of throwing up large blocks of stone Rock art carved into the Badger Stone Photograph: David Lyons/AlamyTo the archaeologists who could read the landscape in a way I couldn’t and he had probably been part of the local farming community who used the chapel in the 1300s He’d broken one of his fingers at some point and it had healed crooked It seemed such an intimate and personal detail of someone’s life from many centuries ago It was a reminder that this wasn’t just a skeleton Archaeology is the study of the human past through material remains – from buildings tools and craftwork to burial sites and human bodies Often the things archaeologists discover are items that were thrown away or lost or buried This “rubbish” tells the story of ancient lives ivory-white pinArchaeologists can even study the preserved plaque on ancient teeth and the poo at the bottom of privies to see what people ate The real value of these myriad material remains is in how they connect to each other – where the flakes of a flint tool are situated in relation to a fireplace or how a site has been reused and reshaped by successive generations archaeologists build a web of understanding Television shows such as Digging for Britain and Time Team capture the wonder of discovering that past the precision of archaeological techniques Why do humans – through time and across cultures – do so many weird and amazing things How did people in the past tackle the challenges of life we still grapple with today – whether that’s how to build a rainproof roof make sense of death or keep their loved ones safe That head-scratching curiosity is what drives my work making TV and radio programmes and writing books about the past Community archaeology projects are often looking for volunteers Good digs will welcome people with physical disabilities and additional support requirements and ensure they are given tasks and training that are comfortable Mary-Ann Ochota with the Roman pin she unearthed at Chester Farm Photograph: Mary Ann CraigProjects need people to clean and process finds use tech to gather and interpret data – from photographing finds and processing lidar (laser) scans to photogrammetry which uses millions of still photographs to build a 3D model of a site or find They need people who like talking to visitors have a knack for presentation and creative interpretation They also need people who don’t want to go on site at all completing archival research and exploring other avenues of research Then there’s the support needed for keeping websites and social media accounts busy and up to date writing press releases and all the other back-office work that keeps the trowels turning close to a prehistoric (and later Roman) river crossing There’s evidence of more than 10,000 years of human activity along the riverbank and in the surrounding fields; this one site tells the story of the county I was lucky enough to be assigned to excavate part of a perimeter ditch but they weren’t sure how deep or wide it was or whether there was anything interesting caught up in the ancient silt and detritus that now filled the ditch looking out for differences in colour and texture that would denote a change in the shape of the ditch I once sat in a cave shelter eating sandwiches knowing that Mesolithic people had sat there eating shellfish 7,000 years earlierIt was an intact Roman hairpin made of cow bone I was the first person to hold it for 1,800 years – the last person to have their hands on it was probably the one who dropped it Archaeology can also be therapeutic. For a BBC radio podcast, I spent the day with Breaking Ground Heritage which uses archaeology as a recovery pathway for serving and former military personnel They conduct cutting-edge archaeological research and provide therapeutic support at the same time you have to combine physical skill with mental agility and you pay close attention to tiny details while holding the big picture in mind And the camaraderie is second to none – if PTSD demons come at night and sleeping isn’t easy be assured that there will be someone else in the mess tent going through it too featured trips and local tips for your next break as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays Cairns on Kilmartin Glen in Argyll Photograph: Alba Tross/AlamyDartmoor’s bronze age stone rows monoliths (standing stones) and hut circles are fabulous You can still walk through an ancient doorway into the remains of a family home from 4,000 years ago you can explore the mysterious rock art carved into earthfast boulders (a GPS trail leads to the finest examples) I was perched next to Phil Harding as he trowelled back a layer of sandy soil The cameras were elsewhere but I was happy to watch him and learn something I couldn’t see a thing – what had he spotted He revealed that he couldn’t see anything either But he had felt a change in the texture of the soil through his trowel he’d reached the edge of a wall we’d been looking for perfectly honed in a discipline that is equal parts art and science And a whole trenchful of satisfyingly mysterious “whys” Mary-Ann Ochota’s books, Secret Britain: Unearthing Our Mysterious Past, and Hidden Histories: A Spotter’s Guide to the British Landscape Each of the home nations has an online catalogue of heritage and archaeological sites: England: Heritage GatewayWales: CofleinScotland: CanmoreNorthern Ireland: HERoNI The Portable Antiquities Scheme has a database of more than 1.7m find made in England and Wales You can see what items have been found in your county read guides to help identify particular types of artefacts or coins and get advice on how to metal detect responsibly Explore old maps side-by-side with modern mapping and satellite imagery at the National Library of Scotland site maps.nls.uk/ Many counties are undertaking church graffiti surveys – such as the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey The Ramblers is recruiting volunteers to do historic landscape research to protect ancient paths., dontloseyourway.ramblers.org.uk/ The TimesThe new president of an influential rural charity has said the English countryside needs more homes and she will not block Labour’s housebuilding ambitions Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have pledged to make at least three housing announcements in the first fortnight of a Labour government including a council-led review of green belt land formerly known as the Campaign to Protect Rural England has traditionally been seen as one of the staunchest opponents of greenfield developments the broadcaster and anthropologist who has been appointed CPRE president said the charity will “absolutely” not stand in the way of Labour’s aspirations We need homes for rural communities to thrive and for the countryside to thrive Registered in England No. 894646. