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There are no hard and fast rules about what constitutes an alternative variety. It is a relative concept. Alternative varieties can be defined simply as any type of wine that falls outside the mass-consumed mainstream.
What is an Alternative Variety?
Here in Australia, the leading white grape variety is chardonnay, while the leading reds include shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir. Anything beyond those familiar names can be viewed as alternative, depending on the context.
What is considered alternative changes over time and also varies by location. Wines branded as alternative in one country are not necessarily viewed in the same way in another.
The Australian Context
In 1970s Australia, wine carried very different social assumptions. Within the dominant beer-drinking pub culture, wine was often viewed as elitist, European and feminine. Many of the wines available at the time were sweet or fortified, and riesling was the order of the day.
The 1980s ushered in significant social, political and cultural change. International travel became more affordable, multiculturalism encouraged a greater willingness to try new cuisines, and the local restaurant scene exploded. Wine consumption became less gendered and more deeply embedded in Australian food culture.
Since then, Australians have come to drink more bottled wine than regular-strength beer, and Australia has become one of the world’s major wine-producing countries, with more than 65 wine-growing regions.
Beechworth and Lesser-Known Wines
When it comes to Beechworth, chardonnay is usually the first variety people associate with the region, followed by shiraz and pinot noir. However, many other varieties are grown here too, including nebbiolo, sangiovese, fiano and barbera.
Beechworth’s total vineyard area is small, but its hills are rich with minerals, and the variation in altitude provides diverse growing options. Weathercraft sits at around 330 metres, where our site offers its own particular expression of climate, soil and aspect.
Choosing Varieties for the Future
As winemakers across the globe grapple with the effects of a warming climate, choosing the right variety for a region has become increasingly complex. We need varieties that suit not only current conditions, but also the climate of the future.
Later-ripening varieties may be better able to withstand the heat of high summer, but as extreme heat increases, so too do the risks of bushfire and frost following drier winters. For us, building a sustainable vineyard and winery means being thoughtful about what we plant today.
Our Iberian Varieties
It is also important to me that Weathercraft honours my personal heritage. With maternal roots in northern Spain and paternal heritage from the south, varied wine styles and gastronomy were a constant presence at our table.
Weathercraft’s tempranillo, albariño, garnacha and monastrell are all Spanish varieties that are well suited to our local growing conditions, and I am thrilled to be producing them successfully here in regional Victoria.
My not-so-secret ambition is to put Beechworth further on the map for these varieties and, one day, to see them move beyond being known as alternative varieties to become some of Australia’s most popular and sought-after wines.
