Barry Morey
MINIMAL INTERVENTIONIST
In the rugged hills of the Beechworth wine region, 11th-generation winemaker Barry Morey is cultivating unusual grapes and helping to lead the way in sustainable farming.
Named after an old family vineyard in Germany, Sorrenberg is a small winery with a cult following. Much of their wine is bought directly from customers on their mailing list, many of whom Barry knows by name. Passionate about sustainable viticulture, Barry and his wife Jan take a hands-off approach to the entire winemaking process – “a lot of thought but very little intervention”. It’s part of his mission to change the world.
A long tradition
Barry’s vineyard may be relatively young, having been planted in the mid-1980s, but his family has been making wine for more than 500 years. Generations ago, Barry’s grandfather moved from Mosel River in Germany to Australia to work in a family vineyard. Farming is in Barry’s blood, who grew up on an orchard before falling into a job in the Brown Brothers winery.
In the mid-1980s, Barry and his wife Jan bought land in Victoria’s cool-climate Beechworth wine region and planted several varieties including the lesser-known Gamay. This purple-skinned grape makes delicate, floral wines that are sometimes compared to Pinot Noir.
“The first vintage of Gamay was 1990,” says Barry. “That was a pretty hard time to sell any wine, and especially an unknown variety from an unknown vineyard. But persisting with it certainly has paid off. The aromatics are just fantastic in Gamay.”
Barry has gone left field with another variety too, recently planting Sauvignon Gris, an unusual variety that he’s hoping will make the perfect addition to his Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend.
“Biodynamics won't make a poor property into something fantastic; you've also got to be sensible and a good farmer as well and think carefully about what you’re doing” – Barry Morey
A farmer first and foremost, Barry believes the work he does out in the vineyard is the most important part of the winemaking process. His vineyard is certified biodynamic.
“What I’m most passionate about is improving our soils, growing with minimal intervention, being able to look back and say, well, we’ve taken this land to another level,” says Barry.
“Probably the most exciting thing about being a farmer is that if we all farm sustainably, we can solve the climate problem. It doesn’t mean you have to be a hippy and hug a tree. A lot of it is just good, sensible farming.
“What I would like to leave as a legacy is to show people that farming is really a great way of living. And that you can farm and live sustainably.”
“The most exciting thing about being a farmer is that if we all farm sustainably, we can solve the climate problem.” – Barry Morey
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