The Ochota Barrels journey began in the early 2000s, during a surf trip along Mexico's coast in a Volkswagen campervan. Inspired by their travels through world-class wine regions, Taras and Amber Ochota returned to South Australia to craft holistic, natural wines. Taras, a former punk musician, earned his Oenology degree from Adelaide University and honed his skills in vineyards around the globe. He also served as a European Flying Winemaker, focusing on Italian regions like Puglia and Sicily, and worked vintages in California with esteemed producers like Schrader and Hitching Post from the film "Sideways."
Ochota Barrel is a celebrated boutique winery nestled in the Adelaide Hills, Australia, renowned for its rebellious and minimal intervention approach to winemaking. Founded in 2008 by Taras and Amber Ochota, the winery reflects a passion for producing expressive, wild-yeast fermented wines that capture the soul of their vineyards. Taras, whose vibrant personality and unconventional approach shaped the winery’s ethos, worked in wine regions across the globe over his decades-long career. These diverse experiences, from Europe to California, introduced him to a colorful array of winemakers who influenced Ochota Barrel’s distinctive style.
From the suave, chain-smoking Italian in a white suit to the tech-savvy Australian, the sex-mad, country-and-western-loving Californian, and the eccentrically dressed French oenologist attending a punk rock concert, Taras was inspired by a smorgasbord of creative, sometimes quirky, and often brilliant winemaking minds. Their collective knowledge, experiences, and willingness to share everything—from wine techniques to cocktails from an esky—shaped the philosophy behind Ochota Barrel’s wines.
The Ochota Barrel ethos is rooted in a holistic, autumn-to-autumn approach, where organic farming, biodynamic principles, and minimal intervention guide their craft. Deeply influenced by small biodynamic producers in southern France, Taras and Amber believed in allowing the vineyards to speak for themselves. Their vineyards, alive with rich, organic soil, produce beautifully sculptured, low-yield bush vines with small, delicious berries. Harvesting is intuitive, without instruments—just taste. If the stalks have a perfect piquant quality, whole bunches are included in small-batch ferments, using hand pigeage and cap submersion to preserve the purity of fruit.
Texture plays a significant role in Ochota Barrel wines, with careful manipulation of mouthfeel through skin contact and batonnage. Wild, indigenous fermentations enhance complexity and add an artisan charm to the wines. Yet, the process is always guided by an Occam’s Razor approach—keeping things simple and letting the vineyard’s essence shine through. Taras and Amber sought to create wines with energy, nervous tension, and a true sense of place.
Ochota Barrel is known for its precise attention to detail. Experiments with lower sulphur levels have led to wines that offer the pretty nuances of freshly siphoned wine from the barrel, captured perfectly in their cool-climate Adelaide Hills vineyards. The result is a range of wines—such as their mouth-watering Gamay—that are enticing, with plump berry fruit, spicy herbal undertones, and vibrant acidity. These wines are crafted with love, minimal additives, and a pure connection to the land.
Since Taras’ untimely passing in 2020, Amber Ochota has continued his legacy with grace and passion. The wines, like their creator, are bold yet balanced, imbued with both a sense of place and the spirit of experimentation. They remain a testament to Taras’ punk rock approach to life and winemaking—delicious, unique, and created with authenticity for everyone to enjoy.
Amber produces wines from the family cellar in the Basket Range, with support from Taras' father, Yari, and Taras' protégé, Louis Schofield, who also crafts his own wines under the Worlds Apart label.
