Alternative NSW Wine

ALTERNATIVE NEW SOUTH WALES

Looking Differently at Wine

While the early days of Australia’s wine industry may have advocated for things to be done “à la Française,” with French wine considered the pinnacle of quality, today’s changing climate and customers’ thirst for new and different are driving local winemakers to look further afield – namely, to the Mediterranean. The question motivating producers in New South Wales to put new plantings in the ground is, ‘Are the grapes we have now the best for the future?’ Let’s find out. By Hannah Sparks

Don’t be fooled by the traditional rows of shiraz, chardonnay, cabernet and semillon growing in the state, because among them is a multicoloured patchwork of alternative varietals waiting to be discovered.

From tropical vermentino and aromatic alberiño (who doesn’t enjoy pronouncing that, ahl-bah-reenyoh), to exciting touriga and even bubbly prosecco, “seek and you shall find” in this state, to quote the proverbial and interestingly, Jim Croce’s 1964 song from the album ‘Lost Time in a Bottle’. Ironic?

Making a new range of wines out of these alternative varietals is McWilliam’s Wines, which has had its roots in the NSW wine industry for over 140 years.

Recognising the importance of remaining nimble, the familyowned wine company has been trialling new varieties to see what grows best in its sites in Riverina, Gundagai and Heathcote, settling on vermentino, touriga and petite sirah for the first location, tempranillo for the second and nero d’avola for the latter.

These are varietals that enjoy abundant sunshine in their countries of origin and are finding an equally well-suited match in their new homes. They have been bottled and will be released this month under the all-new Alternis by McW range. Those familiar with the existing McW 480 and McW Reserve 600 ranges will see that the McW Alternis wines are an evolution of both the original packaging and concept.

McWilliam’s Wines Chief Winemaker, Andrew Higgins, who is behind the latest project explained: “The Alternis range is the result of a combination of innovation and trying to find the varieties that are best suited to our climate. We are still a relatively young winemaking nation and very influenced by the French classics, but if we had been influenced by another winemaking culture, our varieties could be very different. We want to continue to learn and find the best sites for these varieties, and that fits in with the whole McW range.”

The white in the McW Alternis range is the 2017 vermentino (RRP $20), which has settled in well to the warm climate of the Riverina, a home away from home from its similar climate in Sardinia, Italy. This vigorous variety offers crunchy and refreshing acidity and citrus, making it a great alternative for pinot grigio lovers to try.

The McW Alternis reds each retail for $25 and start with the 2017 nero d’avola from Heathcote. Italy’s black beauty usually enjoys the warm climate of Sicily, but Heathcote’s cooler climate has helped to shape a style of wine that could easily fall into the glasses of cool climate shiraz/syrah or pinot noir drinkers’ glasses. It has a delicious black cherry flavour and dried herb note, and silky, silky tannins.

McWilliam’s McW Alternis Tempranillo 2017 from Gundagai is also delicious, full of jammy cherry and plum flavour, a hint of vanilla, and textured tannin. The more recently popular varietal is grown across Spain, enjoying a continental climate of warm

The McW Alternis range

McWilliam’s Wines Chief Winemaker Andrew Higgins

summers and cooler winters – a good match for Gundagai.

Then there is the McW Alternis Petite Sirah 2016, which stands out as the only French varietal in the range and from a slightly older vintage. It has, of course, long been grown in the region but as durif, a varietal winemakers are wellversed with here for fortified wines. Wanting to construe its elegant nature, however, McWilliam’s opted for the prettier petite sirah designation. This example offers a nice mix between shiraz and cabernet with black pepper, dark chocolate and plum.

It is perhaps, the 2017 touriga from Riverina that is the real stand out. It’s juicy. It’s jammy. It’s full of plum, red cherry, violets and some secondary prune flavours. As Higgins described it, “It’s dangerously drinkable.” And I’d agree.

As a quick side, McWilliam’s would be among only a handful producing touriga nacional - Portugal’s popular varietal for Port - in NSW. Others include Piggs Peake, Mansfield Wines, De Iuliis and Whispering Brook, which made a tasty little number from the 2017 vintage (the Basket Pressed Touriga Nacional RRP $35). It’s full of rosemary, spice and smoke, like a smack on the lips.

