Adelaide Hills winemaker wins big overseas
A Hills winemaker says he is bucking industry pain and winning major awards in London for his niche, alternative varietals.
Adelaide Hills winemaker Amadio Wines has picked up one Double Gold, one Gold and six Silver medals at the London International Wine Competition, with its alternative varietals proving popular.
Its top-rated drop was the 2017 Heritage Range Sagrantino, which scored an excellent 96 points and a Double Gold medal, while Amadio’s 2023 Shiraz also scored highly at 90 points.
Managing director Danniel Amadio said his business was finding a sweet spot with alternative grape varieties and recognising “not everyone wants to drink those big reds anymore. It’s the only viable niche in terms of grape sales at the moment.”
Other South Australian winners to score big at the London competition included Barossa Valley-based Kellermeister with its 2018 ‘The Meister’ receiving 96 points and McLaren Vale’s Pirramimma Wines receiving 93 points for its 2022 white label Petit Verdot.
Amadio also received six silver medals, with its 2023 Evanescence Barbera, 2024 Pinot Noir, 2024 Horse & Cart Series GSM, 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, 2025 Pinot Grigio and 2025 Pecorino all getting a nod.
Speaking to InDaily, Amadio said his approach to alternative varietals was paying off, both in competitions and on the shelf.
The business, which took out the title of the world’s best Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2024 AWC Vienna wine challenge, grows grapes for its own label and third parties.
On 325 acres in the Adelaide Hills, Amadio grows varieties like Pecorino, Sagrantino, Sangiovese and more.
“It has always been a good stable for us in terms of our varieties and what we can produce and offer to different markets,” Amadio said.
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“Because that’s what they’re looking for, alternative styles, rather than just Cabernet Shiraz, Chardonnay, the same old staple varieties.”
He said this approach was keeping the business solid amid a tumultuous time for grape growers in Australia, being hit hard by changing drinking trends, a weak economy, and a long-running oversupply of wine grapes.
“People in this industry need to diversify a bit,” Amadio said.
“It’s a costly exercise to do it, but you’ve got to go with the times in this market.
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