The cool kids all gathered in Mildura in early November. The 2025 Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS) is now in its 25th year, celebrating wines that push boundaries and challenge conventions. What started as an idea in 1999 by Stefano de Pieri AM and Bruce Chalmers as the Sangiovese Awards, evolved into the Australian Italian Wine Show, and since 2001 has continued to grow into one of the most exciting wine shows in the country.
With so many of our Mastermind clients now making wines from alternative varietals, and a Fiano Festa that is continuing to gain momentum, it was well overdue to head along and learn from some of those with the most experience in this space. Kim Chalmers and Liz Riley gave Trish the final arm-twist to head along. It was the perfect escape, and reason to also enjoy a weekend with Mark Barry to celebrate 21 years of marriage.
Why This Show Feels Different
This truly was a soul-filling few days of inspiration, showcasing the pioneering spirit that drives the Australian wine industry forward. But here’s what makes this show unlike any other: it’s not just about the medals or the competition. It’s about the people who are brave enough to plant something different, to take risks, to ask “what if?” There’s good reason why the tagline of the show is “more than just a wine show.”
Walk into any regional, state or national wine show and you’ll find excellence, precision, and serious winemaking prowess. The AAVWS has all of that too. But there’s something else in the air here – a different energy entirely. You feel it the moment you arrive.
These are the pioneers. The experimenters. The winemakers staring down climate change and responding not with resignation, but with curiosity. What varietals might thrive in our shifting conditions? What grapes have we overlooked? What stories haven’t we told yet?
A Community That Shares, Not Competes
A wonderful community gathered to share stories, experiences and taste over 800 wines. I learnt so much at the Talk and Taste session on Friday, along with the tasting and lunch that followed. But the real education happened in the conversations between tastings, in the generous way strangers became friends over a shared glass of a wine that they were often unfamiliar with. Unlike the more traditional varietals, there’s a little mystery in trying a glass of a wine that you’ve not yet encountered. The discovery that just keeps you wanting to learn and find out more.
Picture this – 800 wines lined up by varietal: you’re standing in the local Mildura Footy club, puzzling over a wine you’ve never encountered before. Within moments, chatter often ensues – maybe a winemaker from three states away, maybe a passionate steward – so many people keen to share what they know. It’s hard not to keep asking questions whilst those with expert palates assess what’s in the glass so seriously. Quietly (ok maybe I’m not so quiet), seeking to find out more and someone will help you understand what’s in the glass in front of you. I loved Kim Chalmers excitement that this year there were seven Falanghina wines, last year just one! There’s a humility here, a genuine passion that cuts through any pretence.
This is Australian wine at its finest. All wrapped up in quintessentially Australian surroundings by the Murray River, where the warmth of the community matches the flow of the river. It really was the break I didn’t know I needed to recharge the batteries for what’s the marketer’s vintage time in the lead up to Christmas.
Winemakers had travelled across the country to take their highly sought-after ticket to the Saturday luncheon in an event that just felt like it should never end. Bumping into strangers who were there for the same reason and keen for a chat. And they came not just to win, but to belong and learn more.
The Line Up of Wines:
In an era where show entries are declining in many capital city and regional shows, this was a different story. To give some context to the 2025 show:
- Exhibitor count:211
- Unique regions:69
- Unique varieties:98
- Bronze medals:286
- Silver medals:145
- Gold medals:84
But statistics don’t capture the emotion in the room when outgoing manager Helen Healy, stepping down after an incredible 25 years, talked about the joy that this show had brought her. The friendships and positivity radiating through that space echoed her sentiment perfectly. You could feel 25 years of dedication, of building something special with families like the Chalmers, creating a home for wines that didn’t quite fit anywhere else.
What Wine Is Considered Alternative?
The classification is somewhat loosely defined as grapes that aren’t extensively planted in Australia. They may well be small in make or availability. To graduate out of the category, there are many conversations: How close is the wine style to maturity? How aware is the consumer? How much retail shelf space or wine list presence does it command?