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. Walking into Wine Flowers on Pirie Street, I find a relaxed Sophie Button sitting on stools by a freshly painted half wine barrel, reading the latest CityMag – she says she was just doing her homework. The rest of the gang trod in one by one. Amber Ochota lugging a heavy old table, Mark Warner carrying boxes of wine while he waits for Alicia Basa to, stressfully, find a city car park with more than a half an hour limit – something they’re not used to. When we begin to chat about their latest CBD venture, Sophie tells me they were going for a relaxed Hills vibe because that’s where the team live. “We didn’t have a business plan so I can’t imagine we’ll have a design plan,” Mark laughs. “Well, the idea is this is not about new things. This is not about buying things. This is like, bring what you have that we can use, and we make it work,” Sophie says as a spider crawls off the table that Amber just brought to the venue. “It’s nice. It’s different. It’s unusual. I just painted these [half wine barrels] yesterday.” The Wine Flowers team is, nearly, ready to open up The Renew Adelaide space aims to bring the Hills cellar door experience to the Adelaide CBD. Every week until the end of the year, a new natural winery from the Hills will take up a week’s residency at the venue, but Commune of Buttons, which is co-owned by Sophie and her brother Jasper Button, will be pouring the whole way through to Christmas time. The first week will highlight the winery Borachio, which is co-owned by Alicia and Mark. The second week will see Ochota Barrels, which Amber owns and the last week will see Basket Range Wine, which Phil, Mary and Sholto Broderick own. “We do open cellar doors at our property at Commune of Buttons and we do them twice a year and I just thought that even though we do them only twice a year, it’s hard to get up there for some people,” Sophie says. “There’s like the access to our wines, to our presence, to our individual personalities, our place – all those things don’t come to the city very often. “And I just thought it was a really cool thing to bring the producers and a cellar door style to the city that is a little rougher on the edges, a little more exciting.” Sophie says this venture is “about conversations” which is “what you do when you drink wine”. “It’s just about…understanding what we do and why we do it,” Sophie says. Subscribe for updates“I suppose, in some ways, moving away from the idea of what natural wine is – clarifying, helping through conversation, because there’s a lot more that goes into making wine and farming than a really simple conversation.” There will be bottles from Commune of Buttons, Borachio, Ochota Barrels and Basket Range Wine on offer at Wine Flowers over the December period. Along with the cellar door-like experience, there will be a small section of the shop dedicated to a retail space: sustainable retailer Ensemble Studios will have a range of products for purchase, while Emma Sadie Thomson of EST will also be selling plants and flowers. “I think that was the Christmas buzz,” Sophie says. “The idea was that you would have a Christmas party that you had to go to and so you would go and get some wines and flowers as well and always be supporting artisans. “We’re artisans, and so we like to support other artisans who are doing similar things with their craft. “Ensemble has always done that. They’ve always made sure that the people they’re supporting are doing things sustainably and properly and thoughtfully and consciously… Ensemble just made sense.” As for Emma Sadie Tomson’s inclusion, Sophie says “it’s a pretty beautiful time of year for blooms”, so the team wanted to bring that into the city. “Literally looking around at the property… and the time of year and the feeling is bright and colourful, and summer’s coming, and the energy is big,” Sophie says. “I really felt like it’s quite a natural combination – maybe it is because we’re always surrounded by flowers and wine. “Bringing that idea and then those lovely, normalities for us is a really nice way to present what it is that we do. It’s always more than wine.” Wine Flowers will be closed over January as “no one’s in the city”, but Sophie says the concept will change in February, though she doesn’t know exactly what that will look like. Subscribe for updatesWine Flowers is located at Shop 6, 189–211 Pirie Street, Adelaide and is slated to open on December 4. InDaily South Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout South Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Known best for her work as a presenter, Mary-Ann Ochota specialises in anthropology, archaeology and social history. She co-presented Channel 4’s cult archaeology show ‘Time Team’, and recently fronted the hugely successful ‘Feral Children’ series, which explored the extraordinary survival of children living wild beyond the care of state and society. Having graduated, Mary-Ann joined social anthropologist Jeremy Keenan as part of a research team on a groundbreaking expedition to the southern Sahara. The team traveled with the local Tuareg people, the principal indigenous inhabitants of the Saharan interior, to survey prehistoric rock art found amongst the desert’s caves. Turning her attention closer to home, Mary-Ann began working to uncover Britain’s own prehistoric past. In 2007/08, she made a documentary for BBC4 on Wiltshire’s Neolithic monuments, Silbury Hill: The Heart of the Hill. She then worked on the series Britain’s Secret Treasures, which explored the stories behind fifty momentous archaeological discoveries made by the British public. In 2012 she joined Tony Robinson to head Channel 4’s cult archaeological show Time Team. She was the onscreen anthropology consultant in the weekly BBC3 series Castaway: Exposed, has featured as the consultant anthropologist on BBC1's The One Show and on the expert panel of BBC2’s Identity. She also regularly blogs for the Independent. An expert deep-sea diver and sailor, Mary-Ann continues to explore and challenge herself in her spare time.  In 2012, she was part of a crew that sailed a 68’ yacht across the North Pacific, from Qingdao, China to San Francisco, USA. Britain's Secret TreasuresITV, 2012, PresenterTime Team series XIX Channel 4, 2012, PresenterFeral Children (WT) Animal Planet, 2012, PresenterSqueamish series 2 DMAX, 2012, AnthropologistThe Truth behind King Arthur National Geographic, Presenter, 2011The One Show Feature Presenter, 2010Silbury Hill: The Heart of the Hill - BBC4, 2007/2008, PresenterIdentity - BBC2, 2007, Expert PanellistCastaway: Exposed - BBC3, 2007, Resident Anthropologist Should we free ourselves of objects and clutter? Joel Dinerstein | Coolness as racial resistance Is desire a consequence of scarcity and denial? Why does interest in spirituality continue to grow? What does love look like in the digital age? What impact is digital technology having on our relationships? Are sex robots a threat to human relationships? The Future of Sex Robots and Relationships Kate Devlin | Could robots fix our erotic lives? Bella DePaulo | The single life can be fulfilling Simon May | We are infatuated with romance Looking back at the 60s cultural revolution Is narcissism a virtue that we need more of? The car crash as a 20th century phenomenon 21st century love: say bye to weddings and family? Can the digital revolution offer the solution to the problems of our educational system? but still produce a liquid that tastes like wine and not avant-garde cider Ochota pointed to the fermenters – in effect simple giant plastic buckets – that he takes outside when it’s time to turn the grape juice into wine and which he covers in old bed sheets from the spotless cleanliness of his winery to his focus on using the right barrels for the right varieties It’s clear to see why this gentle and unassuming winemaker has attracted a cult following Taras Ochota takes his winemaking far more seriously than he might appear Earlier in the day, over lunch at Lost In A Forest, a pizza restaurant co-owned