Guest Selector: Mim Azzubair

Hi there! My name is Mim Azzubair and I’m one of the floor managers at Bar Rochford. I’m from Melbourne originally, and my background in wine is split pretty evenly between natty and conventional.

I’ve put together a selection of wines that make me excited for a whole bunch of reasons, but most of all because they express the most important aspects of the winemaking (and drinking) journey: philosophy, terroir and soul. We talk a lot about natural vs. conventional wine, but I really enjoy wines that transcend the boundaries we impose on them. Wines that show where they come from, what flavours come out that aren’t just from the grape itself, but how and where they’re grown and with what techniques that changed them into wine. You experience not just the flavour, but the philosophy of the winemaker and the soul of the land that they’ve come from.

I was introduced to these winemakers a few years ago. Sarah and Iwo involve every aspect of the land in their viticulture, and their philosophy translates so tangibly into their wine. The 2020 Sophie rose is a bit lighter than previous vintages but so delicious. I chose this wine because it’s smashable, glouglou wine but still offers purity, delicacy and complexity. Also, who doesn’t love a concrete egg wine?

This was one of the first ‘natural’ wines I ever had, and then when I moved to Canberra it was one of the first wines that I worked with at Bar Rochford. I took it as a sign from the universe that I was in the right place. Not only this, it’s also exciting to see Sicilian producers create something special with indigenous varietals after seeing traditional techniques eradicated during the ‘Vino Italiano’ movement of the 80s and 90s.

I love Chardonnay. It’s astonishing to see how malleable it is based on region, growing conditions, winemaking techniques. I despise the phrase ‘I hate Chardonnay’ for this very reason. Albeit my love for Chardonnay is overpowering sometimes, this wine I’ve picked not because it’s Chardonnay but because it represents what happens when the production is ‘facilitated’ by the producer rather than manipulated.

Jura is a region that excites and terrifies a lot of people, myself included. French wine is associated with appellation and being able to expect one thing from a bottle and getting that particular thing. However, Jura is unexpected and unique. It represents that perfect harmony of natural and conventional. I chose this wine because it has crystal pure expression, excellent wine making with proud philosophy.