Caro Feely

Caro Feely (born Caroline Marian Wardle 6 October 1968) is a South African-born Irish writer, Wine & Spirit Education Trust certified wine educator, winemaker and organic activist living in Saussignac, France.

Early life and education

Caro grew up on a sugar farm in Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. After high school at St. Anne's Diocesan College boarding school in Hilton, South Africa she completed a BCom at the University of KwaZulu Natal then Honours at the University of South Africa and a Masters in Economics at Rand Afrikaans University.

Career

She met her husband Sean Feely, a journalist at the time, in Johannesburg. They lived and worked in Dublin for eight years[http://www.sudouest.fr/2012/08/09/le-vin-sa-nouvelle-vie-790145-713.php "Le vin, sa nouvelle vie"]. SudOuest.fr. before moving to France to set up an organic vineyard in 2005.{{cn|date=June 2020}} Her first book Grape Expectations is about moving from Dublin city to France to go wine farming and converting to organic.[http://www.davisenterprise.com/arts/up-a-lazy-river-with-me-and-my-wine-glass/ "Up a lazy river with me — and my wine glass"]. Davis Enterprise, By Susan Leonardi From page A9 | April 02, 2015[http://www.englishwinelovers.co.uk/2013/10/27/glass-of-english-wine-and-a-good-book-anyone/ "Glass of English wine and a good book, anyone?"]. English Wine Lovers, October 27, 2013 (bok review)[http://www.frostmagazine.com/2015/11/month-10-of-my-reading-challenge-by-frances-colville/ "Month 10 of My Reading Challenge"]. Frost Magazine, by Frances Colville

The second book Saving Our Skins is about settling, converting to biodynamics, transforming the farm to an organic vineyard.[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/books/review/wine.html?_r=0 "Sunday Book Review | The Shortlist"]. New York Times, By ERIC ASIMOV DEC. 3, 2015[https://wineeconomist.com/2014/07/01/saving-our-skins-french-vineyard-dreams-and-reality/ "Saving our Skins: French Vineyard Dreams (and Reality)"]. The Wine Economist, July 1, 2014 By Mike Veseth, book review[http://www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk/whats-on/arts/book-review-saving-our-skins-by-caro-feely-1-6807438 "Book review: Saving Our Skins, by Caro Feely"]. Clitheroe Advertiser, 4 September 2014. Rebecca Hay

In 2015 Summersdale published a wine book by Feely, Wine: The Essential Guide to Tasting, History, Culture and More.

In 2017 Summersdale published Feely's third book in the series about life on the organic vineyard: 'Glass Half Full'

{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/charming-inspiring-memoir-of-family-life-in-a-french-vineyard-36136507.html|title=Charming, inspiring memoir of family life in a French vineyard - Independent.ie|work=Independent.ie|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en}}

In 2023 Feely negotiated the return of the rights to her memoirs published by Summersdale and started a new path as an independent author. In April 2023 she has published new editions of Grape Expectations and Saving our Skins and edited, renamed and republished Glass Half Full as Vineyard Confessions. In June 2023 she published the fourth book in the vineyard series Cultivating Change - Regenerating Land and Love in the Age of Climate Crisis'.{{Cite news|url=https://thegloss.ie/caro-feely-on-her-journey-of-change-and-renewal-in-the-dordogne-france/ "Book review: Cultivating Change, by Caro Feely"]. The Gloss published in The Irish Times'|language=en}}' On 5 December 2023 she published a prequel to the series Saving Sophia'', a medical drama set in Dublin.

The vineyard owned and run with husband Sean, Chateau Feely, won the Best of Wine Tourism gold trophy for sustainable tourism in the Bordeaux region in 2013 {{Cite news|url=http://www.terredevins.com/actualites/les-best-of-wine-tourism-deja-dix-ans/|title=Les "Best of Wine Tourism" : déjà dix ans|date=2012-10-12|work=Terre de Vins|access-date=2018-01-09|language=fr-FR}} under the original farm name 'Haut Garrigue', officially changed to the Family name SARL Chateau Feely on 20 June 2014 {{Cite web|url=https://www.infogreffe.fr/entreprise-societe/484119284-sarl-chateau-feely--240114B002230000.html|title=SARL CHATEAU FEELY à SAUSSIGNAC (484119284), CA, bilan, KBIS - Infogreffe|website=www.infogreffe.fr|language=FR|access-date=2018-01-09}} and for vineyard accommodation in 2017.{{Cite news|url=http://www.terredevins.com/actualites/bordeaux-22-sites-labellises-best-of-wine-tourism-2017/|title=Bordeaux : 22 sites labellisés "Best Of Wine Tourism" 2017|date=2016-10-18|work=Terre de Vins|access-date=2018-01-09|language=fr-FR}} Feely is the wine writer for Living magazine {{Cite news|url=http://www.livingmagazine.fr/read-living-magazine-online/living-magazine-france-online.html|title=Living Magazine Online|work=Living Magazine|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en-gb}} and has articles published on JancisRobinson {{Cite web|url=https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/wwc-11-caro-feely|title=WWC 11 - Caro Feely {{!}} Articles {{!}} JancisRobinson.com|website=www.jancisrobinson.com|date=27 December 2016 |access-date=2018-01-09}}

