About Vinodiversity

exploring Australia’s alternative varieties

If you’ve ever felt like Australian wine conversations get stuck on the same handful of grapes, you’re not imagining it. Vinodiversity is my ongoing project to help curious drinkers discover (and actually enjoy) the breadth of alternative varieties being grown and made around Australia.

Vinodiversity is my passion—part field guide, part notebook, part newsletter—built for people who want to drink a little wider and understand what they’re tasting.

Who this is for

• Australian wine drinkers who want to expand their knowledge and enjoyment by exploring alternative varieties (beyond the usual classics).
• Winemakers and wine marketers who care about those drinkers—and want better ways to connect with them, speak to them, and keep up with what’s changing.

Join the Vinodiversity community

When you subscribe to the Vinodiversity community, you’ll get updates and writing that stay focused on one thing; helping you navigate Australian alternative varieties with more confidence and more fun.

Typical themes include:
• Varieties to look for (and why they’re worth your time)
• Regions and producers doing interesting work outside the mainstream
• Invitations to Zoom sessions with some of Australia's most experienced enthusiasts of alternative varieties.
• Practical context that makes the wine make more sense—without turning it into homework

When you subscribe, you’ll get updates and writing that stay focused on one thing: helping you navigate Australian alternative varieties with more confidence and more fun.
You are getting more than a newsletter; you are getting a chance to discuss with like-minded wine lovers

About Darby Higgs

• I’ve been exploring Australian wine and alternative varieties for decades.
• I built and maintain a database covering 1500+ winery/variety combinations—compiled from direct research (websites, tasting notes, wine shows, producer info, reader feedback and ongoing updates).
• I’ve written and published on the topic, including books and ongoing commentary for wine-curious readers.
• I also host sessions and conversations (including Zoom events) designed to bring consumers and producers closer to the same table.

Vinodiversity started with a simple frustration: incredible wines were being made from varieties most people rarely heard about, and they were too easy to miss unless you already had an “insider” map.

So I began building that map—one winery at a time, one variety at a time—then sharing what I found in a way that a regular wine drinker could actually use. Over time it became a central idea: if we make it easier to discover and understand these varieties, more people will try them, enjoy them, and ask for them again.

This site aims to cover the wines made in Australia from grape varieties that are not in the mainstream. The border between mainstream and alternative is fuzzy, and I have erred on the side of including varieties rather than excluding them.

You can see the range of varieties covered on this page. Don't worry if you haven't heard of many of them. Most were unknown in Australia just a few years ago. And you have come here to learn, right?

If you’re a winemaker, brand owner, or marketer working with alternative varieties (or simply trying to reach curious drinkers more effectively), I’m happy to hear from you.

Contact Me

Retired workaholic or planning to retire in a few years and are concerned about the transition? You love to work. Work gives you a sense of purpose in life. The idea of working beyond retirement age doesn’t bother you.