Urban Winery Sydney
A$23,955
of $20,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 9th Mar 2016 at 6:44AM.
Concept summary
Urban Winery Sydney is more than just a winery.
It is Australia’s only truly city-based winery: a place to make, ferment, mature, love, savour, taste and take home the best of local wines.
Home to award-winning A.Retief Wines, which processes 50 tonne (5000 dozen) of NSW cool-climate grapes every year. But it's not all about A.Retief - in the place of a traditional cellar door, there is a wine bar stocking the very best of wines from NSW's 14 wine regions.
It's place for locals, tourists, for people who know about wine and people who want to learn - simply, it's for everyone.
Drop in to try the wine, and also local cheese and charcuterie. And perhaps more.
What's the key point of difference with this idea? A fully working winery slap-bang in the city, which allows people to get their hands dirty, or sit back and watch others do it. It's a way to grow a brand, a new type of wine experience, and promote NSW wines.
Why an Urban Winery?
In 2013 I started a very small Urban Ferment in Bourke St Bakery, Potts Point. It was only half a tonne of grapes fermenting using the natural yeast from the bakery, with customers encouraged to mix, plunge and be a part of the project.
The Australian article
The first year we had about 25 people come along for the ‘pressing party’, where we pressed the grapes using a small basket press to fill a barrel. 9 months later, at the ‘bottling party’, that 25 had doubled to 50.
Broadsheet article
Three vintages later we had just under 100 people all wanting to be a part of the experience, including press and I was approached by Nomad Restaurant Surry Hills to ferment a batch there as well.
Sydney Morning Herald article
What all of these projects really proved to me is that people want to learn more about wine, they want to be a part of the process and feel an ownership of something, but most importantly, they want to feel part of a community.
Urban Winery Sydney is more than just a winery.
It is Australia’s only truly city-based winery: a place to make, ferment, mature, love, savour, taste and take home the best of local wines.
Home to award-winning A.Retief Wines, which processes 50 tonne (5000 dozen) of NSW cool-climate grapes every year. But it's not all about A.Retief - in the place of a traditional cellar door, there is a wine bar stocking the very best of wines from NSW's 14 wine regions.
It's place for locals, tourists, for people who know about wine and people who want to learn - simply, it's for everyone.
Drop in to try the wine, and also local cheese and charcuterie. And perhaps more.
What's the key point of difference with this idea? A fully working winery slap-bang in the city, which allows people to get their hands dirty, or sit back and watch others do it. It's a way to grow a brand, a new type of wine experience, and promote NSW wines.
Why an Urban Winery?
In 2013 I started a very small Urban Ferment in Bourke St Bakery, Potts Point. It was only half a tonne of grapes fermenting using the natural yeast from the bakery, with customers encouraged to mix, plunge and be a part of the project.
The Australian article
The first year we had about 25 people come along for the ‘pressing party’, where we pressed the grapes using a small basket press to fill a barrel. 9 months later, at the ‘bottling party’, that 25 had doubled to 50.
Broadsheet article
Three vintages later we had just under 100 people all wanting to be a part of the experience, including press and I was approached by Nomad Restaurant Surry Hills to ferment a batch there as well.
Sydney Morning Herald article
What all of these projects really proved to me is that people want to learn more about wine, they want to be a part of the process and feel an ownership of something, but most importantly, they want to feel part of a community.
How The Funds Will Be Used
The journey from renting space in someone else’s winery to building my own has not been cheap. I have already raised some funds to get to a point where I have found an awesome site in St Peters and started filling it with all the shiny and expensive equipment needed to make top- quality wine.
Setting up this winery has been an expensive operation! We're almost there and further funds will make the first six months a lot easier.
The funds will be used to:
$10,000: pay part-time cellar door staff to allow more flexible opening hours for wine tasting and learning about wine tasting.
$10,000: fit out. The winery equipment is completely paid for and installed, we want to make this space look great - somewhere you want to spend time. We're close but lighting and soft seating are two aspects that we'd like to do more with - to make your winery experience more comfortable -and money raised will go straight to this.
Setting up this winery has been an expensive operation! We're almost there and further funds will make the first six months a lot easier.
The funds will be used to:
$10,000: pay part-time cellar door staff to allow more flexible opening hours for wine tasting and learning about wine tasting.
$10,000: fit out. The winery equipment is completely paid for and installed, we want to make this space look great - somewhere you want to spend time. We're close but lighting and soft seating are two aspects that we'd like to do more with - to make your winery experience more comfortable -and money raised will go straight to this.
The Challenges
The first hurdle undertaken was finding the perfect location. This challenge has been met in taking a lease in the incredible space that is Precinct 75.
Now, the REAL challenge will be getting as many people as possible to visit and be a part of the Urban Winery experience. I know that once people visit, they will come back for more.
This may be a first for Sydney but the concept is not entirely new. There are a number of wineries in cities around the states, like Enso in Portland and Bluxhome winery in San Francisco that are seriously popular places and make terrific wine.
This didn't occur over night and your support will help with the all important marketing and promotion of the winery as one of Sydney's must do venues.
