The Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show turns 25
Stephen Wong MW in Free for all Become a member to view this article
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For 25 years, the AAVWS has been a forum for wines that fall outside the mainstream. AAVWS
I spent the last week in tropical northern Victoria, specifically in Mildura, where I had the good fortune to be invited as international guest judge to the 25th Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS). Serendipitously, fellow contributor to The Real Review, Melissa Moore was also there to judge the show.
Over the years, the show has helped spread awareness and acceptance of varieties which are now very much a mainstay of Australian wine.The AAVWS originated from the Sangiovese Awards initiated by Stefano de Pieri and Bruce Chalmers, along with the late Dr Rod Bonfiglioli, in 1999. The following year, it was called the Australian Italian Wine Show and in 2001, it was renamed the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show. The Chalmers family, who run the most diverse vine nursery in Australia, are still heavily involved in the show and the movement, with both of Bruce’s daughters, Kim and Tennille Chalmers part of the organising team. In the earlier years, it used to include New Zealand wine, but that stopped a while ago and there hasn’t been anything to take up the torch for New Zealand since.
For 25 years, the AAVWS has been a forum for wines that fall outside the mainstream. It also incorporates social and educational events such as the post-show conference called Talk and Taste. This year’s edition included talks about Cava by Kate Laurie of Deviation Road, a viticulture panel led by Liz Riley of Vitibit and a panel on NoLo (no and low alcohol wines) led by chair of judges Leanne Altmann while showing technical wines from Pia Merrick (Australian Vintage), Nigel Sneyd MW and Aaron Milne (Edenvale).
Over the years, the show has helped spread awareness and acceptance of varieties which are now very much a mainstay of Australian wine, like pinot gris/grigio and glera/prosecco. Fiano is the latest success story, as was evident by the broad range of styles and high entry-numbers of the variety this year, many of which showed regional distinctions. The same is on the horizon for sangiovese, nero d’avola and montepulciano, all of which have developed distinctive Australian styles.
The 789 entries this year spanned 69 regions and 98 grape varieties, making the judging classes the most diverse I have ever seen in a wine show. This poses unique challenges for judges, particularly when it comes to benchmarking and the elucidation of quality. Leanne Altmann had made it clear that the European classics, though useful as signposts and for inspiration, should not restrict what is explored in Australia. The aim is not to make facsimiles of European wine but to grow and craft Australian wines using these varieties. This was more evident in some varieties than others, such as fiano and nero d’avola, both of which had developed their own personalities and flavour profiles.
The Rod Bonfiglioli Wine of Show 2025 went to Hahndorf Hill Gru Grüner Veltliner 2024, which also took Best White Wine and Best of the Rest. Best Red Wine Award and Best Italian Red went to Orbis Wines Nero d’Avola 2024. The Viticulturist Award went to Jeff Flint of Wangolina. The exciting Provenance class was of very high quality, with the award going to Crittenden’s Cri de Coeur Savagnin Sous Voile (they entered their 2020, 2013 and 2011).
The 789 entries this year spanned 69 regions and 98 grape varieties, making the judging classes the most diverse I have ever seen in a wine show.Leanne Altmann awarded the Chief of Judges Wine to Watch award to the delicious Bloomfield Mencia 2024, and I gave my International Judge’s Wine to Watch award to Chalmers Mother Block Skin Contact 2025, a field blend from their nursery mother block. This year also saw the introduction of a new award to recognise Helen Healy for her amazing contributions as show manager, having supported the event since its inception. Helen started this year’s show as Mayor of Mildura and finished the show in a different role as Deputy Mayor (as an aside, it’s the first time I’ve ever been received at a wine show at the airport by a mayor!). The inaugural Helen Healy Award for Excellence went to Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards.
But that’s not all… to celebrate their 21st anniversary, the show commissioned wine writer Max Allen to write a book about the show and the movement which has grown around it, called Alternative Reality. The book, published in 2023, was recently awarded Best New Wine Book at the Australian Wine Communicator Awards 2025. Awards all round and a fitting way to celebrate the show’s first quarter century.