South Pack and Australian Terroirism - Tim gives the lowdown

Tim Wildman MW
South Pack Article

There is a group of young winemakers in Victoria, Australia calling themselves South Pack, and they may possibly be the most exciting untold story in Australian wine today.

South Pack are made up of eight small, independent winemakers who joined forces in 2006 to help get their voices heard in an increasingly competitive domestic market. They hold annual tastings in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, aimed mainly at the sommelier community and some of their wines will be appearing at this year’s London Australia Day Tasting (see list of stockists below).

Steve Webber, head winemaker at De Bortoli and senior industry figure observes,
“The South Pack group are causing genuine excitement among fine wine retailers and sommeliers with new and different wines from the southern Victorian regions Yarra Valley, Mornington, Gippsland etc. The wines are hand crafted, taste like they come from somewhere and have real interest and charm.”

It’s unsurprising to learn that as well as vintages in Europe, many in the South Pack group cut their teeth working with Steve at De Bortoli, whose innovative Yarra based winery is increasingly the go-to producer for elegant, european styled wines. South Pack’s ambition could be described along similar lines, as a determination to make european inspired wines that express terroir, have some longevity and complement food. 

South Pack member Luke Lambert explains. “I think we all share a common philosophy about wine. To explore and show various vineyards, sites or microclimates in a pure and balanced way is the ultimate goal. There’s a strong sense of solidarity because we’re all in the same boat I guess. We’re independent, small production wineries that have absolutely nothing in common with large Australian wine companies. We make wine in a totally different way to those companies and explore vineyard and blocks because we’re interested in showing the terroir. We don’t do this because it’s easy or profitable - it isn’t - we do it because it’s difficult, challenging, and therefore rewarding when you have a small win or take a step forward in overall wine quality”

Fellow Yarra based South Pack member and riesling producer Mac Forbes puts it another way, “South Pack is all about forging new territory...with an increased focus on terroir.”
Barney Flanders, who along with David Chapman, make wine on the Mornington Peninsula under the Allies label echoes this view. “Each member of the group produces wine that reflect the maker, region and an ideal for each variety that is at times quite different from traditional Australian expressions. Often it’s easier to describe our antithesis, which is overtly fruity wine, emphasizing sweet oak and alcohol, and finishing sweet with low acid and low tannins. In short the typical Australian fare that we have had so much success in the past but perhaps with which the world is tiring”

When talking to members of the South Pack group their conversation revolves around low chemical inputs in the vineyard, site selection, wild yeast ferments, small batch wine making, moderated alcohol, low use of new oak, food friendly styles and savory palate structures. This gets to the heart of what makes South Pack both interesting and relevant. They are prepared to throw away the rule book of how they were taught to grow grapes and make wine, to actually challenge the Australian paradigm. 

But when they refer to making their wine “differently” what exactly does this mean in practice? In Luke lambert’s case it means hand picking his syrah at 11.5 baume (which produces a finished wine at just over 12.5), fermenting with whole bunches, with no new oak and with a low sulphur regime. Luke admits that it’s “incredibly hard work to produce and sell” a syrah like this in Australia. He does it because, in his words “I believe in the wine style and think it makes such wonderfully food friendly wine, and because I simply can’t drink the vast majority of wine produced in this country”

The previous Australian generation also has its old world inspired winemakers who “did it differently”. Think Rick Kinzbrunner at Giaconda, Nat White at Main Ridge and Stephen George at Ashton Hills. But at the time their voices were drowned out in the wave of sunshine-in-a-bottle wines that flooded our shores. But the times have changed. The Australian industry has serious problems, well documented elsewhere, of over-supply, falling demand and an image over-shadowed by their commodity wine. The UK trade has become increasingly jaded towards Australia, whilst the consumer is unwilling to venture beyond the gondola end. Australia is badly in need of a new story, and the young growers in South Pack offer a credible alternative.

But what impact can such a small group of limited production winemakers really have on the reputation of a whole country? Certainly nothing on a commercial level, most of them make barely more than a thousand cases a year, and less than half of them export. Nor are their wines cheap, mostly £15 or more. But what makes these mavericks important, indeed remarkable, is that they are producing the kind of wines that can make you re-evaluate not only a grape variety or style, but a whole country.

South Pack will never have the volume clout to change the market, but in their quietly confident, understated way, they might just be able to change attitudes and shift opinion. I’ll leave the last word to Bill Downie, who was instrumental in forming the group in 2006,

“South Pack is about wine. Wine that speaks to enthusiasts for wine. Wine that’s not a global marketing strategy. People should care about South Pack because there isn’t anything like it in Australia that hasn’t been hijacked and ruined by bureaucrats and companies. South Pack walks the talk”
04.02.10

South Pack are:

Bill Downie, Gippsland
Label - “William Downie”
Produces a Yarra Valley Pinot Noir and a Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir
http://www.williamdownie.com.au
UK importer - Liberty Wine

Mac Forbes
Label - “Mac Forbes Wines”
Produces a range of regional Yarra Valley pinot noirs, Strathbogie rieslings, Yarra cabernet and alternative varietals including gruner and blaufrankisch
http://www.macforbes.com
UK importer - Clark Foyster Wines

Timo Mayer, Yarra Valley
Label - “Mayer”
Produces Yarra Valley Close Planted pinot noir, chardonnay and shiraz
http://www.timomayer.com.au
UK importer - Les Caves de Pyrene

Gary Mills, Yarra Valley
Label - “Jamsheed”
Produces syrah from Yarra Valley and Grampians, gewurztraminer, viognier and pinot
http://www.jamsheed.com.au

James and Clare Lance, Yarra Valley
Label - “Punch”
Produce single vineyard pint noir, chardonnay and cabernet
http://www.punched.com.au

Barney Flanders and David Chapman, Mornington Peninsula
Label - “Allies” and “Garagiste”
Produce viognier, chardonnay, pinot and syrah
http://www.allies.com.au

Adam Forster, Heathcote
Label - “Syrahmi”
Produces old vine shiraz from Heathcote
http://www.syrahmi.com.au

Luke Lambert, Yarra Valley
Label - “Luke Lambert Wines”
Produces Yarra Valley syrah, Heathcote nebbiolo
http://www.lukelambertwines.com.au

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