Feely is a regular speaker on the subject of organic farming and wine.{{Cite news|url=http://www.litfest.ie/events/glass-half-full-talk-and-tasting-caro-feely|title=GLASS HALF FULL talk and tasting with Caro Feely|work=Litfest A Food and Drinks Literacy Festival at Ballymaloe|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041900/http://www.litfest.ie/events/glass-half-full-talk-and-tasting-caro-feely|archive-date=2017-12-01|url-status=dead}}

The Feelys continue to produce a number of organic, biodynamic and natural wines [http://www.fluxmagazine.com/travel-in-aquitaine-south-of-france/ "Travel Adventures in Aquitaine – The lesser known jewel of Southern France"]. Flux, February 20, 2014 recognised for their quality {{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/dining/martin-walker-bruno-chief-of-police-perigord.html|title=The Delicious World of Bruno, Chief of Police|last=Asimov|first=Eric|date=2017-07-24|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and cited as a favourite by a famous character of the Dordogne Martin Walker's {{Cite journal|date=2017-11-09|title=Martin Walker|url=https://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martin_Walker&oldid=142441066|journal=Wikipédia|language=fr}} 'Bruno Chief of Police'. The Feely vineyard is also known for their vineyard share {{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/style/20iht-rluxvine.html|title=Winemaking without the work|last=Roberts|first=Genevieve|date=2008-11-20|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and harvest weekend covered on RTE (Irish National Broadcaster) Nationwide in November 2009.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/drink/brave-or-mad-setting-up-a-vineyard-in-france-1.1869757|title=Brave or mad: setting up a vineyard in France|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en-US}}

Bibliography

  • Grape Expectations Publisher: Summersdale (4 Jun 2012) Rights returned and new Edition by Caro Feely in 2023. Language: English. Current E-book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-1-6}} Current Print Book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-0-9}} Prior edition out of print {{ISBN|1849532575}} {{ISBN|978-1849532570}} (also translated into Polish)
  • Saving Our Skins Publisher: Summersdale (7 Jul 2014) Rights returned and new Edition by Caro Feely in 2023. Language: English. Current E-book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-3-0 }} Current Print Book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-2-3}} Prior edition out of print Language: English {{ISBN|978-1849536097}}[http://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/why-monkeys-throwing-darts-are-as-good-as-wine-experts-30426229.html "Why monkeys throwing darts are as good as wine experts"]. Independent.ie[http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/what-s-on/reviews/book-review-saving-our-skins-by-caro-feely-1-6807438 "Book review: Saving Our Skins, by Caro Feely"]. Pendleton Today [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/books/review/wine.html "Book review: Saving Our Skins, by Caro Feely"]. New York Times
  • Wine: The Essential Guide to Tasting, History, Culture and More. Summersdale, 2015 {{ISBN|978-1-78372-683-7}}.
  • Glass Half Full (Publisher: Summersdale (13 April 2017) Language: English {{ISBN|184953991X}} {{ISBN|978-1849539913}} Rights returned February 2023, book edited, renamed and republished 17 April 2023 as Vineyard Confessions English. Current E-book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-5-4}} Current Print Book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-4-7}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/charming-inspiring-memoir-of-family-life-in-a-french-vineyard-36136507.html|title=Charming, inspiring memoir of family life in a French vineyard - Independent.ie|work=Independent.ie|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en}}
  • Cultivating Change Publisher: Caro Feely (2 June 2023) Language: English E-book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-7-8}} Print book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-6-1}}.[https://thegloss.ie/caro-feely-on-her-journey-of-change-and-renewal-in-the-dordogne-france/ "Book review: Cultivating Change, by Caro Feely"]. The Gloss published in The Irish Times
  • Saving Sophia Publisher Caro Feely (5 December 2023) Language: English E-book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-9-2}} Print book {{ISBN|978-2-9586304-8-5}}

References

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