Coroanvirus in Ballarat: Virtual outlook sound for wine amid COVID-19

Langi Ghiran viticulturist Damien Sheehan said forced changes were not without challenges and, like most industries, the rise in online conferencing and emails could feel exhaustive on top of adapting business to a primarily online focus.

But this lockdown winemakers and vineyards across the Grampians were much better prepared for it.

A new report from agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank found wineries worldwide were, in large, caught out for a lack of investment in "digital capabilities" as online sales quickly grew amid the pandemic.

Mr Sheehan said wineries across the region had been pushing and supporting each other to improve and evolve, like virtual wine-tastings for customers on mailing lists.

"The minute someone comes up with a new concept, everyone is almost expected to do it to keep up," Mr Sheehan said.

"But there are operators who have their whole business model based in an online environment called virtual winemakers because they don't own any assets and are strongly aligned with the virtual world. They'll have a strong restaurant or hospitality exposure normally, and are often advanced in social media.

"It's more the traditional model of winemaking, the more established businesses where you have the winery business and cellar door; where you are the grape grower, winemaker, retailer and now someone who needs to be great at social media."

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Many small wineries across the Grampians opted to close early in the pandemic to instead focus on their harvest. Mr Sheehan, at the time, said once harvests were complete and travel restrictions were in place there was little choice but to look to sell online. Platforms were created for wineries to help each other.

The lifting of stage three restrictions created bumper tourism and trade for cellar doors, only for this to drop when Melbourne initially went back into lockdown.

The general message from winery leaders was still the same, buy direct and buy local was the best way to help.

Blue Pyrenees Estate in Avoca chose to step up its online game by recruiting Kate Davis, who is behind the Eat Drink West campaign and Plate Up Ballarat.

While Blue Pyrenees had long had the foundations in place with an online presence, its chief winemaker and chief executive officer Andrew Koerner said the extra push amid the pandemic could be a good thing.

"Online is super important. The one thing that's grown in wine sales during COVID is direct to the customer," Mr Koerner said.

"Kate will help growing our following quickly and connecting with consumers. We had done quite well in that area previously - focusing on our wine club and events to grow our data base and wine list. What we have created there already is something we haven't pushed as hard before."

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Mr Koerner said this push would undoubtedly be harder for smaller wineries who had traditionally built a brand on premise, but online was an important space to develop in.

Ms Davis will be working to develop Blue Pyrenees Estate and Glenlofty brands regionally and globally.

Meanwhile, Mr Sheehan said trade between Australian winemakers and China remained strong and respectful, despite ongoing tense international relations at federal government level.

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