Sangiovese, for example, is still included because there’s still more to learn. Fiano had the biggest class this year, demonstrating the growing interest in these varietals. It’s not quite ready to move into the mainstream (at less than 2% planted nationally) but it may not be far away.
There were 43 classes with varietals including: Mencia, Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Sangiovese, Vermentino, Arneis, Pecorino, Viognier, Marsanne, Pinot Bianco, Picpoul, Grenache Blanc, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner (Trish’s favourite white!), Nebbiolo, Sagrantino, Montepulciano, Aglianico – just to name a few!
It’s like a viticultural world tour without leaving Australia. Grapes from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, and France finding new expression in Australian soil and sun.
Key Highlights
With over 800 wines on tasting that kicked off on Saturday morning at 8.30am, it really was an incredible opportunity to taste a range of styles. (Yes, 8.30am) Climate change is real and demands different ways of thinking, and many of these varietals can be a glimpse into the future – a working laboratory of adaptation.
Those wines which shone through for me were often mirroring some of the market trends we’re seeing: fresh, crisp and delicious white wines, lighter style reds that don’t sacrifice complexity for drinkability.
Some other notable moments included:
- Inaugural Helen Healy Award for Excellence
It was particularly special seeing our friend and client Corrina Wright at Oliver’s Taranga take home top honours, winning the inaugural Helen Healy Award for Excellence. What a way to launch this award – recognising someone who embodies the spirit of innovation and quality that Helen championed for 25 years. Tears of delight for Corrina with results also quite fitting given her involvement as President of the Show.
- Fiano in Full Force – What a Fiesta!
There were over 60 Fiano wines entered in the 2025 Fiano Class with judges noting “a strong class with some excellent wines showing the strength of this variety. Top wines showed great diversity overall with excellent texture and length and great suitability for food.”
Sixty wines. In one varietal class. Just let that sink in.
Further to this, there were almost 30 wines entered in the 2024 Fiano or Older class which really showcased the diversity of the style. Plus some Fiano in the wines of provenance class. You could not find a better way to get to understand the range of different wines being made – from the sparkling 2017 Oliver’s Taranga The Hunt for Mrs Oliver Méthode Traditionnelle Sparkling to the gold medals won by Gurdily, Maxwell Wines, First Estate. There were Fiano wines from Riverina, Clare, Geographe, Sunbury, Barossa, Hilltops, Alpine Valleys – the diversity being made across so many regions is genuinely encouraging.
This is Fiano coming of age in Australia. Different expressions, different regions, different winemaking philosophies – all valid, all interesting, all delicious in their own way.
- Benchmarking Many Different Styles
Falanghina had not previously hit our radar before Oliver’s Taranga launched their first release. Aglianico was unknown before we worked on Billy Button. Being able to taste and trial a lineup of wines that you rarely come across really helped to understand some of these wines in more depth. I loved Grenache Blanc class and whilst it really needed some food, the Nero d’Avola wines helped give some more context in what these wines were about.
This is the beauty of the show – it’s not just about entering your wine. It’s about expanding your palate, your knowledge, your frame of reference. Where else can you taste 15 different Vermentinos side by side? Or explore the spectrum of what Touriga Nacional can do in Australian hands?
- The Sense of Community
From hanging with the winemakers who had judged, to hearing perspectives of critics like Melissa Moore, it’s an important reminder of just how special our network of wine community can be when we lean in and share. There’s no pomp and pretence here – only a sense of wanting to keep pushing boundaries and trying new things in the vineyard, in the winery, as well as being able to market some of these wines.
This might be the show’s greatest achievement: creating a space where experimentation is celebrated, where “failure” is just learning, where the question “what if we tried…?” is met with enthusiasm rather than scepticism.
It also seemed rather fitting that Max Allen’s Book Alternative Reality was awarded the Best New Wine Book at the 2025 Wine Communicator of the Year awards with Max being named 2025 Wine Communicator of the Year for the second time.