De Iuliis in the Hunter Valley has been growing touriga since 2010 and winemaker Mike De Iuliis said it grows really well in the hotter years – something the Hunter gets more of these days.

“Obviously, semillon and shiraz are the keystones of the region,” he reminded, “but with vintages and climates changing, I don’t think it’s a bad idea as a grower to have a few little Plan Bs.”

De Iuliis has also tried the Italian red montepulciano, affectionately known as monte, but not with as much success, feeding the local kangaroos as opposed to going into the bottle.

He voiced that the reason he loves monte is for its quirkiness (the most common flavours for this varietal are red plum, oregano, sour cherry, boysenberry and tar), but added that he only has about three rows left this year, “Which may just be the largest planting left of monte in the region,” he jokes, or not…

Back to touriga and McW Alternis. There are many winemakers across the country excited about touriga’s future, including Higgins, who thinks the varietal offers a real point of difference.

“I love the aromatics of this variety. It’s elegant, juicy, has a great body and good concentration,” Higgins articulated.

All of the wines in the Alternis by McW range are aromatic, lower in tannin, slightly lower in alcohol, and medium-bodied, making them great food wines - as many are from the Mediterranean.

Higgins’ winemaking philosophy is that wines are made to be drunk, which means he hasn’t overcomplicated the styles of these wines, keeping things simple.

He clarified, “With alternative varietals, we want them to speak for themselves and speak to the place, which means you have to be careful with them as the winemaker; you want them to stay as true to the variety’s character as possible.”

Another piece of innovation from McWilliam’s Wines’ Hunter Valley winery, Mount Pleasant, is the B-Side range, which is experimental by nature and by name. For those who remember records, the b-side was often the side that featured a track that was a little alternative or left of field for an artist. Now making waves in wine, the B-Side range allows winemakers to play with different varietals they’re interested in.

Chief Winemaker at Mount Pleasant, Adrian Sparks, got to have some fun experimenting with the current B-Side releases: the FA-17 (fiano) – a rich, waxy and full wine, similar to the Italian style; the TT17 (temp touriga), full of dark cherries, plums, spice and intriguing notes from the touriga; and the CF-17 Dry Red (shiraz montils), using the few rows of montils originally planted by Maurice O’Shea, who needs no introduction.

According to Sparks, the MP team found an old bottle of montils shiraz (then a white wine from 1974). This was the inspiration to create a shiraz dominant red, adding the montils – usually used in Cognac – to create a strong fruit flavoured and complex wine with currants, citrus, spice and pepper.

Mount Pleasant Chief Winemaker, Adrian Sparks

Discussing what these alternatives offer the winery, Sparks said, “The B-Side range sits outside of the Mount Pleasant structure – it’s different to everything we do. While all of our traditional labels tell a story about where we’ve come from, these labels might be telling us of what our future could be.”

Sparks added that the alternatives suit consumers who already know what they like to drink, but are now looking for something different.

“Winemakers want to experiment; consumers want to try something different, so if you’ve got something at your cellar door that’s unique, then you’re providing an experience no one else can give.”

For trade, note that the McW Alternis and Mount Pleasant B-Side wines are made in small quantities and mostly distributed to fine wine retailers and the on-premise. However, if you’re interested in ordering stock, do contact McWilliam’s Wines.

Liz Riley, who is a viticultural consultant to wineries in the Hunter, Orange and Mudgee, said she is seeing more and more wineries purchasing vineyards to secure fruit for the future.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea either. Everyone’s looking for that point of difference in their cellar door or for members, and new varieties are a way of doing that,” Riley explained.

She is particularly excited about the vermentino growing in the state, explaining that from a viticulturist perspective “it’s bulletproof.” She sees vermentino as offering a point of difference for customers, somewhere between 74|drinks trade sauvignon blanc and verdelho.

“It’s got good tropical fruit and texture. Consumers that have tried it seem to really like the textural element,” she added.

While not alternative, some may be interested to know that the Hunter is seeing a slight resurrection of its classic shiraz pinot blend. In my time visiting the region, I came across five – the Tempus Two Uno Pinot Shiraz Hunter Valley 2017, Silkman Reserve Shiraz Pinot Noir Hunter Valley 2016, Briar Ridge H.R.B Shiraz Pinot Noir Hunter Valley 2013, Comyns & Co. Pinot Noir Shiraz 2017 and Hart & Hunter Shiraz Pinot Hunter Valley 2017.

