When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. For Mountainside Wines owners Shane and Jane Goninon, when life doesn't give you grapes, start a tour company.
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Forced to close its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warrack-based business joined forces with neighbouring wineries Mount Langi Ghiran and Dog Rock Wines to create a new way to experience local wine.
"Like most people during the shutdown, we spent a lot of time focusing on the tasks we normally wouldn't do," Mrs Goninon said.
"We spent a number of months refining our new venture - the Rotundone Road Shiraz Adventure."
Rotundone is a compound in wine that gives it the white pepper aroma and flavour found in cool climate shiraz.
Researchers have found that the highest concentration of Rotundone is in the Grampians and Pyrenees region.
"The Rotundone Road is a new shiraz journey," Jane said.
"It connects Mount Langi Ghiran, Dog Rock Wines and Mountainside Wines through some of the most picturesque scenery the region has to offer."
Launched on June 29, the joint venture is the silver lining to an otherwise tough period for Mountainside Wines.
It's been tough for everyone in wine.
- Jane Goninon, Mountainside Wines
2019 was a particularly tough year for winemakers in Victoria, as hot weather in November scorched flowering shiraz varieties, only for wet and windy conditions in December to destroy more grapes.
About 50% of the vintage was lost across the Grampians and Pyrenees regions.
"The weather wasn't on our side in 2019," Mrs Goninon said.
"We only picked white and nebbiolo grapes. No Shiraz."
The run of bad luck continued into 2020, as the coronavirus halted a bumper summer of trade.
As the year progressed, additional streams of reliable income stopped too.
"Losing Grape Escape was pretty tough," she added.
"It's a great way to showcase our wine and bring in new customers. It was a significant loss.
"We've recently received news that Seriously Shiraz, which would typically happen in September, will be postponed to 2021.
"We have no shows, no food and wine events, and no real way of bringing our product to the people.
"It's been tough for everyone in wine."
Fortunately, as restrictions eased, wineries such as Mountainside Wines were able to open their cellar door to the public.
"We reopened on the June long weekend," Mrs Goninon said.
"There is a lot of nervousness - new hygienic practices and new rules.
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"You had to sell wine by the glass with real food, not just nibbles.
"Our bed and breakfast was doing wonderfully, but as news of the Melbourne outbreaks spread, people rang up and cancelled.
"Fortunately we have had some great advocates work for our wineries, and along with the launch of Rotundone Road, we are heading in the right direction."
For more information on the Rotundone Road Shiraz Adventure, visit www.rotundoneroad.com.au.