Talented young winemakers may be a rare find, but Ballarat does not have to look far to find Australia’s best.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Owen Latta from Eastern Peake Vineyard and Winery in Coghills Creek has been awarded Australia’s Young Winemaker of the Year.
Owen said he was proud to be chosen for his natural wine making philosophy and as a representative for a region yet to be recognised for wine.
The recognition comes after the growing success of an innovative new label released in 2014 and at a time where Eastern Peake Vineyard and Winery is continuing to expand.
But both Owen and his father Norman who first started the vineyard, shared their frustrations that Ballarat is yet to be recognised as a place to grow grapes.
“The region is not a region in Australian wine. Ballarat is yet to be recognised because it is so small,” Owen said.
“Everybody has gone off to Tasmania and pretty much drive right past on the Western Freeway and don’t stop. This accolade might wake them up a bit.
All of the planting was done up until the late 90s, early 2000s and that was it. It has been dormant ever since.
- Owen Latta
“It doesn’t mean much now but 35 years ago Yellowglen set up a vineyard here to grow the best sparkling in Australia because the climate was cold.
“It is a shame they didn’t stick around to see it out. If there was more investment in the area people could see it is one of Australia’s best places to grow pinot noir and chardonnay and other cool climate varieties.
“But there is still no wineries that have reinvested in vineyards. All of the planting was done up until the late 90s, early 2000s and that was it. It has been dormant ever since.”
Norman and his wife Diane planted the vineyard at Coghills Creek in 1983.
They operated as contract grape growers for 10 years until they no longer fit the portfolio of their winemaker.
The winemaker encouraged them winemakers themselves and provided the equipment and support.
Norman’s initial passion for growing quality grapes has formed the basis of Eastern Peake’s winemaking philosophy.
“The way we make wine here, we don’t add anything to it. It is all about the vineyard and where it comes from,” Owen said.
“It is all about making sure the grapes are grown well.”
The wine produced under the Eastern Peake and Latta labels is sold to hatted restaurants and the best bars in Australia. Bottles are also exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore.
“We are not a winery tourist destination, which has been positive for us in the quality of what we make, because we have got to impress people other than tourists,” Norman said.
“Word of mouth takes a long time to build a reputation, but you never lose it. If you do lose it it is because you have stuffed up.
“Product matters. We have been really fortunate. It’s that old saying, it only took 35 years to be an overnight success. But we just kept doing what we do well.”
Owen grew up on the vineyard. At 34, he already has 19 years of wine making behind him.
“In 1999 I fell over and got concussion. I lost my sense of smell and I lost my sense of balance,” Norman said.
“Owen was 15 and still at Ballarat High. He would do the wine making under my direction. I couldn’t do very much at all. He would get up in the morning and plunge grapes and ended up with red juice on his clothes going to school and would get into trouble for being a grot.”
In 2002, Owen studied cool climate wine science in Geelong and worked at big wineries around Australia, before returning home in 2006.
Owen said wine making at Eastern Peake was about touch and feel rather than the number work of a big winery.
“There is a lot of individuality to what we do,” he said.
Owen and Norman’s plan now is to expand the vineyard, but it may prove a challenge to find skilled staff to support them.
“Viticulturalists are in short supply, winemakers are in dime a dozen. It is a big concern for Wine Victoria,” Norman said.
“There’s no youth. There’s no under 40-year-olds working with wine bar a few,” Owen said.
“It is going to be a big whack for Australia. Especially with the growth of Australian wine. It was dead 10 years ago and all of a sudden it is moving.”
Owen admits wine making is not a glamorous job. Working with cool climate grapes is particularly labour intensive.
He thinks perhaps working in the industry needs to be made ‘glamorous’ again to attract younger growers.
And the message to consumers? Drink good wine and drink local, Owen and Norman said.
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.