On the concluding day of judging at the Australian Alternative Varietals Wine Show (AAVWS), a thought-provoking session titled “Fizz, Dirt and Zero” brought together a panel of industry experts, led by chair of judges Leanne Altmann, to explore key trends shaping the wine sector.

While much of the content was technical – some well above the understanding of the general wine lover – from a wine marketing perspective, there were genuine gems of knowledge shared that conceptualised real opportunities to keep moving the sector forward.

Here are the key learnings and takeaways from these sessions.

Session One: Bubbling Up

Presented by Kate Laurie – Deviation Road

This year saw one of the strongest classes of sparkling wines ever judged in the Alternative Varietals Wine Show, highlighting a genuine opportunity for sparkling wines made from non-traditional varietals. So how do we use these alternative varietals in a way that speaks to our climate while still maintaining quality? There’s so much possibility!

Kate was awarded a research bursary from Great Wine Capitals Outbound Knowledge Exchange and headed to Spain to explore quality Cava sparkling wines and identify potential parallels with Australian production. The Rioja DOC maintains a library of indigenous varietals, and as Kate discovered, Cava is far from a generic category. There are some truly wonderful premium sparkling wines being produced.

While we often talk about Champagne being the pinnacle for sparkling wine, Kate’s research revealed more about how yeast selection enables extended ageing without wines becoming stale. She was particularly interested in exploring how varietals adapt to specific sites, elevation and coolness – factors highly relevant to Australian conditions.

Alternative Varietals Worth Exploring

Some fascinating wines are being made from alternative varietals including Viura (aka Macabeo), Xerel-Lo, Parellada, White Tempranillo, Maturana Blanc and White Grenache. Kate particularly liked the wines made from Viura for their beautiful textural ability.

Key varietal attributes:

  • Viura – citrus, green apple, floral, remarkable acidity, medium-large berries, chalky texture
  • Maturana Blanca – apple, citrus, saline, herbal, phenolic texture. Retains high tartaric acid
  • White Tempranillo – citrus, floral and tropical fruit aromas, high malic acid
  • White Grenache – moderate intensity, citrus, floral and herbaceous. Higher extract and lower acidity at ripeness
  • Red Grenache – red fruit, herbal, cherry. When picked for rosé, benefits from slightly higher baumé. As a blanc de noirs, it’s picked very early and delivers more citrus and floral aromas

Kate noted the potential here for Grenache and how versatile it can be.

The session was enhanced by a tasting, with many of the wines generously gifted by Spanish producers or their importers. Some standouts included:

  • Bodegas Vivanco – 2020 Cuvée Inédita Reserva Extra Brut
  • Bodegas Nivarius – 2017 Lia Reserva
  • La Gargantilla by Valdemar – 2020 Gran Añada Brut
  • Torreblanca – 2023 Cava Brut (traditional family estate, since 15th century)
  • Raventós – 2022 Blanc de Blancs
  • Raventós – 2021 Blanc De la Finca

In discussion, it was noted that here in Australia, we have some of the oldest geological soils in the world, presenting an opportunity to contextualise these assets more effectively. We often learn valuable lessons from farmers – information about soil history is readily available, we just need to take the time to apply it meaningfully. An opportunity to dig deeper!

Key Takeouts and Considerations

  • Great sparkling wine doesn’t require traditional varietals. The fact that Oliver’s Taranga 2017 The Hunt for Mrs Oliver Méthode Traditionnelle Fiano took out the trophy for Best Sparkling at AAVWS is a testament to this. Try the wine for yourself and you’ll see what we mean!
  • Scope to experiment with different styles beyond the commercial mainstream – the Rioja examples showcased premium potential and were delicious!
  • Marketing opportunity through contextualisation. Consumers don’t necessarily know about Viura or Maturana Blanca as varietals, but there’s enormous scope to use other grapes, contextualising the story around climate, quality and flavour profiles. Flavour is important and so worth winemakers having a play to see what other styles they can develop.

Session Two: Managing Under the Vine

Panel: Penny Flannery, Cam Clifford and Glenn Perkins

This geeky viticultural content was genuinely fascinating. We love nothing more than seeing clients like Liz Riley and Jerome Scarborough put these new viticultural tools into practice, and we learn a lot from them in terms of how the vineyard practices continue to enhance the wines. The UV trials which Wine Australia is facilitating with Best’s Great Western, really showcase the work being done to build greater sustainability and improve vineyard practices.