by Ochota in a converted church in the nearby village of Uraidla, he shared the limelight with some of his fellow low-intervention winemakers from the area: Gareth Belton from Gentle Folk Wines; Sholto Broderick of Basket Range Wines; and Worlds Apart Wines’ Louis Schofield Broderick’s 2019 Magnolia – a red made like a white with a copper orange colour from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir – is possibly the most interesting wine I’ve tasted this year with raspberry and blackcurrant flavours combined with red apple skin texture The Adelaide Hills crew’s story is one repeated across Australia’s cool climate regions; newer winemakers harvesting grapes from special vineyards that would have once been lost in big-label blends but which are now producing wines with character and a sense of place Quirky labels and odd names flourished at the evening’s barbie but the liquid in the bottles would still thrill the most conservative wine drinkers It’s not just newbies who are flying the flag for modern Aussie winemaking either; two of the most venerable names in Margaret River – Cullen and Vasse Felix – presented wines that demonstrated the vibrancy of cooler climates Vanya Cullen’s 2019 Amber Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend has all the textured tannins and lemon rind flavours it needs to find a home in a hipster bar while Ginnie Wilcock produced a run of wild-ferment Sauvignon Blanc and fruity Malbec and Syrah single varietals that demonstrated there’s more to Western Australia’s flagship region than Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon The final night of the tour saw Nic Peterkin, a scion of the Cullen clan and maker of LAS Vinos, gather Si Vintners’ Iwo Jakimowicz, Nick James-Martin of Wines of Merritt and Ben Gould from Blind Corner to present their bottles their camaraderie also shone through; another hallmark of Australian’s bustling low intervention and cool climate scene Six of Peter Ranscombe’s top cooler climate producers Distributed in the UK by Indigo Wine Adelaide Hills producer Taras Ochota may not take himself or the names of his labels too seriously but he’s extremely serious when it comes to his winemaking with clean and clear characteristics on show across his range Troy Jones and Behn Payten are school friends living the dream in the Yarra Valley, creating wines such as their Leuconoe Sangiovese, a multi-vintage blend made in a solera system. Their new cellar door in the town of Healesville celebrates local food and drink. Handled in the UK by ABS and Alexander Wines Consistently crowd-pleasing wines from the Yarra Valley Look out for the deliciously savoury Wesburn chenin blanc and the delightful EB45 sparkling Pinot Meunier Forget any Italian comparisons for the EB40 Nebbiolo which instead ploughs its own sweet-scented path Nic Peterkin comes from a long line of talented winemakers, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that this thirtysomething Margaret River producer is knocking it out of the park with his Cabernet Franc and his Grenache. Also worth exploring are his Albino Pinot and his Chenin Blanc, along with his Pirate Blend calling card, featuring Portuguese varieties. Liberty Wines is his UK importer Luke Lambert The winemaker at Denton also produces his own wines whose bottles are distributed in the UK by Indigo Wine and is planting his signature Italian grape variety Sangiovese and other Italian varietals have a growing role to play but also in South Australia’s McLaren Vale Ruggabellus Ruggabellus featured highly in super-somm Emma Farrelly’s masterclass for us at Post restaurant in Perth as well as on the by-the-glass menu at the excellent Embla wine bar in Melbourne The Barossa Valley producer’s Fluus blend of Grenache Syrah and Cinsault was almost Pinot-like in its precision The Buyer TVClick below to watch The Buyer's library of online debates, videos and webinars. Remembering the rocker-turned-winemaker who helped pioneer a new age of low-intervention wine in Australia  Senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec reflects on the legacy of Taras Ochota, the Australian winemaker who helped pioneer a new age of wine with his punk-influenced, low-intervention wines from the country’s Basket Range. Full access to our database of more than 425,000 wine ratings Early access to reviews on our editors' favorite just-rated wines anthropologist and author discusses her zest for getting outdoors her rewarding rescue dog and the magic of holloways I grew up in rural Cheshire and always felt most at home in the countryside I keep up my connection to the countryside by exploring and writing about it – but it’s also deep inside me The British countryside is a dynamic place It’s been shaped by all the people who came before us – 12,000 years of permanent occupation – and it’s still evolving The traces of those human histories are there to spot I’m a Hillwalking Ambassador for BMC and a #GetOutside champion for the Ordnance Survey enticing me on – that’s what makes my heart sing scuba diving – anything that gets me outside those sunken tracks that drop you into a hedgerow tunnel I love the feeling of having feet planted in the earth with a canopy of green above Some holloways are medieval – others are probably prehistoric You’re walking in the footsteps of the ancestors but it does a disservice to both town and country when we default to clichés We’re a small island and I can get to incredible wilderness areas in a few hours travel from the city The urban/rural divide is more about mindset than geography but that shouldn’t stop them from accessing the countryside I’d also stop people throwing litter around in the countryside I walked some of the Yorkshire Three Peaks trail with a friend and we spent the day picking up sweet wrappers It’s not just about the impact on the environment or how it looks – fundamentally His extraordinary knowledge of British plants and fungi opens my eyes to details I’d miss The exploring bug doesn’t strike by accident Getting excited about the outdoors has to be behaviour modelled by all of us It’s about building confidence and skills and starting small Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every child learned the essentials We’re facing serious challenges when it comes to planning new development and revitalising rural communities We need to invest in skills and infrastructure such as farming apprenticeships and high-speed broadband so people can build businesses in rural communities Otherwise half the country will become toxic commuter belt and the other half will decay Retraining our rescue dog Harpo was so rewarding It took a lot of work and tenacity from both of us The animal/human bond can make for an incredible relationship the mist descended and it was spooky and beautiful all at once but it didn’t stop them charging us from the other side of the field My Primus stove signifies freedom to go adventuring When you’re up in the hills on your own after a glorious day’s walking there’s nothing like a hot meal over a blue flame as the sun sets Although I’m nowhere near as graceful in the water Cream or jam first on a scone is a trick question If it’s a fresh scone made with buttermilk you don’t need to put anything on it and it’s delicious So before you can get the lids off the pot of cream and the jam jar Create an account for FREE to unlock articles and receive Realscreen Daily ™ Realscreen is a