Riley said that any pinot that is growing in the region currently is in hot demand: “If I had another 50 tonne, I could sell every berry!”

And pinot’s cousin, gamay, may also be a part of this region’s future, according to Riley.

“The Hunter only ever had one block of gamay that Len Evans planted. When that fruit freed up two years ago, Tyrrell’s took it and made a nice little number. Since then, there’s been quite a lot of interest in gamay clones off that block, so I think we’ll see more of that varietal in the next two years. In the right year, gamay is a really yummy drop.”

Jumping to another region, over in the cool climate of Orange, we meet Cumulus Wines, home to the Cumulus Estate, Climbing and Rolling wine ranges.

As the region’s largest winery and vineyard (it’s also the 16th largest winery in Australia), Cumulus has access to a large amount of fruit, all sourced from its Single Estate Vineyard. So who better to speak to than Senior Winemaker Debbie Lauritz about the new varietals growing here.

She said they have lots of alternative whites performing well in the medium-higher elevation sites, while the reds seem better suited to the lower-medium elevation sites, where the temperature is more moderate.

Lauritz lists whites such as prosecco, gewürztraminer, arneis, petit manseng, vermentino, alberiño and savagnin (which people previously thought was alberiño), and with reds, malbec, montepulciano, tempranillo, sangiovese, barbera, sagrantino, nebbiolo and petit verdot.

Orange and Cumulus clearly have a lot to offer right now.

This raft of alternatives has come about from Cumulus looking at what other climates, countries and regions are doing, and what consumers are drinking. The winery has been looking at these varietals for some time and is gearing up to release the best in the coming months. This is certainly a winery to watch.

To help with this progressive program, Cumulus’ viticulturist and Nuffield wine scholar, Martin Gransden, is currently travelling around countries such as Portugal,

Cumulus Senior Winemaker Debbie Lauritz

Cumulus vineyards

Spain, Italy and North America to see which other varieties could work back at home.

Lauritz explained, “We’re a young wine region and people are still exploring. We probably haven’t found the variety that suits this region best yet. It’s an exploration. There are so many things to try.”

A delicious and good value example of how these varietals are being put to good use already by the winery is in the Cumulus Rolling Grenache (44%) Shiraz (32%) Mourvedre (24%) (RRP $19.99). It’s fuller-bodied, with ripe, juicy fruit flavours and fine, persistent tannins.

“This is a fantastic wine,” Lauritz said. “We pick and ferment each varietal separately, then we keep them in tank or barrel for a little while so we’ve got an idea of what they look like on their own, and then we blend them. So we’re sort of keeping them as straight wines but treating them quite simply, which is something we try to do with all of our alternatives, to let them express themselves. GSMs are great wines and really good food wines.”

Cumulus will also be releasing a GSM under the successful Luna Rosa brand in the next three months.

Looking into her crystal ball for the future, Lauritz predicts that “the aromatic whites will do really well as people keep exploring areas such as Greece, Italy and Spain. Year on year they do really well in Orange. You get these lovely lifted fruits, really aromatic and crisp wines from the cool climate. As an industry, however, we are a bit more dominated by reds, so there will always be a spot for people trying alternative reds.”

And from NSW, it would seem this effort of exploration is expanding across the country, with Neil McGuigan, Chief Winemaker of McGuigan Wines in the Hunter revealing that the parent business, Australian Vintage Limited, has been working on developing different varietals across regions for some time now.

“When there was over-production in Australia, we were still planting, but we were looking beyond the traditional varietals that have been Australia’s calling cards,” he said. “We were concentrating on other varietals that we believe will create new interest in Australia and offer a point of difference, and have released montepulciano, grüner veltliner, malbec, prosecco and tempranillo. This year we will also be planting carménère.”

Carménère I hear you ask? Who would have thought? This unusual grape from Chile could be bringing an exotic twist of green peppercorn, eucalyptus and even cocoa powder to wine glasses on our shores shortly. Unusual as it may be, so were once the varietals we now consider every day. It is certainly an exciting time ahead for our local wine scene.

McGuigan Wines Chief Winemaker Neil McGuigan