Wise Child Wine Store is a beautifully curated wine store, with a selection of wines that will make you want to call a friend or two. We asked co-founder Lucy Byrnes what makes them excited about the industry and how arts and culture weaves into their own life.
What is the best thing about being part of the wine industry?
The wines that we get to drink with the people who make them! We’re so lucky to be in a position where we meet the farmers, growers and producers behind the wines themselves. It changes the story when you can walk the land that grows the vines and take a look at the individual processes of winemaking.
We have noticed a big shift towards sustainability, what sorts of initiatives have you seen lately?
We’re seeing an ever greater shift toward an organic, in many cases biodynamic, approach to vineyard health and grape growing. This groundswell that began within the natural wine movement has started to radically infiltrate many conventional wineries, with more and more mainstream producers seeking out environmentally friendly options - that will yield the same, if not better results.
Where does community fit into what you are doing at Wise Child Wine Store?
We’re nestled away in a small pocket of North Fremantle, and while we have a great online presence and webstore, we love servicing the locals within our area. Historically bottle shops have always been about the locality, with people visiting the closest one available, therefore we have a really strong customer base and know all the faces who come in. That’s pretty special I think.
What makes WA different from other regions or places in the world?
WA being so isolated! We’re so far away from everything over here, but that in turn engenders a really vibrant sense of community. We’ve got great music here, we’ve got djs, food, art, fashion and somehow everyone is always connected to everything else in this little pocket of Australia. There are so many layers to what everyone is doing and these layers continually overlap.
Do you get to be creative in your role?
I’m not sure I’d call it that, however being a part of something that makes me excited sounds kind of creative in a roundabout way?
What made you want to support the local arts community and join ArtsPay?
We value community and we value fair and honest commitment to the arts. The things we think are important are centred around community engagement, artistic expression and the possibility of moving toward a more sustainable way of life for everyone.
Any tips for enjoying wine more?
No tips! Trust what your taste buds are telling you - and if you like it, you like it.