AN award-winning Beechworth vigneron has reaped success with two new exciting grape varieties grown in Australia for the first time.
Fighting Gully Vineyard’s Mark Walpole has grown Petit Arvine and Cornalin, white and red respectively, from the Aosta Valley in mountainous region in Italy's far northwest with the region bordering Switzerland.
“The grapes are mainly grown in the Aosta Vally and to a limited extent over the border in Switzerland,” Mr Walpole said.
The grapes are ancient varieties with a history dating back to times when country borders were in different locations.
Mr Walpole, known for pursuing alternative grape varieties for his wines compared to mainstream, said his interest sparked with the high-altitude location in the Aosta Valley mainly with the climate – elevated sites, cool, and continental with catabatic (downward) winds.
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The vigneron visited a number of the best producers in the region of Aosta in 2004 with the region having many ‘minor’ high quality varieties.
“Many are only found in and around Aosta and represent only very small plantings,” he said.
Mr Walpole started the importation process in 2017 after thinking about acquiring the grape varieties for quite some time.
Paperwork included obtaining phytosanitary certificates for the dormant cuttings with approval needed from the Switzerland and Italian governments as well as the Australia Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS).
Once released from quarantine in 2020 Mr Walpole took the vine material to the Chalmers Nursery near Mildura to undertake propagation with rootstocks planted at Fighting Gully Road (FGR) in the winter of 2022.
“The first buds from Mildura were brought down to FGR in spring of 2023 and grafted onto rootstock that we had established the year earlier in anticipation of the material coming out of quarantine," he said.
“The bud grafted vines resulting in our first crop this month.
“The first experimental wines made last year from the mothervines in Mildura have been very well received by the trade.”
Mark’s new Europa Vineyard in Stanley has been found to be an ideal site for the Petit Arvine, with an elevation of more than 700 metres above sea level with its aspect, rainfall and low humidity during the growing season.
“The Stanley climate better represents Aosta Valley as it’s slightly higher, cooler and wetter than Fighting Gully Road,” he said.
“We planted vines there in spring last year which have grown well and anticipate the first crop next year.
“The wines are unique from a flavour and texture point of view, and will give consumers something different from Merlot, Cabernet or Riesling."
Seven acres have been planted at Europa Vineyard with two for the Petit Arvine and five acres for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Mr Walpole is also known for his award-winning Chardonnay and Syrah.
The vigneron said a lot of the ‘new’ varieties introduced over the past decade or so have been selected for a warming climate but little attention had been given to vignerons in cool areas that have a limited amount of varieties available to them.
Beechworth Vignerons Association president Jeremy Schmölzer said Mr Walpole has been a key proponent in importing new vines and growing grapes with his interest spanning for at least 20 years.
“There’s an exciting curiosity around new varieties with the market willing to try new things," he said.
“Varieties and trends are changing with good support from restaurants and wine trade for new and interesting varieties."
Mr Schmölzer said there has been a big adaptation where the industry has adapted, as well as a supportive market with broader acceptance of new varieties.
“It’s great for Beechworth as a small and compact wine region with a high reputation for trade locally and internationally," he said.
“Mark is a good advocate for the industry and producers.”
