Did you know Australia’s first vines were planted 230 years ago on Macquarie Street, in the heart of Sydney’s CBD? Neither did I. I have a fascination with wine. I love it, I can’t get enough of it; it’s enchanting, so layered and complex. It’s a hobby of mine. So when, while perusing the web, I spotted the headline ‘Sydney to become the world’s largest urban vineyard’ – an initiative by Cracka Wines – I wanted to know how on Earth they planned on achieving this. As it turns out? Simple really. We urban dwellers register online and each receive several vines to grow on our windowsills or balconies or in our courtyards. The aim being to bottle a drop of our very own riesling or pinot noir. Free wine! No-brainer.

I registered because the concept excited me and almost seemed ridiculous. I’ve never planted anything in my life… but my own mini vineyard? How? Where? Vineyards in my mind were generally reserved for the elite or the generational farmer. Neither of which I am. Angus Hughson of Cracka Wines explained to me that I’d receive communications “digitally – via email and social media – to hopefully connect with a younger wine interested audience”. Not knowing what was going to arrive, I was presented with about a dozen uninspiring barren sticks. Following the online instructions, I potted them, snapped some pics (if it’s not on Instagram it didn’t happen) and now I’m in the waiting stage.

It’s been two months and I think I can see some woolly buds surfacing on the sticks, but I can’t be sure. Vignerons are patient people.

“We always hoped the story would get out to a wider audience, and that has happened with hundreds of little vineyards now popping up around the country,” says Angus. The urban market is very much untapped, and judging by property prices, we seem to be very attracted to city living, but that does mean a sacrifice on space and greenery. As sustainability becomes both trendy and a priority, we are seeing the rise of rooftop beehives, courtyard chooks, growing your own produce, going off-grid, skyline eco centres, and now vineyards. A plot of land would be marvellous, but I quite enjoy my inner-city lifestyle and it appears the size of our plot may no longer be a barrier to our green thumb aspirations.

My little urban vineyard’s goal is a bottle of pinot noir and a bottle of riesling. I planted 10 riesling vines and two of pinot noir. I fear these may not crush to a bottle, but when our community of urban vignerons comes together there is power in numbers, and hopefully at least one bottle of wine coupled with a good laugh over our successes and failures. I have grand ideas about what kind of concrete jungle terroir our urban dwellings may instil in the final product. Watch this space…

Feeling my vine vibe? You can register and join the community here.