Nestled in an unassuming vineyard in South Australia's Riverland, an ancient wine grape variety is about to be harvested for the first time.
It is not only reducing water bills, but reconnecting growers to their Mediterranean roots.
Yianni Koutouzis is choosing to be the "black sheep" of Australia's largest grape-growing wine region, by trialling the ancient Cypriot variety known as Xynisteri.
It is a crop famous for its thick skin and drought tolerance – resistant to heatwaves, pests and low-rainfall conditions.
For a region that has recorded three consecutive years of below-average rainfall and record-breaking heatwave events, the drought-tolerant variety has come at the perfect time.
Unlike Mr Koutouzis's other crops, which need watering every two days, his 800 vines of Xynisteri – planted three years ago – can go months without being watered.
"I have my brother and mum saying, 'Why aren't you watering your vines?' and I'm like, 'We don't need to,'" he said.
"It's reduced our consumption so much, about 75 per cent less water than our Shiraz or Chardonnay."
With more than 50 years of farming history in his family, it is the first time Mr Koutouzis is growing a crop that connects him to his Greek ancestors.
"It's a surreal feeling to be able to connect not just to the variety, but also to my family ... making wine the way my grandfather and grandmother used to back in the Peloponnese in Greece," he said.
"It's important to keep this Hellenic culture strong, not just in the Riverland, but in Australia as a whole."
While Mr Koutouzis prepares to bottle his crop for the first time, the variety is also offering an alternative to an industry in crisis at a time when Australia's climate continues to change.
Ancient origins, modern solutions
With more than 5,500 years of history, Xynisteri (pronounced zin-uh-steh-ree) originates from Cyprus and was first introduced to Australia in 2018 by researcher Dr Alexander Copper.
After spending multiple years overseas during wine production as well as investigating eastern Mediterranean wine grape varieties that could suit Australia's warming and changing climate, Xynisteri was earmarked as a stand-out variety for South Australian soil
"In pot trials comparing Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc to Xynisteri ... Xynisteri's root structure was three to four times the size," he said.
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