Hunter McKirdy

Short Summary

You say you want a revolution, well, you know … Wandering broke in Melbourne, a meandering young Scotsman with dabblings in political science, art, and wine went into a bookstore and picked up Andrew Jefford’s The New France, and his life changed in an instant. Paul McKirdy came to Alsace for what he thought would be only a year-long dive into biodynamics and the vinous dreamlife portrayed by Jefford. Then, he changed his plan to go elsewhere after finding the famous Alsatian domaine Zind-Humbrecht. In 2010, after completing her MSc in Viticulture and Oenology, the sharply focused South African Jolene Hunter also entered Zind-Humbrecht where, upon retrospect, it seemed that Paul had been waiting for her. More than a decade later they have a dog, a house, a domaine with Zellenberg limestone vineyards, an ancient rock cellar, gorgeous labels and bottles unusual for Alsatian wines, and a mystery in each one. Like Charles and Ray Eames, Paul and Jolene are a two-person revolutionary spark for change. Behind their fiery lightning whites and pale and tense reds is a missing Alsatian link in the arc of wines that starts in Côte d’Or, passes through Jura and doglegs west through southern Champagne, Chablis, Sancerre and into Loire Valley Chenin Blanc country. The 4.4 hectares they work alone are a stamp of living limestone terroirs in the form of liquid electricity sharpened in barrel that turns to lightening in a bottle that’s released into the glass. This is a revolution, folks.

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