Organic and biodynamic wines are now more accessible, says Louise Radman.

Long before organics were cool, Coonawarra vigneron, Dennis Vice was blazing a trail across the terra rossa.

Arriving here from California in 1985, he conducted organic field certifications for NASAA(National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia), wrote the viticulture curriculum for TAFE SA and worked with government and the University of Ballarat to train growers to an industry standard.

Today, his organic-inspired Highbank Vineyard has been run

On a recent marketing trip through Asia, I conducted a tasting at the residence of Dr NK Yong, doyen of the Singapore wine scene and wine columnist for the Singapore Business Times. He is largely responsible for inspiring thirst and the evolution of the fine wine market in Singapore.

Also at the tasting was wine, food and travel writer and commentator, Curtis Marsh aka The Wandering Palate, who is also Singapore-based but with a global reach. Here is a link to a piece he wrote on Highbank http://www.thewanderingpalate.com/2007_jun_23.html

The best cabernet sauvignons from Australia and France are arguably of equal quality, but one has ended up on supermarket shelves, the other in the best of wine cellars. Curtis Marsh explains, from The Standard, China's Business Newspaper.

Dennis and Bonnie Vice were pioneers of organic viticulture and farm based tourism in the Coonawarra.

The region is famous for its superb reds, produced on the districts terra rosa soils. The red soil is spread over a limestone base, which provides excellent drainage, deep rooting and deep soil moisture storage - ideal country for grapes. The southern location and cool ripening season permits late picking and produces a superior flavour and acid balance in the grapes juice.

Dennis and Bonnie Vice saw the potential in the Coonawarra when they

Holidays at last, and a picnic lunch in the vineyards is a highlight. A lady beetle purposefully struts across the recycled timber table skirting around our ham and tomato rolls. A magpie tenderises a plump earthworm before it becomes part of the food web. An ancient gum tree with homely hollows aplenty attracts parrots and wattle birds now snuggling among its leafy, welcoming branches. And humans too fit neatly into this landscape dominated by thigh-thick ancient grapevines.

We are at Highbank vineyards at Coonawarra, South Australia, where limestonederived terra rossa soils at the centre of this 20 km cigar-shaped prime wine region are cherished. In turn, the soil reward its carers with great red wines that taste even better if one has time to chat about their origin with the grower and winemaker.

Just 10 Hectares of this soil are lovingly tendered by viticulturalist and winemaker, Dennis Vice

A visit to South Australia by Dutch and Belgian sommeliers, early in 2002, saw them visit Coonawarra to meet local winemakers. Their trip report highlighted Highbank Wines thus:

Discovery: Highbank Coonawarra

The discovery of the day was Highbank 1999 "Coonawarra". Dennis Vice made this outstanding wine. He is an individual of outstanding knowledge in viticulture and produces on one type of wine - a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.

In 1986 Dennis purchased 4 hectares of ground in Coonawarra and in 1991 produced his first vintage wine. In the year 1999 he produced 400 cases of wine that were exported.

His wine has an outstandingly fragrant nose, a complex broad taste with a very long finish. A truly outstanding wine from this famous domain.

Dennis Vice is very excited to offer this wine back to his compatriots. After spending many years as a viticulturist in California, Dennis settled in Australia's home of Cabernet Sauvignon and related varieties; the Coonawarra, South Australia. Apart from maintaining this vineyard Dennis also lectures in viticulture and applies his knowledge and experience with the result being just about the finest the region can achieve.

The vines are hand pruned to ensure low yields of concentrated, evenly ripe berries and in turn the bunches are harvested by hand to ensure that they arrive at the winery in prime condition. This lack of intervention by machine is very rare in the region.