trademark of Brunico Communications Ltd and the events are produced by Brunico Marketing Inc View our privacy policy We understand your decision to use an ad blocker however realscreen journalism takes time and funding.. Subscriptions and advertising are both necessary to fund the journalism we bring to you .prefix__st0{fill:#333}AccessAccount Nick Stock first met Ochota when they played ice hockey together as kids. Then they met again years later, working in the wine world, and they became lifelong friends. He pays tribute to the generous Adelaide Hills winemaker, musician, husband and father who brought people together and changed the face of Australian wine. Words by Nick Stock· Updated on 04 Nov 2020· Published on 27 Oct 2020 the thing for which he would become world-renowned He started the Ochota Barrels project in 2008 with his wife Amber Ochota after a successful career as a flying winemaker in Italy and various regions of South Australia The money he earned making “massive volumes” of wine for other people allowed them to buy a small property in Basket Range where they set up a micro-winery and produced tiny batches of curated bottles Ochota went on to fundamentally change the Australian wine industry Ochota always had an eye on the moment of enjoyment and his ability to carefully and cleverly combine the two is what made him a darling of the wine world and everyone he met At a time when most wine was made to impress outgun the competition and make the highest impact possible Music played a significant role in Ochota’s life – it pervaded his psyche and inspired his work He played bass in Adelaide punk band Kranktus and always maintained ties with the music world The first wine released under the Ochota Barrels label The full list of Ochota Barrels wines reads like a discography of his most loved bands he managed to weave music and wine together with unthinkable magic Ochota had been introduced to Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan who owns winery Caduceus Cellars in Arizona Whilst touring Australia with his band Puscifer in early 2013 Keenan took a day out to visit Ochota’s home and the two winemaking musos began a collaboration Keenan returned later in 2013 (this time on tour with Tool) and left Australia having made the first vintage of their McLaren Vale grenache Ochota’s home and winery famously overflowed with great people The Rolling Stones toured Australia in November 2014 and Mick Jagger along with Keith Richards’s wife Patti Hansen wanted to sample some wine on their way to lunch in the Adelaide Hills They arrived to taste with Ochota in the late morning and famously ended up leaving early the following morning after succumbing to the wines his generous hospitality and the beauty of his world Hansen took home several bottles of Ochota’s Green Room grenache for Richards and The Stones flew the Ochotas to Melbourne to be their guests at the show and underneath that gentle demeanour was a strong determined and courageous soul that stayed true to all he believed in He brought so many people together and they were all better for it He curated interactions with a sense of insight and caring that is rare joining the dots between so many people’s lives with a clever I first met Ochota when we played ice hockey together as 10-year-olds He was always different – a quiet yet clever kid – and I remember his father Yari as a generous and gentle man when we were both working in the wine game and we remained close friends for the rest of his life and how to live a good life in every respect He battled two degenerative illnesses in recent years and eventually succumbed at dawn on October 13 in the loving arms of his wife Amber 17 Aussie Spots Make the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants List with the effect of climate change increasingly apparent Cities occupy just three per cent of the earth’s land but account for most of the global energy consumption and carbon emissions* Our cities are a key contributor to climate change but they are also an integral part of the solution Populations within cities are growing at an alarming rate with urban growth driving environmental change looking at the adaptation of buildings already in existence and resilience in the built environment This oncoming age of climate breakdown alongside rapid urbanisation means urban transformation is essential if cities are to address these challenges ahead and meet global climate and development goals NOW LIVE > Watch our 2024 programme here: ‘Urban Evolution: Our Future Cities‘ and draw inspiration and insight from leading experts and innovators in the built environment ITN Business has launched Urban Evolution: Our Future Cities as part of the Net Zero Festival on 22–23 October 2024 Presented by broadcaster and anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota the programme focuses on the organisations leading the way when it comes to: In our 2024 programme we share powerful case study led stories and highlight the impact on the ground these innovations and solutions have on individuals and communities Urban Evolution: Our Future Cities also features insightful interviews from industry thought leaders Business Green UK Green Building Council and the World Green Building Council This year’s climate summit in Dubai was fraught with frustration and controversy with tensions running high for the entire two-week duration But as COP28 reached its close this week — a day over schedule — unprecedented agreements were reached a two-day event which took place this week at London’s Business Design Centre attracted over 3,000 attendees to debate and discuss accelerating the transformation to net zero Generating renewable energy is key to reaching net zero but are our current networks equipped to deal with the change Investment in renewable energy is needed more urgently than ever — for technology and innovation that will support our national… Independent Television News Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 548648.Registered office: 200 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8XZ20232023 Independent Television News Limited.
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For more information visit our privacy and cookie policy Necessary cookies enable core functionality The website cannot function properly without these cookies and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences We'd also like to use cookies to provide optional features improve our website and support our marketing from bronze age burial mounds to stone rows older than the Pyramids They may be easy to miss but look closely and you can read the story of the past in today’s countryside the now; you’ll spot thousands of years of secret history layered and woven into the countryside around you We’ve been tramping across the rough tussocks of Dartmoor for a couple of hours Every now and then one of us yelps and disappears from view If ever there were a British landscape designed for waterproof socks and hillwalker’s gaiters But then sunlight streaks out across the rough green-brown glinting off jewel-bright pools of standing water The shadows of a rain-sopped morning are chased away and the landscape is wild and beautiful and are soon in the heart of an enigmatic prehistoric landscape Britain has been continuously occupied for around 10,000 years, and every generation has left its mark on the landscapeDrizzlecombe is one of more