Penny, Cam and Glenn highlighted some excellent new tools in the toolkit! (And yes, the stocky babydoll sheep examples were pretty adorable, even from a city slicker’s perspective.)

The panel presented practical techniques suited to every growing region, from soil biology to groundcover strategies, revealing ways to improve vine health, reduce inputs and create positive environmental outcomes.

The NSW Regional Program is undertaking impressive work looking at under-vine management using pasture species – reducing pesticide use, improving soil nutrition, enhancing biodiversity and encouraging beneficial insects. Strong case studies have emerged from trials in Nashdale and Orange. Take a look at some of the NSW DPI work here:

Cam Clifford explored opportunities with agri-automation, noting scope to adopt autonomous vehicles. Glenn Perkins from Biohub Solutions then discussed soil health and strategies for improvement.

Key Takeouts and Considerations

  • There’s new tools available to test and learn in the vineyards. From new AgTech to improved viticultural practices, there are genuine opportunities here that often can result in savings. Framed correctly, many consumers will find this information fascinating as part of a broader brand story. Trish brought her husband along to the session – someone not in the industry – and much of this content resonated with an involved wine enthusiast.
  • Capture the innovations for your social media content. Don’t forget to include some of these innovations in your social media storytelling. Frame it in ways that have meaning for those drinking your wines. We know there’s consumer interest in sustainability, and some of these new practices are genuinely compelling and demonstrate just how much work goes into delivering a product to market.

Session Three: NoLo Nous

Panel: Leanne Altmann, Stephen Wong MW (Wine Sentience New Zealand), Pia Merrick (Head Winemaker, Australian Vintage), Nigel Sneyd MW (Memstar) and Aaron Milne (Edenvale, No and Lo Beverages)

The final session explored opportunities in the NoLo category – an area of considerable discussion. The panel examined how winemakers approach the challenge, what technologies are available, and what consumers want, particularly looking at on premise examples.

The Mastermind team has experience in this space, having worked on NPD products for Tea and spent several years working with Giesen Group on their NoLo wines in Australia. We see the consumer opportunity, recognising it’s not for everyone, so we were particularly interested to hear the panel’s perspectives.

Leanne opened by noting the demand for these products in her Trader House Group restaurants. Led by alcohol-free beer, COVID certainly accelerated these trends as consumers who’d overindulged during lockdowns sought alternatives. De-alcoholised spirits have jumped on board. There’s clear demand, though non-alcoholic wines haven’t always delivered on quality.

In on-premise venues, sommeliers are increasingly focused on providing exceptional dining experiences for all guests, including those not drinking alcohol. Across Leanne’s venues – like Marion Wine Bar and Gimlet – there’s a genuine market for non-alcoholic wines. These consumers don’t necessarily want just soft drink or water, particularly when dining out on special occasions. Impressively, she challenged her team to include one or two NoLo options on their lists, and these wines are selling.

Nigel Sneyd and Pia Merrick then walked the room through Memstar and spinning cone technologies, explaining the processes. It was fascinating to taste variations of 1000L of pinot gris that had been put through the spinning cone at different stages—at 20-30% alcohol reduction, after 9 hours, and then the final blend. Aaron shared similar comparisons from Edenvale, showcasing Chardonnay alongside Sauvignon Blanc from Australia and more premium examples from New Zealand.

There’s a long way to go with these products, but the learnings around tech and wine styles are continuing to be refined. Several commentators noting that FrenchBloom continues to have considerable success in this space and there’s still a lot to learn.

Key Takeouts and Considerations

  • Kate Laurie made an excellent point at the session’s conclusion: our palates may not necessarily be calibrated to assess these wines the way their makers do. Looking at how some of the winemakers on the panel understood the profiles of the wine and how to improve quality was exciting. Note there’s some great work being done by Wes Pearson at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) on this space that’s worth exploring.
  • Think about the consumer and their needs. We know consumers drink these products for various reasons. The wine doesn’t necessarily need to taste exactly like traditional wine, but finding an option that’s full of flavour has scope for the future.
  • Lower alcohol presents opportunities. Consider how the technology at our disposal can be used to our advantage. Leanne noted that lower alcohol wines are not yet a market in her venues, but I’d challenge you to think about other occasions where these products will have relevance.
  • Recognise that it’s early days, so continue to test and learn.

A really wonderful session with thought-provoking conversations.

Keen to learn more about the AAVWS? Read on to explore some of the key insights from the 2025 show