Why Australian wine must change now | Louisa Rose of Yalumba

Why Australian wine must change now | Louisa Rose of Yalumba5 May56 min

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In this episode of the Halliday Wine Companion Podcast, host Anna Webster sits down with legendary Australian winemaker Louisa Rose from Yalumba. From growing up in Melbourne to becoming one of the most respected voices in Australian wine, Louisa shares her remarkable journey through decades of winemaking, sustainability leadership and innovation. They explore Yalumba’s pioneering work with viognier, wild fermentation, vegan-friendly wines, climate adaptation, old vines, and the challenges facing the global wine industry today. This is a must-listen for wine lovers, collectors, hospitality professionals and anyone curious about where wine is heading next. <a href="https://www.yalumba.com/">Yalumba</a> <a href="http://www.instagram.com/yalumbawine">Yalumba on Instagram</a> <a href="http://www.instagram.com/louisarose.wine">Louisa Rose on Instagram</a> <a href="https://winecompanion.com.au/">Halliday Wine Companion</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/winecompanion/">Halliday Wine Companion on Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/annawebster_">Anna Webster on Instagram</a> <a href="https://shop.winecompanion.com.au/products/2026-halliday-wine-companion">Buy the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion</a>   Key Topics Covered <ul> <li aria-level="1">Louisa Rose’s path from Melbourne to Yalumba in the Barossa</li> <li aria-level="1">Why Australian wine must change now | Louisa Rose of Yalumba</li> <li aria-level="1">ow Yalumba helped revive viognier in Australia</li> <li aria-level="1">Why wild fermentation creates better wines</li> <li aria-level="1">The truth about vegan wine production</li> <li aria-level="1">Sustainability in vineyards and wineries</li> <li aria-level="1">Climate change, water use and drought-resistant rootstocks</li> <li aria-level="1">Old-vine grenache and Australia’s winemaking heritage</li> <li aria-level="1">The Rare & Fine Collection including Virgilius and Tri-Centenary Grenache</li> <li aria-level="1">Why Australian wine needs stronger storytelling globally</li> <li aria-level="1">The future of wine consumption and industry change</li> </ul>   Standout Quotes “We have to earn our place.” Louisa Rose on the future of wine in a changing climate. “If you can find a food match that doesn’t go with viognier, let me know.” “The wild yeast just works so well.” Few guests offer the perspective Louisa Rose brings. Her career spans innovation, commercial success, environmental leadership and genuine love for wine. This conversation gives listeners insight into how premium Australian wine is made, marketed and protected for future generations. YouTube Chapters 00:00 Meet Louisa Rose from Yalumba 00:48 Growing up in Melbourne and discovering wine 02:14 Why physics was the backup plan 03:19 How Louisa landed a job at Yalumba 04:40 What Yalumba was like in the 1990s 05:51 Becoming Head Winemaker 08:42 Why wild fermentation changed everything 12:57 Vineyard yeast vs winery yeast explained 14:48 Why Yalumba made all wines vegan 16:53 Signature vineyard and old vine history 18:17 Sustainability inside a major winery 22:30 Bottle weight, packaging and carbon footprint 25:34 Climate change, rootstocks and water use  28:32 The Concerned Elders group explained 30:25 Why the wine industry is struggling 33:00 How Australian wine is viewed overseas 33:49 Rare & Fine Collection tasting 35:40 Tri-Centenary Grenache explained 38:45 The history of The Signature wine 45:22 Why viognier became Yalumba’s Icon 50:49 Why viognier is growing again 5