How bats are playing a role in a new wine range

You don't see a lot field blend wines any more, with single varietals very much in fashion.

A field blend is a wine made up of two or more types of grapes, where the grapes are planted together in the same vineyard, brought in together at harvest and co-fermented in the winery.

Fowles Wine at Avenel, just 90 minutes north of Melbourne, has defied fashion with its new Fieldsong range, with a white blend and a red blend from the cool-climate Strathbogie Ranges.

Both wines are aromatic and bright with the red just edging my vote.

The White Field Blend is a true fruit salad with sauvignon blanc, riesling, arneis, pinot grigio and chardonnay coming together in delightful harmony. A vinous Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with a guest appearance from James Taylor.

The Red Field Blend is s similar collection of talents that proved a very friendly partner for a Thai red duck curry.

Here mourvèdre is the unlikely band leader with pinot noir. merlot, shiraz and sangiovese adding the harmonies.

Owner Matt Fowles says his team is always looking at ways they can work with the power of nature to create exceptional wines and help restore and regenerate the environment as they go.

“Fieldsong is the outcome of the care we put into our environment and shows what can be produced with a nurturing and holistic approach to nature and winemaking,” he said.

“The range is inspired by the cacophony of sounds and variety of fauna that call our vines home, paired with the overwhelming sense of calm we feel when walking through our vineyard blocks.

“At Fowles, we aren’t just focused on making good wine, we strive to be at the forefront of environmental developments that help protect our ecosystem - leaving them in even better condition than when we started.”

With that in mind, the winery’s latest project is investigating the value of some of Fowles’ smallest inhabitants - the microbats that call the winery home.

The winery has partnered with the University of New England (UNE) for a ground-breaking study into insect-eating micro-bats as a means of vineyard pest control, which could ultimately save Australia’s wine industry $50 million per annum.

The joint study is focused on the potential utilisation of natural resources in the broader wine industry and harness nature’s powers to promote a regenerative environment.

There are 16 species of insect-eating microbats in Victoria, 12 of which call Fowles’ vineyards home. These small vineyard residents consume up to 100% of their body mass in insects each day. This means that a colony of 100 bats, weighing 10 grams each, could remove up to one kilo of insects every night.

“We are fostering a balanced farming system and seek to repurpose and utilise what is available on the property," says Fowles.

“This current project with UNE represents a leap forward - the most comprehensive study yet - aimed at unravelling bat diversity and their ecosystem contributions within vineyards.

“Our main priority is not yield, it’s about embracing the power of nature, surrendering to the chaos and seeing the incredible quality that it brings.”

Both the Fieldsong wines are food friendly, and offer excellent value at $30. 

See fowleswine.com

Two Tasmanian vineyards recognised for sustainability

The Tasmanian wine sector's environmental sustainability report for 2023 has been released, with two vineyards recognised for their practices during the season.

The voluntary VinØ ('vin zero') program is a framework to ensure Tasmania’s wine producers are doing everything they can to produce high-quality wine without negative impacts on the environment or local communities.

Paul Smart, Wine Tasmania's Viticulture & Winemaking Officer, noted that just under half of Tasmania's vineyard area was managed under the VinØ Program in 2022/23 (41%), with 30 vineyards and wineries reporting on a range of business and sustainability practices.

"The VinØ Program covers all aspects of vineyard and winery management, such as soil health, biodiversity, carbon emissions, waste and water management, biosecurity, social and human resources," Smart said.

"In 2023, practices across biodiversity, carbon emissions, waste management, pest and disease management and biosecurity all saw improvements. Biodiversity will remain a key focus area for 2024, as well as winery practices and one-on-one support for program members."

Smart announced two VinØ Program awards for 2023: Stargazer Wines in the Coal River Valley (top image) was awarded the 2023 VinØ Program Champion, while Westella Vineyard in the Tamar Valley was announced as the 2023 VinØ Program Most Improved Producer.

Accepting the award on behalf of Stargazer owner Sam Connew, Bryn Williams said: ""We are thrilled to receive the VinØ Program Champion award this year.

"It goes to show how large an impact small incremental change can have on a business. It's been very valuable for Stargazer to assess its own procedures through the VinØ framework.

"There is always room for improvement and reflection and our business will evolve as the VinØ Program continues to develop and expand in the future."

Jacquie Adkins of Westella Vineyard said: "After joining VinØ, we quickly realised the value of the program's organisational framework. VinØ has become an essential tool for Westella as we strive for continuous improvement and identify areas of our vineyard operations that require focus. Winning the award was a welcome recognition of the planning, paperwork, and physical effort that goes into developing a vineyard and achieving high quality fruit."