Is it just us, or does drinking your wine from a carafe just add that little bit of pizzazz? Some associate a carafe with dinner parties, but what if we told you that it benefits a lot more than just complimenting your ‘exquisite taste’ and being a talking point over dinner? Think sustainable wine consumption like you’ve never imagined. Enter Carafe Wines, based on the Gold Coast. We got to know the mastermind behind the business, Archie Cox, and found a bit more about how Carafe Wine’s is wine without waste.

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I grew up on the GC and spent my days around Southport. I attended Keebra Park High and am a member of the Southport Surf Club, so you could say the GC is my true stomping ground! My favourite places around our glorious Coast are certainly within the fabulous food/wine/events scene and blending this with our sea life is absolutely intoxicating.

Tell us a bit about you.
I grew up on the Gold Coast and I’m one of four boys to hardworking, professional parents. Many locals would have been taught by at least one of these consciously and thoughtful teachers and or principals! My parents broke the mould by taking us kids around Australia to truly allow us to see the genuine culture of our long-standing country, spending time in central Australia learning our indigenous ways.

During my youth, I began my love of the ocean at Southport Surf Club – rowing boats, until the burning boat life called me to complete my marine mechanics apprenticeship. I was offered an opportunity for the prized boat mechanic of the Australian ‘Formula One boat series’. I traveled the world, securing winning performances for my team, tweaking each boat, including for one of the female drivers – Kay Marshall (iconic at this time). After a few years, I returned to see a niche business opportunity in the elite’s private business security. My ‘large format’ status is not hidden, and it had become a benefit on the Formula One circuit as the drivers required security support, and I seamlessly bounced into another new role. This then lead me to take an imperative role in the daily runnings of ‘The Playroom – Tallebudgera.’ I was managing there when I was presented with the opportunity to take over this local music establishment. I was the frontman of ‘The Playroom’ and wanted to turn it into the most iconic Gold Coast music venue for all the famous bands worldwide to showcase their talents. The tunes that bounced from the wall and carpet weekly included The Living End, INXS, Run DMC, the Ramones, Powderfinger, Mighty Mighty Bostones, and the local likes of Pete Murray. But one icon I truly enjoyed was Henry Rollins, even heading to gym sessions with the boss man himself. Sadly, in 1999 the land where ‘the playroom’ stood was taken into submission.

After reflection and redirection, I turned my hand to another passion in the wine trade, from grape farming to marketing and sales. I travelled the Australian coastline making marks in every town, learning the fine talent of a wine connoisseur. My experience and love developed further over the last 15 years as I helped many well-known brands to create food and wine menus with my, some may say, prestigious palette. My most recent role was almost a decade of popping corks for the beloved Moet Hennessy. I am eternally proud of this time with the LVMH team, and I’ve been lucky enough to experience a dream life for many. I have seen the world sipping bubbles, tasting luscious liquors, and reading my own place card in the most delectable dining rooms. My most pinch-worthy moments were: being seated in Madam Cliquot’s quarters upon her prized possessions and clearing dust from the bottles in the cellar of Krug as well as initiating an insurmountable success at music festivals and high-profile events. Some of my happiest days are meeting the story-worthy people in my customers from our coastal locals to others around the glorious globe.

Explain to us what Carafe Wine is.
I took a more conscientious turn to ensure what I’d experienced in Australia within wine needed to be passed on. Through my learnings in the luxury wine trade, I hoped to offer a better way to consume. A sustainable wine without waste is served from tap to carafe to table. Carafe Wines maintain their centuries-old stylish European origin by replacing bottles. The global impact of wine bottles for venues and restaurants is hugely impactful, being 460kg of glass wastage per plate and a high cost to venue owners, councils and our environment. I wanted to change this for our future.

What are the benefits of ‘on tap’ wine?
Wine on tap offers a fresher and higher quality wine as it has not been bottled, meaning limited exposure to oxygen. The grapes juice is prime. Many believe that it is “terrible” or “cheap” because it comes on a tap, but it is the opposite. Every European winemaker and drinker agrees. Wine actually maintains its freshness due to less time to oxide, thus providing the consumer with the ultimate drop every time. Carafe Wines is the new chic-conscious way to drink wine for a better future.

Why is reducing our carbon footprint so important?
Reducing our carbon footprint is key to a sustainable life, and currently, the overuse of glass and its inability to properly be recycled is concerning. Here in Australia, we need to consume wine like the Europeans do. We can do this by using a carafe to serve delectable wines direct from barrels or taps and removing the unnecessary wastage (glass) in the process.

What is in store for Carafe Wines over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, I plan to work with restaurants and bars to find a better alternative to their alcohol consumption lists. Ensuring we all work together to provide a premium to our wine lovers without hurting our environment. The future is bright, and I look forward to truly making a difference while sharing that carafes are chic and the way of tomorrow as ‘what was old is now new again and considerate to us all’.

Where can people enjoy Carafe Wines?
Carafe Wines is on tap at – QT Bazaar, Miami Marketta; Double Barrel Kitchen & Bar Benowa, Omeros Bros Fish Bar, Edgewater and Cafe Le Monde Noosa. Check out the Carafe Wine website for all venues.

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café: My favourite coffee spot is Double Barrel Kitchen Mermaid Beach
Coffee spot: My favourite coffee is from home in Miami but second on the list would definitely be Cruize Espresso Chirn Park
Restaurant: I can’t go past the Spanner Crab Dumplings at Mamasan Broadbeach but not to outdo the Lemons Butter Snapper at Omeros Bros Marina Mirage.
Bar or pub for a drink: If I’m going to grungy music grassroots then it’s definitely – Last Night On Earth in Southport
How do you choose to spend your weekends? My weekend (if the weather is right) are spent on the water in my boat. Either fishing or crabbing. I am a hunter/gatherer and enjoy finding the freshest possible produce and creating beautiful food for family and friends to combine with our premium wines, quality champagne, or thirst-quenching beer.

