(AFR) -  Pinot supremacy

Ever since I went to Tasmania for the first time in the early 2000s and got excited about the generally superb vintages of that era, I have waited, patiently, for this cool and relatively dry region of Australia to consistently deliver what it has always promised. Vine age, considerable mainland investment from producers such as Treasury, Accolade and Shaw+Smith, together with the ever-growing number of locals making their own wine on site, add up to exciting times for a region that's finally challenging the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula for pinot supremacy. And 2014 is a cracking vintage. Names to look out for include Tolpuddle, Bay of Fires, Chatto, Holyman, Home Hill, Sailor Seeks Horse and Stargazer.

Biodynamic babies

Not to be confused with natural or orange wines, the growth of which represents a separate trend, talk of biodynamic​ farming practices can evoke images of ancient witchcraft. Filling a cow's horn with fermented dung and burying it in the soil might not sound very scientific but an increasing number of the world's great wine producers are managing their vineyards based on the ecological and sustainable farming approach outlined by Rudolf Steiner back in 1924. It's symptomatic of dissatisfaction with the land degradation created by modern methods of farming. In the southern hemisphere, those turning biodynamic include Cullen and Cloudburst from Margaret River,  Castagna​ in Beechworth and Jasper Hill in Heathcote, Victoria, along with Burn Cottage and Rippon in New Zealand. More will follow.

Only natural

So-called natural or orange wines – white wines made with extended skin contact – are different from organic or biodynamic wines in that the latter's primary focus is on how grapes are grown. The philosophy of natural winemaking, by contrast, extends from the vineyard right through to the winery, where the use of additives such as enzymes, acids, sugars, tannins and, most critically, sulphur, is generally not permitted. Sydney is the epicentre of this movement and home to Rootstock, a not-for-profit sustainable food and wine festival. Last year it attracted more than 13,000 patrons who, in the words of co-founder Mike Bennie, "came to eat, drink, learn, laugh, hang out, meet farmers, hug wine growers, spill things, fall in love, be merry, be way too merry and enjoy".

It's special

Australia has long had its iconic reds, from Penfolds Grange to Henschke Hill of Grace, yet I still remember being surprised when, in 2010, Arras released the EJ Carr Late Disgorged 1998, a sparkling wine priced at $190 a bottle. Arras has recently issued 300 bottles of the 25th Anniversary Late Disgorged 1998 – at $350 each. Essentially the same as the original 1998 release but with another 10 years on yeast lees, this superb wine looks and tastes as if it's been in a time capsule. Cullen Wines in Margaret River has also released a special limited-edition, in its case 375 bottles of the 2012 Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon. This impeccably balanced blend of 97 per cent cabernet and 3 per cent petit verdot is sourced from Cullen's oldest vines. At $350 a bottle it isn't cheap – but it's still a fifth of the price of first-growth bordeaux.

Alternative varieties

While nothing will seriously challenge the dominance of shiraz, chardonnay and cabernet in Australia – these three account for over 60 per cent of plantings – there has never been so much interest from producers and consumers in so-called alternative varieties. In 2000 there were only 114 hectares of the Spanish varietals tempranillo​ and touriga​ under vine. Today there are more than 500 hectares planted, and SC Pannell's Tempranillo Touriga 2014 took out the trophy for the best red blend at this year's Royal Melbourne Wine Awards.