than 1,000 archaeological sites scattered across the 954 square kilometres of Dartmoor national park And although stone rows like the one in front of me are rare in other parts of the UK there are more than 70 known examples on Dartmoor sometimes in double- and triple-row avenues date from the late stone age and the bronze age erected perhaps as much as 5,500 years ago That’s 1,000 years older than the pyramids of Egypt We live on an island crammed with archaeology Britain has been continuously occupied for around 10,000 years and every generation has left its mark on the landscape – shaping the land for agriculture and settlements to commemorate the dead and honour the living Archaeologists describe it as a “palimpsest” where you can read the traces of previous stories scratched underneath what’s written now Britain’s historical stories reveal themselves at every turn A row of ancient stones on Dartmoor Photograph: Mary-Ann OchotaYou’ll notice details out on walks And most of these sites that tell the story of Britain are unmarked – no heritage signs and then ask the key questions – what am I looking at why a bridge seems too fancy for the little village it sits in why these fields are small and irregular but those fields are straight and square looking for traces of ditches and boundaries for strange stones in walls and marks on doors and the land now under peat was fertile enough to support small communitiesTry to work out which features in the landscape came in what order Look for natural features that have been altered – earthworks encircling a hilltop trees that were coppiced or pollarded in medieval times to produce more timber The earliest features you’ll spot in the landscape are monumental sites from the late stone age a time when people were settling specific areas of land rather than living as nomadic hunter-gatherers round mounds of stone used to commemorate the dead in the bronze age There are the rare doughnut-shaped “ring cairns” and stone age “long cairns” There are stone circles and single standing stones they appear to meander across hillsides before petering out into nothing The double rows aren’t usually wide apart enough to act as avenues for processions Or maybe these lines marked areas in the landscape that were taboo to the uninitiated These rock clusters are reminders that Dartmoor was once a busy Photograph: Mary-Ann OchotaAt sites like Drizzlecombe it appears that some of the features were reused much later – perhaps first erected in the stone age with standing stones and burial cairns added more than 1,000 years later the layers of history would not have survivedScattered across the hillside are homes – low-walled “hut circles” (look for a doorway gap on the south side) There are larger stone enclosures that were probably animal corrals or farmyards the boundary walls that mark the earliest field systems in Britain Hopping between tufts of bog grass and the deep black of the peat and the land now under peat was fertile enough to support small hard-working communities growing crops and raising cattle and sheep The next people who tried to farm on Dartmoor were medieval peasants and just-about-managing peasants were forced elsewhere It’s because of these vagaries of climate that we have such a trove of amazing archaeology on Dartmoor the layers of history would not have survived an artificial stone-lined stream that delivered water to farmsteads and tin-works in the 18th and 19th centuries lured by the promise of a medieval cross waiting at the next track junction A clam bridge (single clapper bridge) over Wallabrook on Dartmoor Photograph: AlamyThese simple stone bridges are constructed from large flat stones laid over rough dry-stone boulder supports Sometimes the flat stones will have been washed away but you might spot raised stonework in the middle of the watercourse A single-slab span bridge is known as a clam bridge; Wallabrook’s clam bridge on north Dartmoor leads towards Scorhill Stone Circle You’ll also find good examples in the Pennines and Lake District Remains of a bronze age village at Grimspound Photograph: AlamyDartmoor’s bronze age reaves mark out the earliest field systems in Britain The low walls are now covered with peat (a sign of their great age) but it means they’re hard to spot close up Look at facing hillsides to see if you can decipher traces of parallel lines and look at online aerial photos of Mountsland Common The hill fort of Cadbury Castle Photograph: AlamyThe iron age was a time of warrior tribes and regional strongholds circuits of earth-cut ditches and banks topped with timber walls and gatehouses Some don’t appear to have been lived in permanently; others were at the heart of tribal life Others around the UK include Cadbury Castle in Somerset and Danebury in Hampshire A medieval cross on Dartmoor Photograph: Mary-Ann OchotaThere are around 150 granite crosses on Dartmoor many along remote tracks crossing the moors defined territorial boundaries and blessed the route A line of crosses runs from Buckfast Abbey to Buckland Abbey There are lots on the North York Moors too Ashey Down on the Isle of Wight Photograph: AlamyYou’ll spot signs of medieval rabbit breeding across Dartmoor and beyond – for example low oblong artificial burrows known as pillow mounds You’ll also spot clues in place names – Coney Clapery and Warren are all associated with rabbit farming Pillow mounds can be spotted east of Brisworthy and local place names include Brisworthy Burrows and Trowlesworthy Warren Britain Afloat host and former Time Team presenter – all you need to knowMary-Ann Ochota is a British broadcaster who specialises in archaeology and social history SHE'S a familiar face featured on many documentaries but who is Mary-Ann Ochota and what has she presented Mary-Ann was born in Cheshire to an Indian mother and Polish father She studied Archaeology and Anthropology at Emmanuel College she represented her college in the University Challenge Christmas Special She is married to the children’s author Joe Craig Mary-Ann has reported for Channel 4's Unreported World and her first film for the series was broadcast in September 2013 She has also contributed to ITV’s archaeology show Britain’s Secret Treasures and was also a co-presenter alongside Tony Robinson for Channel 4’s Time Team She is also known for fronting the BBC show Britain Afloat - a six part series that explores the regional distinctiveness of boat design and the floating way of life Unreported World is a foreign affairs show broadcast by Channel 4. So far, there have been 33 series – after the first one aired in 2000. Reporters on the show travel to dangerous locations all over the world in an attempt to uncover stories typically ignored by the world media. Series 34 will start on Channel 4, Friday September 29 at 7.30pm and the first episode is reporting on China's Pop Idols. Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Take a wander along on of Britain's oldest roads: the Ridgeway. TV presenter, writer and archaeologist Mary-Ann Ochota is the patron of the Ridgeway National Trail and takes host Fergus on a circular walk from the stone circle at Avebury onto mysterious Fyfield Down They then walk along the Ridgeway to magnificent West Kennet Long barrow – where a big surprise is awaiting them in the prehistoric burial mound This is episode 2 of season 15 of the Plodcast: Mindful Walks in Nature Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: editor@countryfile.com If your email or recording is read out or played on the show you could WIN a Plodcast Postbag prize of a wildlife- or countryside-themed book chosen by the team Visit the Countryfile Magazine website: countryfile.com Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Stencil art and wine barrels at Lost in a Forest Wine is the new cult religion in the verdant Adelaide Hills and its place of worship is here in the appropriately named ex-church Lost in a Forest a name which is spot on for my current state of mind because despite growing up in the Adelaide foothills after a trip to nearby Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary It's a place bound to the reputation of one John Wamsley who hated cats so much he used to wear a hat made out of feral cat fur is quick to remind me and proclaim his love of cats I train mine to kill anything native," he grins devilishly before taking me on a tour of his beloved pizza restaurant-slash-cellar door It doesn't take long for me to become a convert Taras Ochota: "When we saw the wine glasses in the stained glass windows Sunlight shines through stained glass windows highlighting the artwork he commissioned Japanese artist Ryota to paint "I told him to watch 'A Forest' by The Cure showed him the beer fridge and said "see you in three dayss," Ochota reveals The clock's just struck midday so I'm offered a zingy margarita and a mezcal shot in a glass lined with chilli and agave worm salt from the colourful where bottles of spirits hang from low-slung ladders At the same time Ochota drains a can of his favourite tinny while declaring his aversion of craft beer His other favourite drink is the unpretentious JD chilled neat which he jokingly calls "sulphur free orange wine" Both beverages stick out like a sore thumb on the restaurant's drinks list an otherwise greatest hits list of the Basket Range Ochota is at the top of the heap of natural winemakers who are continually pushing the envelope in the Adelaide Hills visitors are fortunate to be able to try and buy all his wines but for most of the other winemakers you'll have to make private appointments with prior to visiting Gareth Belton from Gentlefolk is one of them He's spent the last few days covering his vineyard with netting as the weather has bizarrely turned to heavy rain and fog which without the help of an organic spray programme Belton ditched a career in marine biology to become a winemaker as his wine too is among the best you'll find here He's collaborated with Ochota to produce 'Father's Milk'; a pinot noir made after they both became fathers but in his formative years he played bass for punk band Kranktus and is still a bit of a rock dog black skinny jeans and Chuck Taylor's he could almost be mistaken for a more spruce Tim Rogers I'm barely there five minutes before he recites the unintentionally inappropriate lyrics to a Dead Kennedys song Spirit bottles dangle from repurposed ladders All of his wines are named after bands or songs close to his heart 'Weird Berries in the Woods' is the name of his gewürztraminer; is taken from The Strangler's 'Golden Brown' which is what this wine is all about," he explains."Like the song at the time it was written to destabilise the punk movement which was in vogue at the time Also the yellow label is tricky to read… Like looking at the sun." which would ordinarily be a very stressful time but the well-connected Ochota has turned it into a fruit picking party I'd like an invitation to Vineyards in the Adelaide Hills.Credit: Ben Goode Earth Art Photography "Ochota Barrels is all about being relaxed with a long lunch involving many open bottles from around the world and beer o'clock at 6pm I'm lucky I have my wife Amber and dad Yari who is 76 Louise Scholfield (Hellbound wine bar) helps out and then there's the dark lord Duncan Welgemoed from Africola He helps in the winery but mainly goes berserk in the kitchen." The Ochota brand has also caught the attention of visiting rockers the Rolling Stones who were in the middle of an Australian tour Efforts to keep their visit on the quiet were quashed by a neighbour who stopped by to return something she'd borrowed and was halted by superstar's security Their ten-month-old Sage introduced Mick to their piano and he played and sang lay around on lawns and then danced the afternoon away Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens in the Adelaide Hills.Credit: SATC Maynard Keenan from US rock band Tool is also a fan and spends time in the Basket Ranges to do a collaboration with Ochota "We became friends after visiting each others' wineries and fitting in making a bit of vino between his touring We are now into our seventh year of this wine from an insane little 74-year-old block we co-ferment with frozen gewurztraminer skins," Ochota explains You can buy their 'Sense of Compression' Grenache if you've got a spare $80 and can find it because the label's wines sell like hit records on gold vinyl Despite all this success and rock star association we drive back to his house which sits on a steep slope of the idyllic Basket Range organic vineyards are separated by gums and farmers growing anything from raspberries to cherries selling them in an honour system by the side of the road Belton points out some of the favourite vineyards he leases before Ochota escorts us through his "wine studio" a dog and two blonde headed toddlers to reach his kitchen As we're seated around the long table he disappears into the house and returns a few moments later carrying a large ginger cat blissfully dozes off while we sip some of Australia's best cool climate wines I could easily see out the rest of the afternoon here in this light filled kitchen working our way through Ochota and Gentlefolk wines and the names of people we no doubt have in common I've got to finally admit the Hills - and the city of Adelaide around 20 minutes drive from here - has become a pretty cool place to be I can finally feel proud to admit it's where I'm from www.satc.com.au traveller.com.au/adelaidehills Adelaide Hills is approximately a 20 minute drive from the Adelaide CBD and Adelaide Airport Mt Lofty House offers luxury accommodation at the top of Mt Lofty, an excellent base for exploring the region. Rooms start at $320 per night. mtloftyhouse.com.au Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now It's a place bound to the reputation of one John Wamsley It doesn't take long for me to become a convert "I told him to watch 'A Forest' by The Cure The clock's just struck midday so I'm offered a zingy margarita and a mezcal shot Both beverages stick out like a sore thumb on the restaurant's drinks list you'll have to make private appointments with prior to visiting He's spent the last few days covering his vineyard with netting as the weather has bizarrely turned to heavy rain and fog as his wine too is among the best you'll find here He's collaborated with Ochota to produce 'Father's Milk'; a pinot noir made after they both became fathers black skinny jeans and Chuck Taylor's I'm barely there five minutes before he recites the unintentionally inappropriate lyrics to a Dead Kennedys song 'Weird Berries in the Woods' is the name of his gew\\u00FCrztraminer; is taken from The Strangler's 'Golden Brown' Also the yellow label is tricky to read\\u2026 Like looking at the sun." which would ordinarily be a very stressful time but the well-connected