Riverland Uprising pushes claims of signature drops

Part of the Riverland Uprising campaign through Riverland Wine, Riverland Uprising is an industry-led domestic and international program to build the reputation of the Riverland as a producer of quality wines.

Vignerons from 13 wineries and vineyards are participating in the campaign, with newcomers and seasoned veterans in the mix.

New to the commercial market, Sixty Eight Roses grapegrower John Koutouzis said the campaign had been vital to his burgeoning business.

Mr Koutouzis bottled his first wine in 2019 and launched in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

"I was born in the Riverland to parents who had migrated from Greece and we grew up on a orchard," he said.

"We had apricots and peaches and all sorts of great stuff but we also had grapes.

"We'd make our own wine for home and to enjoy with friends and family, but it wasn't until three years ago I decided to put it out to the public.

"COVID was something I could never have predicted and although it has been scary, we've had to keep pushing through."

As the country faces a wine glut, showcasing the region's specialties to a domestic market is more important than ever, according to Mr Koutouzis.

This is due to ongoing supply chain challenges in the wake of COVID, with Australia's biggest wine importer - China - lost.

According to Wine Australia's recent report, Australian wine exports declined by 10 per cent in volume to 625 million litres and 19pc in value to $2.08 billion at the end of the last financial year.

This comes as the country's crush in 2022 fell back to "near average" size of 1.72 million tonnes, after 2021's record crush of more than 2mt.

Despite the crush decline, Australian Grape and Wine has warned it would still be unlikely grapes produced without a contract of supply will be sold in the 2023 vintage, with wine from this year's vintage expected to be "sitting in barrels" by the time the next harvest comes around.

"I think the way forward, not only for our food and wine industry but also our tourism industry, is to get out there and show people we do exist and we are an amazing region," Mr Koutouzis said.

"We offer totally different wines to other regions in SA.

"Our Shiraz, for example, is a lot lighter bodied, a lot more fragrant, more lot fruit forward.

"The Riverland isn't going to have a bold McLaren Vale or Barossa Valley Shiraz, but our difference is being recognised and goes to show we are producing great quality styles that people are loving today, and moving forward to more modern styles for the next generation and forward on."

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Whistling Kite's Adam Barich echoed Mr Koutouzis' sentiments, saying the region had plenty to offer.

"We want to lift the profile of our region," he said.

"The calibre is there, we just need more people to become aware of what's on offer. We're coming to the end of this campaign, but I think this will be a real push for us to keep the region in the spotlight."

Producing more than 30 per cent of the national winegrape crush each vintage, the Riverland is often seen as just a producer of bulk, mainstream wines, but local vignerons believes the region is not just a one-trick pony.

Mr Koutouzis is using his newly-opened business as a vessel to expose wine lovers to different tastes.

With a Mediterranean climate, he said the Riverland region was perfect for producing more niche grape varietals, such as Tempranillo or Vermentino.

"I think people are really starting to realise climate wise, the Riverland is suitable for these varieties and people are loving something more than just mainstream," Mr Koutouzis said.

"We know there's a demand for bulk wines and the Riverland is proud to produce those, but boutique wine has a place and that place is growing.

"We're really unique in the Riverland to have the climate we have and a lot more varieties will be coming in the next five to 10 years.

"Were a multicultural country with so many nationalities, why just stick to traditional wines when there's so much colour around us?

"The Riverland difference is being recognised and goes to show we are producing great quality styles that people are loving today, and moving forward to more modern styles for the next generation and forward on."