Elk Espresso is renowned for having a very innovative menu, so how do you and the team come up with these dishes?
Our brains never stop churning over new ideas for the next menu! It’s quite daunting sometimes when we are two months out from a new season, as we feel the pressure to keep food evolving plus we take the responsibility of bringing something new-to-the-diner very seriously. It’s part of what makes Elk what it is today and locals near and far keep an eye on what new dishes are dropping with a new season. It’s definitely a team effort with menus between myself, Jeremy (Head Chef) & Emily (Sous Chef).  All three of us are completely different and when we come together for brainstorming it’s a great feeling, we bounce concepts and food ideas off each other.  When we finally release a new menu, it literally feels like we have given birth (haha… I have no idea clearly) but it’s because we put so much time and energy into each and every new element and dish. 

What’s the most popular dish on your current menu?
Brown Butter Scrambled Eggs (with Goats Cheese, Caramelised Pumpkin, Shiso, Hazelnuts and Thyme Onion Sourdough.) It’s been hugely popular to the point where I got asked at school pick up to keep it on the menu from a group of Mums!

What is your personal favourite dish and why?
That’s a hard one. I love the Peach Cobbler French Toast at the moment but obviously, I can’t have that every day! The other go-to for me is the Winter Breakfast Bowl…. Think XO Brussel Sprouts, Kale, Carrot Hummus, Fetta, Poached Eggs, Heirloom Tomatoes, Brown Rice and Charred Zucchini.

How has COVID changed the way Elk operates?
I’ve tried to keep it as “normal” as possible. I feel it’s our responsibility to be a hub for the community on the Gold Coast especially during this season – that’s why we never close in lockdowns. I want people to try and forget the pandemic we are in when they are having their Elk experience. The masks have been a big issue for us though… it’s so hard to work in and communicate properly with them. Plus we do still have some people give us backlash when we make sure everyone has one on when they come in – please remember to be kind.

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café: Highline
Coffee spot: To be honest I love making batch brew at home – it’s my daily morning ritual before anyone else in the house wakes.
Restaurant: Eddy & Wolff
Bar or pub for a drink: Rosellas

How do you choose to spend your weekends?
With three kids, weekends can be a lot sometimes – netball, kids parties, socialising. We do try and bring the kids to Elk on Saturday mornings weekly so they can be involved with what we do, eat some waffles and go play in the park across the road.

Part of the growing arts and culture scene on the Gold Coast is the ingenious way people are willing to come together for the greater good. The buzzword in the last two years or so has undoubtedly been ‘collective’, and when it comes to bettering the already envious lifestyle we have here, well, it’s another feather in our cap when clever-minded businesses come together and work in exciting new collaborations.

Madison and Reuben Browne are one such couple who have taken this idea and ran with it to incredible new heights.  The co-directors and creative masterminds are proud to show the Coast their creative baby, The Ocean Club in Mermaid Waters.

The concept is relatively simple. We’ve all been to those homeware showrooms before with all sorts of fittings and things you can include in new builds and renovations. And for the most part, they can be a tad stale and boring! Not here. The idea is to showcase up to a dozen different trades under the one roof. But, the difference being they are deftly constructed in the context of the home, inviting vendors, artists, and craftspeople to put out the word surrounding their businesses and wow you with what they offer.

Within the walls, you’ll discover the physical work of industry professionals, trades, builders, architects, developers, home designers, and renovators. Meaning you can enter this incredible space, observe a multitude of styles and fittings, and with the help of modern technology — QR codes — you’ll have all the essential information and how you can start the ball rolling on your very own home improvement.

The space itself is stunning, and from the moment you walk through their vintage style 1920s handmade doors, you’ll find it hard to leave. A majority of influence has been taken from mid-century styling, with a thin slice of minimalism, and not forgetting a peppering of sub-tropical Queensland vibes, The Ocean Club’s whole persona and the clever things you’ll find inside are nothing short of utterly impressive!

Officially opening Saturday 9th October, people will be free to come in and discover the space at any time, take inspiration and connect with some talented people that they might otherwise never have discovered.

The couple has already foreseen the potential for other uses: a multifunctional space. We are told the venue will be open to hire for varying events, and if you pay close enough attention in the near future, there could very well be yoga classes and even some form of coffee going down as well. However, the cherry on top is a complimentary beverage bar for staff and clients, featuring a curved bench seat with custom vinyl leather upholstery and a servery window peering over the water towards the Gold Coast hinterland.

Cheers, don’t mind if we do!

The Ocean Club currently showcases the following trades, artisans and designers:

• Art installations – CJ Anderson.
• Tiling – A Cut Above Tiling
• Timber flooring – Ocean Floor
• Concrete flooring – Concrete Floor Restorations
• Joinery – Rays Joinery
• Doors – Ali Door
• Custom upholstery – C U L T K Ā Studio
• Landscaper – Living 4 Landscapes
• Stone masonry – Dream Bench Tops
• Glazing – Mackays Glass
• Interior design – Studio Beck
• Custom furniture – Dog Thumbs

Hours: Monday-Friday: 9am – 4.30pm, Saturday: 9am – 1pm
Where: 13 Northview Street, Mermaid Waters

Words by Alex Mitcheson.