Australia in pictures: Victoria

db joined the James Busby Travel tour of sommeliers, buyers and educators from around the world for a thrilling two week tour of Australia. First up are these photo highlights from Victoria, including winemaking submarines, “bung” cricket and a sommelier let loose in a pig farm.

After a long flight to Melbourne, db was revived by the sight of this poster advertising an authentic slice of Australian culture. Unfortunately a tight wine itinerary ruled out an opportunity to see Neighbours icon Dr Karl Kennedy in action.

Timo Mayer is not only channelling his Teutonic heritage into some lovely Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, but also some delightfully retro German-inspired labels.

The first official stop was at Victoria’s most easterly wine region of Gippsland, home to Bill Downie, pictured here with his daughter Martha. As well as showing off his own range of Pinot Noir, Bill offered a sneak preview of Thousand Candles 2013 and shared his own provocative theory on the nature of Australian terroir.

Moving around the “dress circle” of Victorian wine regions, it was time for an orientation session in Mornington Peninsular with Sandro Mosele of Kooyong.

Getting to grips with the distinctive iron rich geology that lends its name to Ferrous, part of a trio of very individual Pinot Noir expressions produced by Kooyong.

Mornington producers Barney Flanders of Garagiste and Rory Lane of The Story decided that what our international group of sommeliers, buyers and wine educators really needed was an induction into the unpredictable sporting delights of “bung” cricket.

Geddit? This wine within the extensive De Bortoli portfolio is clearly aiming to mirror a certain element of winemaking.

The Australian commitment – or should that be obsession – to serving excellent coffee at all times reached new heights with a superlative breakfast in the Giant Steps vineyard, high up in Yarra Valley.

As rain clouds threatened, Phil Sexton, owner of Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander, provided an overview of the region over a breakfast glass of sparkling Moscato made from 80-year-old vines.

db spent an afternoon with two of Victoria’s most exciting young winemakers, Luke Lambert and Mac Forbes. While Mac combines his exploration of Yarra sub-regions with a number of approaches inspired by his time spent in Austria, Luke is moving beyond Syrah and Chardonnay to tackle the challenge of recreating the delights of Barolo Nebbiolo rather closer to home.

After a hard day’s tasting, it was time to explore Melbourne’s thriving bar, restaurant and craft gin scene.

Fortunately Michael Dhillon of Bindi was on hand to revive us the next morning with a glass of his late-disgorged sparkling wine in a beautiful viticultural oasis lost in the Macedon Ranges.

Then it was over to Bendigo, where French winemaker Gilles Lapalus of Sutton Grange talked through the detailed contents of his biodynamic preparations, including this temperature monitored compost heap.

Not content with trialling concrete eggs, Gilles showed off his “submarines”, which he finds offer a level of lees contact ideally suited to his white and rosé wines.

When your vines were planted in the 1860s on their own roots, the last thing you need is phylloxera, which is causing problems for many winemakers in Victoria. It was precautionary footbaths for everyone upon arrival at Bests in Great Western.

And finally, as we headed west towards the South Australian border, there was just time to stop off at the pig farm which had provided such a tasty lunch at Bests. Sebastien Morice from London wine bar group 28-50 showed off his sentimental side as the free range piglets came into view.

Look out for a second instalment of photos from the trip as the group crosses over into South Australia.