Tony & Pam Barich
FLYING HIGH
At Whistling Kite Wines in the Riverland, vigneron Tony Barich is a beacon for biodynamic viticulture and alternative varieties, showing a whole new side to the region.
South Australia’s vast Riverland wine region produces a huge volume of grapes that go into popular wines poured around the world. But it hasn’t always had the prestige or focus on premium quality that other regions have. Tony and his wife Pam realised that to attract new wine drinkers and a younger generation to the region, they needed to shake things up.
An alternative route to success
There’s a pair of Whistling Kites named Bonnie and Clyde living among the vines and trees of Tony and Pam’s property. These native birds inspired the name of the Barich’s wine label. The birds watch over the Earth – a role Tony and Pam took on themselves more than 40 years ago when they bought the vineyard.
They planted forests of trees and converted the vineyard to organics and then biodynamics – a radical approach in the region. Biodynamics uses natural materials in place of chemicals and works with cosmic forces like the moon. On the banks of the Murray River, the property is now a haven for wildlife, from birds and bugs to kangaroos.
At Whistling Kite Wines in the Riverland, vigneron Tony Barich is a beacon for biodynamic viticulture and alternative varieties, showing a whole new side to the region.
“The ultimate aim of biodynamics is to create a system where there’s no outside inputs at all, and we are getting very close to that point after all these years,” says Tony. “Everything we do is aimed at producing the absolute best fruit for our wines.
“We want to demonstrate what can be achieved out of the Riverland, by creating wines that truly reflect the way the grapes have been grown.”
The couple launched their wine label in 2010 to showcase their work in the vineyard. The award-winning wines are made using wild yeast from in the vineyard (as opposed to commercial yeast), simple techniques and minimal additions. There’s a big focus on alternative varieties that thrive in the Riverland’s warm, sunny climate – including Viognier, Mencia and Montepulciano.
“We’re trying to achieve something unique to the area,” says Tony. “I’ve just always thought outside the square, and I hate being told what to do. We wanted to become a beacon of biodynamic growing in the Riverland, and I think after 25 years of organic production, we’ve achieved that.”
“We want to demonstrate what can be achieved in the Riverland, by creating wines that truly reflect the way the grapes have been grown.” – Tony Barich
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