Discover the story of Victoria’s natural wine revolution - from gold rush roots to modern pioneers such as Patrick Sullivan and Timo Mayer.
Victoria’s Wine History: Gold Rush to Modern Day
Victoria’s journey into viticulture began in the mid 1800s with the promise of gold and the lure of fertile soil. European immigrants (who happened to know a bit about winemaking) thrived alongside the heady rush of wealth brought about by the goldmines. Despite the early success, a little vine-destroying pest known worldwide as phylloxera, arrived in the 1870s and devastated many vineyards. Victoria’s wine production virtually ceased between 1900 and 1960 and has largely been rebuilt since the 60s. Today however, Victoria has more of its total area planted to vines than any other Australian state, so you’re never very far away from a vineyard!
The New Wave of Natural Wine Makers
From the rolling hills of the Yarra Valley, the windswept Grampians to the mineral-rich soils of Gippsland, now there’s also a new generation of winemakers reshaping what Australian wine can be. They’re not chasing scores or market trends, rather they’re in pursuit of authenticity, sustainability and they all have a deep connection to the land. The wines are as expressive as the people who make them: unfiltered, unpolished and unmistakably of place.
Sustainable Winemaking Practices in Victoria
What unites this new wave isn’t a single style, grape variety, or region. It’s a mindset. These winemakers are fiercely independent, often working organically or biodynamically, leaning towards minimal intervention in the cellar and letting terroir lead the way. They don’t fear cloudy wines or fermentation funk, in fact they welcome them, if it means the wine speaks truthfully.
Victoria’s Natural Wine Stars
There’s also a strong ethos of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Many of these winemakers have worked together, exchanged ideas and helped each other plant or harvest. They’re more likely to see each other as co-conspirators than competitors. This new guard focuses on freshness and finesse over power. Think juicy, whole-bunch
fermented Pinot Noir, electric skin-contact whites and high-acid Syrah that are more Rhône than Barossa. Their wines are built for the table, not the cellar, or at least not exclusively!
Top Natural Wines from Gippsland and the Yarra Valley
Whilst picking favourites is to be honest, hard yakka, here are three of my standout wines in our current range.
PATRICK SULLIVAN - GIPPSLAND
Patrick has been known to rock-up to trade tastings in overalls - he’s no city boy! He grew up in rural Victoria and his passion for working the land gives his wines an intuitive, almost spiritual connection to everything he bottles. With wild curls and a deeper wild streak, he is one of the key figures in Victoria’s natural wine movement. After studying wine in Burgundy, he returned to Australia with a conviction to farm biodynamically and make wines with zero additions. His wines, especially his Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, are known for their vibrancy and purity. His nuanced and thoughtful approach to farming and winemaking have landed him on the ‘must-have’ list for top
restaurants globally.
Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2022
The Woori is a single plot and grapes are hand harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The juice spends 12mths in used oak barrels and is then bottled without fining or filtration. The wine is rich and voluptuous, but also very precise. Think lemon curd tart with a tangy lime zest topping. There’s a lovely ginger and wood spice note and hazelnut creaminess to the palate. Patrick only made 200 cases – so get it while you can!
XAVIER GOODRIDGE - GIPPSLAND
A close mate and sometimes collaborator of Patrick Sullivan, Xavier shares a similarly hands-off philosophy. A Bendigo boy who has found his home in Gippsland where he sources fruit from around Victoria for his range of totally smashable, fresh and honest wines. He works with organic fruit and native yeasts only and has a particular affinity for Pinot Noir and skin-contact whites. His wines speak softly, but carry a strong message: minimal intervention wine doesn’t mean minimal character.
PaPa Pinot Noir 2024
This is Xavier’s flagship wine with fruit coming from Mount Gambier and Heywood in SW Victoria. 100% de-stemmed fruit is fermented in stainless steel for 2-3 weeks then pressed and aged in a mix of stainless steel and old oak barrels before bottling. Translucent and bright ruby in colour, the nose is full of cherry blossom, rose petal and hibiscus. A cranberry and tart cherry crammed palate rounds out with a hint of sweet kirsch. But wait, there’s a lovely savoury finish with notes of hazelnut skins and wet forest floor. With banging acidity, it’s incredibly moreish – lightly chill it and as Xavier says “It’s made to make people happy!
TIMO MAYER - YARRA VALLEY
A cult hero in the Yarra, Timo is known as much for his personality (also his amazing beard!), as for his Pinot Noir. Born in Germany, he has become a torchbearer for whole bunch fermentation in Australia, particularly with his Pinots. His wines are intensely aromatic, spicy, and loaded with texture. He famously claims, “We make bloody good wine,” and I’m not bloody arguing with that! Timo’s passion for the land, old vines and wild fermentations has helped define the Yarra’s modern identity.
Closed Planted Pinot Noir 2022
From an organically farmed portion of Timo’s Bloody Hill vineyard (yes ‘Bloody’ because its bloody steep!), Timo likes to use a proportion of whole bunch to give his wines a particular stalky savouriness. For this vintage he does a 100% whole bunch ferment with a portion of the grapes and then blends that back with the de-stemmed component. As with all his wines, this is incredibly fragrant with bundles of fresh red fruit, bonfire smoke and a mushroom and soy-like savouriness.
Quantities are minuscule - the wine is a blinder!
Final Thoughts on Victoria’s Natural Wine Scene
Victoria’s winemaking scene is alive with experimentation, integrity and a deep respect for nature. These winemakers aren’t just making wines, they’re challenging assumptions, re-writing rules and redefining what Aussie wine can be. As drinkers become more curious and conscious, the wines of Victoria’s new guard are perfectly poised to lead the way and I’m happy to be led!