- Talk and Taste
A highlight was this educational session talking Dirt, Fizz and NoLo. It was thought-provoking, relevant and gave context for much food for thought. The session addressed the big questions facing winemakers today – from soil health and sustainability to the rise of low and no-alcohol options. You can read the full summary of this session that we’ve written on another part of our website.
Wines That Caught Our Attention
It’s hard to find a favourite in lineups of incredible wine like this. Each product really tells a different story and evaluated with food or in a different context you may well see some other results. The joy is in the discovery, in finding something unexpected that makes you pause and reconsider what you thought you knew.
However, some wines that really caught our attention included:
- Artwine 2025 Arneis (Adelaide Hills)
- Ricca Terra 2025 Vermentino (Riverland)
- Billy Button 2024 The Versatile Vermentino (Alpine Valleys)
- Bloomfield 2024 Mencia (Limestone Coast)
- First Ridge 2025 Fiano (Mudgee) – Best White Italian Variety Wine Award
- Handorf Hill 2024 Grü (Adelaide Hills)
- Fighting Gully Road
- Oliver’s Taranga 2025 Brioni’s Blend (McLaren Vale)
- Oliver’s Taranga 2017 The Hunt for Mrs Oliver Sparklling Fiano Methode Traditionelle (McLaren Vale)
- First Ridge 2025 Vermentino (Mudgee)
- Chalmers 2024 Pecorino (Heathcote)
- Hither and Ton Falanghina (McLaren Vale)
- Willunga 100 2025 Grenache Blanc (McLaren Vale)
- Billy Button The Groovy Gruner Veltliner (Alpine Valleys)
- Sentio 2024 Nebbiolo (Beechworth)
- Mercer Wines 2024 Barbera
- Ministry of Clouds 2024 Gamay
- Wangolina 2024 A-Series Montepulciano
Each one a conversation starter, a story in a bottle, a testament to someone’s vision. To see the full list of results visit the AAVWS website https://aavws.wineshowpro.com.au/views/public/wineshowresults?showId=45
Other Things to Do in Mildura
Heading to Mildura and keen to explore the region? There are a few places that are worth having on your to-do list:
- Stefano’s – Dinner at Stefano’s in the wine cellar of the Mildura Grand Hotel has to be top of your list. The food is magnificent and there’s a wonderful collection of wine to enjoy. There’s no real menu here – let the team present the regional produce that’s in season and create something magnificent. Trust the process. You won’t regret it.
- SIP Cocktail Bar– We stumbled upon Sip Cocktail bar on Friday night and the small plates of food alongside a fabulous wine and cocktail lineup were fabulous. A perfect spot for unwinding after a day of serious tasting or exploring the region.
- Chalmers Cellar Door– Trish was lucky enough to have been given a tour of the Chalmers Nursery on an AWRI board visit to Mildura. For those of you who love exploring something different, this cellar door is like being a kid in a candy store. The Chalmers family are true pioneers in alternative varieties, importing and propagating varietals that most Australians have never heard of. You’ll come away so knowledgeable about different varietals you may not have ever tasted, and probably with a few bottles you never knew you needed.
- A walk along the water to Mildura Weir and Lock 11– A beautiful walk around the headland, exploring the Weir, Lock 11 and some of the fabulous food along the river. The Murray River has sustained this region for generations; now it’s nurturing a new generation of winemaking innovation.
Plan for the 2026 Show
AAVWS was a wonderful few days in Mildura! I’m so inspired and ready to return again in 2026! If you make a wine from one of these varietals, I highly encourage you to enter next year and head along to taste through the line up of entries.
This isn’t just a wine show. It’s a celebration of diversity, of courage, of the willingness to ask “why not?” when everyone else is asking “why?”
The Australian wine industry is at its best when it’s exploring, experimenting, and embracing the unknown. The Alternative Varieties Wine Show is where that spirit lives and breathes.
Come for the wines. Stay for the community. Leave inspired to think differently about what Australian wine can be. For now, I’m off to drink a glass of Fiano – Happy Fiano Friday!