Ochota has turned it into a fruit picking party I'd like an invitation to with a long lunch involving many open bottles from around the world and beer o'clock at 6pm I'm lucky I have my wife Amber and dad Yari who is 76 and then there's the dark lord Duncan Welgemoed from Africola who stopped by to return something she'd borrowed and was halted by superstar's security "We became friends after visiting each others' wineries and fitting in making a bit of vino between his touring You can buy their 'Sense of Compression' Grenache if you've got a spare $80 and can find it because the label's wines sell like hit records on gold vinyl As we're seated around the long table blissfully dozes off while we sip some of Australia's best cool climate wines I've got to finally admit the Hills - and the city of Adelaide I can finally feel proud to admit it's where I'm from Mt Lofty House offers luxury accommodation at the top of Mt Lofty an excellent base for exploring the region The TimesThe organisation that looks after some of Scotland’s most famous landmarks and wild places has been confronted with the departure of one its most high profile figures author and anthropologist says she has quit as a trustee of the John Muir Trust and claims that “serious matters were brushed over or signed off without proper scrutiny” who also featured as a model in several adverts is believed to have resigned as a trustee in March but last week she took to social media to vent her frustration about governance at the trust The John Muir Trust has suspended David Balharry, its chief executive, relating to an allegation of misconductHer anger follows the suspension in July of David Balharry the chief executive of the leading conservation body but a new film examines the disturbing phenomenon of the real thing I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A unique insight into the world of feral children – infants abandoned or neglected by mankind but surviving under the care of wild creatures – will be broadcast this week after one of the biggest studies to date of the phenomenon. Feral Children, which starts tomorrow, is the result of a year of research attempting to unravel the reality of three cases of children who have grown up in the wild. They include the tale of John Ssebunya, a Ugandan man who was a toddler when his mother died. Instead of being taken into care the boy sought sanctuary with vervet monkeys, spending more than two years learning how to search for food as well as travel. In the late 1970s Sujit Kumar was locked up in a chicken coop under a Fijian house on the outskirts of the capital, Suva. His parents thought he was either retarded or demented, and treated him as they did the fowls that lived under their house. It wasn't until years later that Kumar was found in the middle of a road. He'd been left abandoned, clucking and flapping his distress. The film shows him now aged 40 and recovered after decades of therapy. Also included in the three-part series is Oxana Malaya, who was discovered at the age of eight in 1991 having spent most of her time at a Soviet orphanage with dogs. There have been more than 100 documented examples of feral children in the last 20 years. While many of these have proved to be hoaxes, the figure for genuine cases could be far higher, according to experts who believe some people's experiences go unreported. Wolves, dogs, even ostriches are said to have helped abandoned children survive in the wild. One of the most famous cases is that of Victor of Aveyron, found in woods near Toulouse, in southern France, in 1797. Believed to be about 12, he was studied by scientists, who tried without success to teach him to speak. His story inspired François Truffaut's film, L'Enfant Sauvage, in 1970. The British anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota, who researched and presents the documentary, believes there are still more than 100 children alive today surviving without the care of humans but in close proximity to animals. A good number of those, she believes, are incarcerated in animal pens, coops or outhouses. New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. "Most of them are hidden, and will die without their plight being revealed," she said. The documentary, which is broadcast on Animal Planet, a cable channel, is intended to show that feral children's stories can become ones of recovery and recuperation. But it also counsels caution about the phenomenon. "Many feral cases are hoaxes, many are vastly elaborated tall tales," says Dr Ochota. Often the reality is more about child abuse and neglect, rather than incredible Mowgli- or Tarzan-style heroics. "The fates of these feral children can reveal uncomfortable truths about how we treat people who are different to ourselves," she adds, "but they can also show how caring and compassionate we can be." The girl who turned to dogs for warmth and friendship Oxana Malaya was eight when she was brought to an orphanage in Ukraine. Accounts suggest she spent her time with the orphanage dogs, even trying to smuggle them into the dormitories. The programme shows how she began to imitate the dogs as a mental escape from the trauma of the orphanage. They offered physical comfort and an emotional connection she couldn't get from others. Her behaviour escalated and she was eventually referred to Makarenka Correctional Orphanage in Odessa, where she was slowly rehabilitated. She now lives in an adult care facility where the residents help run a farm. She has mild learning disabilities and can't live independently. She says she sometimes crawls on all fours. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies HomeAbout usWho we are ❯ Meet our president and vice presidents author and anthropologist whose  expertise has engaged people worldwide with landscapes A passionate advocate of our countryside and natural spaces Mary-Ann was appointed as CPRE’s president in July 2024 he founded the Contrarian Prize which recognises the independence courage and sacrifice of British public figures whose ideas challenge the status quo He has had a deep affection for the English countryside and strongly believes in the importance of people connecting with the beauty and tranquillity of nature He served as a CPRE trustee from 2009–2014 Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE became Master of Emmanuel College she was Director-General of the National Trust where she raised the profile of the trust’s work in the countryside Fiona was previously Director of the Council for the Protection of Rural England (now Campaign to Protect Rural England) and Secretary to the Council for National Parks (now Campaign to Protect National Parks) Fiona holds many non-Executive roles and is a Member of the Advisory Panel for the Dasgupta Review of the Economics of Biodiversity She was also was a Panel Member for the Glover Review of Protected Landscapes and Adviser to the Building Better Building Beautiful Commission When he passed away in October 2020 after battling illness the loss rippled throughout the community in Australia In 2005, Ochota completed a graduate diploma in oenology (the study of wine) from the University of Adelaide. Recently, the university launched the Taras Ochota Scholarship Fund aimed at supporting aspiring winemakers studying viticulture who are experiencing financial disadvantage bands and DJs from around the country for a cause importers and retailers including