Wild yeasts may play a greater role in the expression of terroir, house style and varietal character than previously thought, according to fascinating research currently under way in Australia. This is exciting news for the growing number of Australian makers favouring spontaneous ferments with indigenous yeasts – rather than inoculating with cultured yeasts – in an effort to produce unique, more characterful wines...
Where the wild things are – yeasts unravelled
Our Australian columnist passes on news of a potentially ground-breaking discovery from Down Under. For a general introduction to yeasts and their role in wine, see the yeast entry in the Oxford Companion to Wine.
Become a member or log in to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 294,751 wine reviews & 16,079 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 294,751 wine reviews & 16,079 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 294,751 wine reviews & 16,079 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 294,751 wine reviews & 16,079 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Max on Oz
Max on Oz
In South Australia, giving away grapes turns out to make good business sense. Above, winemakers involved in Project 5255, vintage...
Max on Oz
This column marks ten years of Max Allen’s contributions to JancisRobinson.com. His first regular article, on Australia’s next generation of...
Max on Oz
Floods and drought collide in eastern Australia.
The last time the cellars flooded at Mitchelton was 1974, just after the...
Max on Oz
Do screwcaps preserve wines during a glorious evolution, or stunt their development?
In 1977, when Clare Valley winemaker Andrew Mitchell...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Wines of the week
A summer-ready, silky white wine that’s widely available from just $8.99, £20.90 . The sleeper hit of Napa winery Pine...
Tasting articles
Part 4 of an exploration of California’s westernmost vineyards. Above, the Split Rail vineyard in Corralitos (credit: John Benedetti)...
Tasting articles
A close look at three of Zaragoza’s most important projects. Above, Fernando Mora MW (left) and Mario López of Bodegas...
Free for all
4 June 2026 In advance of the 2026 Old Vine Conference on 8 June, we’re republishing this overview of our...
Tasting articles
To celebrate Aragón’s new map in the upcoming World Atlas of Wine , Ferran explores the wines of Zaragoza. Above...
Tasting articles
Red, white, young, old – there’s no shortage of diversity or deliciousness available in Swiss wines. You just need to...
Tasting articles
Reasons to drink more Riesling; best buys; and far-flung finds – highlights from a month of tastings. Above, Mount Ararat...
Don't quote me
Foreign parts feature heavily this month but that’s far from all. The villa pictured above overlooks Tangier. I hope you...