EUREKA, Sovereign Hill and chilly winters. These tend to be what Ballarat is most well known for.
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However, there is a quiet revolution happening that may yet see the term "pinot noir" added to that list.
Wineries in the immediate area around Ballarat are gaining renown among those in the know for producing one of the most difficult wine varieties.
And new vineyards devoted to the variety are being planted near Mount Buninyong at Scotsburn, in addition to established vineyards at Nintingbool, Garibaldi, Eastern Peak and Ballarat itself.
It is pinot noir's notoriously fickle temperament – it will only produce fine wine in very particular locations – and Ballarat's at times maligned climate that could prove a marriage made in winemaker heaven for the area's vineyards.
"We think pinot noir and Ballarat is a fantastic match," says Scott Ireland of Provenance Wines.
"I think Ballarat is still a secret but that could change.
"What I find when we talk to people at the finer restaurants, is wine is a product that can take a region to the world.
"If Ballarat can produce the right wines and gets a name for its terroir, then people will recognise Ballarat pinot noir for its characters and it will be a sought after item.
"That's what happens in the world of wine.
"It can't be mimicked because only Ballarat is Ballarat. I cannot think of another grape variety that can have someone in the central business district in London or New York or wherever tasting a wine and being able to think about the place it was produced."
Scott is putting his money where his mouth is.
While he produces his wines near Bannockburn, he has invested heavily in 1.5 hectares of close-planted pinot noir vines in the shadows of Mount Buninyong and plans to expand further in the area.
"I am making a significant investment in the Ballarat region. I have a very long term view," he says.
"We will have significant fruit off it in five years but it will take 20 years to hit its prime."
Pinot noir grapes are notoriously fickle. PICTURE: JEREMY BANNISTER
The French term terroir is the key.
It is an all-encompassing term in winemaking that covers the soil, rainfall and other environmental conditions in a region.
By happy coincidence, Ballarat's altitude and weather bears a striking similarity to Burgundy in France, the birthplace of pinot noir.
Jane and Troy Walsh of Atwood Wines established a hectare of vines at Scotsburn at the same time Scott did.
Troy also draws comparisons between Ballarat and Burgundy.
"When people think of cool climate regions in mainland Australia, they are not really that cool," he says.
"Ballarat, though, has a climate closer to Tasmania where they are making great pinot noir.
"Thirty years ago we couldn't get the grapes to ripen. Ballarat is the coldest wine area in Australia"
"And Burgundy, the original home of pinot noir, is also quite a cool area. Pinot noir likes a long ripening season."
One long-time advocate of Ballarat pinot noir is Ian Watson of Tomboy Hill wines.
His highly regarded Tomboy Hill Rebellion Pinot Noir is a three-time winner at the Daylesford Wine Show.
Ian says climate change has made Ballarat even more suited to the variety.
"Thirty years ago we couldn't get the grapes to ripen. Ballarat is the coldest wine area in Australia. You need it marginal but you have to be on the limit," he says.
Scott agrees.
"For us, that growing season is September to April and what you want with pinot noir you want it to be in the band of the average growing season temperature to be something like 14 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees," he explains.
"Pinot noir is very particular with that. There is a very narrow band that it does well.
"The average for Ballarat during recent seasons has been 15.25 degrees.
"Traditionally pinot noir is grown on limestone based soils and it tends to like clay because of its water holding capacity. However, There is no reason we can't grow it on volcanic soils and that's what we're exploring now."
Scott Ireland at his pinot noir vineyard. PICTURE: JEREMY BANNISTER
Coinciding with climatic trending towards pinot noir's sweet spot, is a growing taste for the variety among Australian wine drinkers.
While still a niche segment compared with the two big reds – shiraz and cabernet – pinot noir makes up 7.1 per cent of bottle shop red wine sales in terms of value, and is one of the fastest growing segments with a 6.4 per cent increase year-on-year according to research by AC Nielson.
"There is a real shift towards cooler climate wines in Australia as our pallet matures and develops," says Mr Walsh, who was previously a sommelier at a number of high-end restaurants in London.
"There is a lot more food driven wine that is more elegant and will match better with the meal, rather than the big higher-alcohol, fruit driven wines such as traditional Australian shiraz.
"Our challenge is to appeal to overseas wine buyers who are willing to buy boutique wineries, and that is beginning to happen overseas.
"Pinot noir can be that boutique variety for us. We need to get rid of that sunshine-in-a-bottle tag Australia has and cooler climate wines like pinot noir can do that."
"It is going to take off and we are already getting young winemakers wanting to buy our fruit here."
There is spirit of cooperation among many pinot noir growers around Ballarat, with a view that if the region develops a reputation for fine pinot noir then all can share in the fruits.
Troy has worked with both Ian and Scott in the past, along with Sinclair of Scotsburn and others.
"It is not a competition among winemakers around Ballarat," Troy says.
"We have got to work as a group and focus on producing only quality wines here. We can't compete at the lower end so we have to focus on really good wines to represent Ballarat to the world."
Jane Walsh and Ian Watson. PICTURE: JEREMY BANNISTER
The dark horse
PINOT noir is something of a dark horse compared with the big boys of Australian red wine – shiraz and cabernet sauvignon – but it is hardly a latecomer.
The variety has been farmed in Burgundy, France, for more than 1000 years.
Producing fine pinot noir (called Burgundy when from that region) has always required patience and there are tales of monks dedicating themselves to the craft of creating it.
Scott Ireland describes pinot noir as a more subtle beast than other reds.
"Compared with cabernet sauvignon, for example, pinot noir is often lighter in colour and has greater elegance and structure to it," Scott says.
"You can use words such as silky or velvet smooth.
"Cabernet and shiraz often has more darker berry flavours, while pinot has lighter berry flavours such as strawberries through to raspberries.
"It gives an impression of fruitiness. It might also be more of a summer drinking wine than the other reds which are a bit heavier.
"Pinot noir is often lighter in colour and has greater elegance and structure"
"Pinot noir is a glorious grape variety when it is right because it offers complexity and nuance. It has rich mid-palette and generosity of flavour. The trick is to balance it with natural acid."
Perhaps because of its subtlety pinot noir appears to be developing a more unisex appeal compared with shiraz and cabernet which have traditionally been pitched towards men.
Its other claim to fame is its partnership with the other great Burgundy-born variety chardonnay in producing champagne-style sparkling wine.
A bit of a tart
IF pinot noir is the understated and elegant red that refuses to venture far from its preferred dwelling place, then its more extroverted white wine cousin is chardonnay.
Some wine producers describe chardonnay as "a bit of a tart" in that it can be grown anywhere.
It means it is much harder for a region to specialise in the popular white.
However chardonnay's true home is cooler climates like Ballarat. The two both hail originally from the Burgundy region in France.
In fact, traditionally, White Burgundy is chardonnay and Red Burgundy is pinot noir.
And just as Ballarat has enormous potential for pinot noir, there is considerable opportunity for chardonnay as well.
Scott Ireland says Ballarat pinot noir and chardonnay can walk hand-in-hand.
"Great wines have vitality," Scott Ireland says.
"You might describe the body of a wine, well the flesh is the fruit character but it must hang on a skeleton of tannin (which provides a wine's distinct dryness) and acid (its crispness)."
Because of its cooler climate, what Ballarat has is oodles of great natural acid.
Chardonnay makers all over Australia are clamouring for fruit with natural acid.
This is the great strength of Ballarat.
"Ballarat grows a more elegant style of chardonnay. People are looking for freshness in food and wine and this is the great opportunity for Ballarat 'chardy'."