Everyone who pledges their support will become a member of the Urban Winery, keeping you up to date with progress, news, plans and special offers. We want you to be a part of our project and for you to feel proud and excited to welcome your friends and family to the winery, which you helped establish.
Beyond that, running a winery is not the simplest day job, so I have assembled a team of business heads to advise us and nudge me in the right direction.
Legal bits:
You must be over 18 year of age to enjoy the fruits of Urban Winery Sydney (otherwise it's just grape juice)!
Liquor Licence LIQP770010174
Now, the REAL challenge will be getting as many people as possible to visit and be a part of the Urban Winery experience. I know that once people visit, they will come back for more.
This may be a first for Sydney but the concept is not entirely new. There are a number of wineries in cities around the states, like Enso in Portland and Bluxhome winery in San Francisco that are seriously popular places and make terrific wine.
This didn't occur over night and your support will help with the all important marketing and promotion of the winery as one of Sydney's must do venues.
Everyone who pledges their support will become a member of the Urban Winery, keeping you up to date with progress, news, plans and special offers. We want you to be a part of our project and for you to feel proud and excited to welcome your friends and family to the winery, which you helped establish.
Beyond that, running a winery is not the simplest day job, so I have assembled a team of business heads to advise us and nudge me in the right direction.
Legal bits:
You must be over 18 year of age to enjoy the fruits of Urban Winery Sydney (otherwise it's just grape juice)!
Liquor Licence LIQP770010174
Tasting flight of 5 wines
Be a part of the action in Urban Winery Sydney. Enjoy a tasting flight of 5 wines and a charcuterie or cheese plate at the bar, while you soak up the atmosphere and are awed by the concept. Thanks for your support, can't wait to see you in there! Redeemable between 1st March 2016 to 31st December 2016
3 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Two flights of 5 wines
Be a part of the action in Urban Winery Sydney, with a friend! Two flights of 5 wines and a charcuterie or cheese plate, to share with a friend (or enjoy yourself!) in Urban Winery Sydney. No more awkward first dates (or wedding anniversaries!), just look at the barrels, tanks and fermenting grapes and conversation will flow. Thanks for your support, can't wait to see you in there! Redeemable between 1st March 2016 to 31st December 2016
49 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Tour Urban Winery Sydney
Want to know a bit more about making and tasting wines? Take a guided tour of Urban Winery Sydney with winemaker Alex Retief and learn about the different processes involved in making grape juice that much better. Tour includes barrel tasting, flight of 6 A.Retief wine and charcuterie or cheese plate. Tour will take about 1.5 hours and bookings are essential. Thanks for your support, you will love it here! Redeemable between 1st March 2016 and 31st December 2016
4 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Tour and bottle
Want to know a bit more about making and tasting wines? Take a guided tour of Urban Winery Sydney with winemaker Alex Retief and learn about the different processes involved in making grape juice that much better. Tour includes barrel tasting, flight of 6 A.Retief wine and charcuterie or cheese plate and take a bottle of your favorite of the 6 wines to take home. Tour will take about 1.5 hours and bookings are essential. Thank-you! Redeemable between 1st March 2016 and 31st December 2016
21 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Case of A.Retief wines
Can’t get to Urban Winery Sydney but want to be a part of the action? Mixed case of A.Retief wines delivered within Australia, including 2 bottles each of the Tumbarumba Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay, Gundagai bio-dynamic Rose and Shiraz and Hilltops Mataro and Field Blend. Plus an Urban Winery trucker cap to wear while drinking the wines to really feel part of the awesomeness. Thanks for your support and hope to see you in the winery sometime. Wine will be delivered in March 2016.
10 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
NSW wine masterclass
Experience a NSW wine masterclass with winemaker Alex Retief in Urban Winery Sydney. You and 4 friends are guided through the 14 amazing regions of NSW and discover the diverse regionality that exists within. A tasting journey around NSW. 2 masterclasses of 5 people available. Please book to redeem between 1st March 2016 and 31st December 2016
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Wine blending experience
Your job to organize the team bonding day or school reunion? Make it one to actually enjoy with a wine blending experience for up to 15 people, including charcuterie, cheese and olives. Sit down with Alex and 5 different red wines straight out of barrel. Learn the palate characteristics of each variety before being thrown to the wolves to make the best wine you can. Final wines are judged and a winning blend is voted on. Please book to redeem between 1st March 2016 and 31st December 2016
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Your own barrel of wine
The big kahuna. Lay down Misère. You win! Your very own barrel of wine made for you / your posse! (225L = 25 dozen = $200 / dozen). Be a part of vintage, help make your very own barrel of wine from the vineyard through the whole winemaking process to bottling. Be involved as much as you want during this time, you can even come and visit the vineyard if you want pre-harvest (March 2016). Redeemable – vintage from early March 2016, bottling of wine, you have a say, but around July 2017.
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 16
Your name on a tank
Your name. On a plaque. On a tank. FOREVER!! Be a permanent part of Urban Winery Sydney with your name on a plaque on one of the tanks. You better have a cool name! Redeemable from 1st March 2016.
7 chosen / 0 available
Est. delivery is Mar 16