Murdoch Hill a silent auction provides the rare opportunity to get your hands on a Sami-Odi magnum from the Barossa and a wine experience with Mac Forbes in the Yarra Valley the not-so-silent Byron Bay punks Mini Skirt will take to the stage and raise a glass to Taras Ochota Tickets are on sale now. This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with the University of Adelaide Words by · 13 Apr 2016 The seven-course meal (on April 27) is a chance to get to know the man behind Ochota Barrels “He’s not doing any other dinners in Adelaide purely because the wine is already sold out,” says Apothecary 1878 owner Paola Coro “I bought some and kept it for this kind of occasion rather than sell it.” will be held in the venue’s downstairs cellar and restaurant including Ochota Barrels Weird Berries in the Woods Gewürztraminer 2014; Fugazi Grenache 2015; and I Am The Owl Syrah 2015 “We tend to focus on the smaller producers,” Coro says “Taras is part of the next wave of small producers to watch out for.” The former punk rocker won the Young Gun of Wines award in 2013 and made premium small-batch wine A Sense of Compression with TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan that same year His Adelaide Hills creations are found on menus at top wine bars and restaurants across the globe “In 10 years’ time you’re going to wish you put some of his wines away to store,” says Coro “There isn’t heaps around.” Mark Reginato from Man of Spirit is co-host and will prepare a cocktail to accompany dessert “There’s that serious wine element side to it but with those two involved there’ll be fun as well,” says Coro “I’ve been nagging Taras to do something like this for ages and with a bit of pressure from Reggie he caved.” Ochota Barrels Dinner is at Apothecary 1878, 118 Hindley Street, Adelaide, on April 27 at 7pm. Tickets are $195 per person. Call (08) 8212 9099 or email drink@theapothecary.com.au for bookings apothecary1878.com.au Katie Spain is an Adelaide-based freelance food and wine writer She is also a former editor of Broadsheet Adelaide Where Chefs Eat: Karena Armstrong and O Tama Carey Got Drunk and Created a Perfect Toastie Over the Pass: Top Visiting Chefs Share Who They’re Most Excited To See at Tasting Australia 2025 Jessica Purcell Takes Sole Operating Ownership of Niña Following Leonardo Moreira Loureiro’s Guilty Plea to Criminal Charges The biggest players in South Australian wine need no introduction but there are also plenty of smaller winemakers giving the industry a new sense of purpose with innovative growing techniques In partnership with South Australia - A New State of Mind here are five small-scale progressive producers you should add to an itinerary through the state’s wine regions Words by · Updated on 01 Feb 2023· Published on 12 Dec 2022 you’re never more than a short drive from some of the world’s most iconic wineries independent winemakers who are lending a fresh sense of purpose to the state’s wine scene Whether you’re keen on exploring innovative modern wines or more traditional styles these five small producers pack a big punch when it comes to technique Commune of Buttons On a Basket Range site called Fernglen, siblings Jasper and Sophie Button tend to a vineyard planted by their mother. Using organic and biodynamic growing methods, the duo produces lively, drinkable wines such as nebbiolo, pinot noir and a pét-nat called Pretty Fun. While the tiny site isn’t open to visitors, you can pay a visit to the Summertown Aristologist a wine bar and restaurant in Summertown that’s co-owned by Jasper and doubles as a cellar door for Commune of Buttons There you’ll get the chance to taste Commune of Buttons wines alongside other celebrated small-scale winemakers such as Lucy Margaux Ochota Barrels This old stone chapel with the woodfired pizza and killer Ochota Barrels wine list is the ideal place to raise a glass Smallfry Viticulturists-turned-winemakers Suzi Hilder and Wayne Ahrens are passionate about organic farming natural fermentation and a light touch in the winery preferring to let the grapes do the talking From their two Barossa vineyards (in Eden Valley and Vine Vale) the duo produce vibrantly coloured pet nats chillable reds – a world away from the fulsome Barossa shiraz of yore The small cellar door is open by appointment only but you’ll get a personalised tour of their Angaston winery Alpha Box & Dice Helmed by winemaker Sam Berketa, Alpha Box & Dice is a McLaren Vale winery forging its own path. Berketa produces minimal intervention, vegan wines with little respect for tradition and “rules”, assigning each release its own letter of the alphabet. While bottles have been standard on restaurant wine lists for years, the cellar door is the best place to sample the range In a heritage-listed barn you’ll find a rotating selection of obscure European grape varieties (ever heard of bastardo?) easy drinkers from the Tarot range and some unusual non-vintage selections accompanied by cheese and charcuterie platters Koerner Grapes and the tiniest amount of sulphur – that’s all that brothers Damon and Jono Koerner use to produce their Clare Valley vino The duo is committed to letting their corner of the world shine through in the glass tending the vineyard with organic practices and picking grapes early to preserve freshness At their cellar door you’ll find classic Clare varieties such as zippy riesling and raspberry-tinged grenache alongside lesser-known European grapes like sciacarello – a light and aromatic red You can also stay at the vineyard in the four-bedroom hilltop accommodation with its sweeping views of the spectacular Clare Valley This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with South Australia- New State of Mind Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with South Australia – A New State of Mind. Learn more about partner content on Broadsheet 10 Vote-Winning Recipes for Your Election Party Where to Find Australia’s Best Inner-City Bakeries By Katya Wachtel By Katya Wachtel By Matheus Lost in a Forest felt like an extension of Taras Ochota’s home celebrated winemaker – who sadly passed away in 2020 – would serve an exclusive wine from his favourite personal barrel; whacked in a clear bottle with no added sulphur and stashed behind the bar as the standard pour Herein lies the beauty of Lost in a Forest The 130-year-old church is part-owned by Ochota’s surviving business partner Charlie Lawrence He took long-service leave from a career in advertising and graphic design to transform it into a laid-back hangout wood oven and an outdoor fire pit in June 2016 Lawrence developed an organic pizza obsession after building a wood oven in his backyard. He and third co-owner Nick Filsell (former head chef at Jamie’s Italian and Red Ochre Grill) began experimenting and came up with six organic pizzas Many of the ingredients come from the local pine forest dill and other ingredients are grown in 20 half barrels outside there are natural pours from around the world Justin Lane (founder of Alpha Box & Dice) and Gentle Folk winemaker Gareth Belton might appear from time to time Phone: 8390 3444 Website: lostinaforest.com.au We do not seek or accept payment from the cafes bars and shops listed in the Directory – inclusion is at our discretion Venue profiles are written by independent freelancers paid by Broadsheet Nepenthe’s Sustainably Renovated Cellar Door Is One of the Prettiest in the Adelaide Hills