Wine show & tell: Behind the scenes at AAVWS
"More than just a wine show”, goes the tagline of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show. The show—AAVWS to its friends (and it has many)—is happy to have the claim interrogated. After all, it’s had a quiet confidence all along that its supposedly niche subject matter deserved an audience way beyond the fringe.
The story of the show's genesis and evolution is a fascinating one, superbly captured by Max Allen in his 2023-published book, Alternative Reality. It chronicles the show from the seed planted in friendship between co-founders Bruce Chalmers, Stefano de Pieri and the late Dr Rod Bonfiglioli through to the present day. Over that time, a whole host of bright, open-minded, charismatic characters have breathed life and colour into it.
In November 2023, it was my pleasure to be invited to judge at the 21st edition of the show. Its unique atmosphere, content and camaraderie prompted me to put together a behind-the-scenes video, which I hope ties together the set-up and running of this special week and its broader context for the present and future of Australian wine.
Grapes into wine: Cooler-climate Cabernets
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most-planted wine grape. Mainstream popularity is not always a marker of quality, but in this case we are talking about a seriously strong leader: distinctive, intense, delicious flavour; pronounced aroma; deep colour; and architecture from tannin and acidity. Reigning supreme on the left bank of Bordeaux in southwest France, it heads up a crack team of grapes in formidable, ageworthy red wines, supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. These blends are copied, with many notable successes, across the globe.I spent some time at the historic Yeringberg estate in the Yarra Valley just outside Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, during the 2024 harvest. At this 1863-founded domaine, fourth-generation winemaker Sandra de Pury and her viticulturist brother David compose one of Australia's most celebrated red wines. Known simply as the Yeringberg red, it is a five-way blend of these Bordeaux varieties. The making of this wine opens an insightful window onto the whys and wherefores of crafting a fine example of this universally adored style of wine.
I’m very grateful to the de Pury family and their harvest team for inviting me to hang around and helping put together the footage accompanying this video.
Geraldine McFaul on Mornington Peninsula wine
Geraldine McFaul is one of the most experienced and respected winemakers on the Mornington Peninsula. When she started out with Stonier in the mid-90s, the region's wine scene was still in its infancy. Yes, it was 20-odd years since the first vines went in - and good wines had been grown - but it had been a hit-and-miss, trial-and-error ride. Gerry was there as it finished teething, went through its growing pains and shot to global stardom - albeit on an artisanal scale, and thanks in large part to the phenomenal popularity of cooler-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Gerry on the eve of vintage 2023 to talk about this evolution. The accompanying footage here was shot in the autumn once those wines were tucked away. And the video was published almost 12 months after the conversation took place - but I thought it was well worth sharing Gerry's generous wisdom with you.
Len Evans Tutorial: Why apply for the greatest wine school on earth?
The Len Evans Tutorial is a wild 5-day ride of intense judging and insane wines. Dubbed "the most exclusive wine school on earth", it has a serious purpose: To propel the Australian wine scene onwards and upwards. Wine writer, educator and 2022 scholar Ed Merrison of Vininspo! explains why anyone with the slightest inclination should strive to take part.
Grapes into wine: Making Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the world's most-loved white grape. It is the most widely planted grape across the planet's wine regions, and is responsible for the world's most sought-after and expensive whites. Ed Merrison of Vininspo! visits a vineyard and winery during harvest to track the grapes from vine to wine to show how a top single-site wine might be made.
Grapes into wine: Making Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir has to be the most romanticised black grape on the planet. Ed Merrison of Vininspo! visits a famous Mornington Peninsula vineyard during harvest to bring you this step-by-step guide to how the grapes become a top-quality, single-site wine.
Grapes into wine: Making Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris is a monumentally popular white wine. Ever wondered how these pinky-purple grapes become an elegant, medium-bodied, cool-climate white wine? Here’s how it happens, from harvest to glass!
The joy of MV6
Clones are among the top turn-offs in wine talk. However, you will notice that they crop up (sorry) a bit with Pinot Noir - and MV6 is never far from vignerons’ lips when you’re on the Mornington Peninsula. So what is it, where did it come from and why should we care? Ed Merrison of Vininspo! attempts to answer that with the help of this grenade picked from the Scorpo family's north-facing, 1997-planted block in Merricks North that makes the Eocene single-parcel wine.