Unfined, Unfiltered, Un-Tinkered

Owen Latta was born just after his parents Norman and Dianne planted the first vines at Eastern Peake in Coghills Creek, near Ballarat, in the early 1980s. [^210^] The site was identified by Owen's mother as having potential for fine Pinot Noir — a suspicion confirmed by Australian wine icon Trevor Mast, who was looking for new growers. Under Mast's supervision, the first vines were planted in late 1983, with fruit initially sold to Mast for Mount Langi Ghiran wines. [^210^] Mast later encouraged Norman and Dianne to make wines from their own fruit, and assisted with the design of the on-site winery. Minimal intervention was the ethos from the beginning — Mast advised, "This is an incredible vineyard site. Get the vineyard right every year, and producing the wine in the cellar will be a breeze." [^210^]

Owen grew up in the vineyard and the cellar. University studies in wine science followed, alongside vintages in the Yarra Valley and Burgundy, but there was never a question of leaving Coghills Creek. [^210^] "I'm born and bred in Coghills Creek," he says. "I love the ultra-cool climate, the diverse volcanic soils, the elevation, and what this provides to produce very distinctive wines from this unique terroir." [^210^] Being outside an established GI has its advantages: "I love that we are not in a wine region, which has enabled me to set my own vision and ethos that is directly influenced by our own topography, terroir and farming practices." [^210^]

The launch of Latta Vino came from a desire to experiment. In 2007, while working vintage in the Pyrenees, Owen encountered Sangiovese from the Landsborough Valley — "a place mostly known for Shiraz." [^216^] He had only worked with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Eastern Peake, and the Sangiovese was "so different and so interesting." [^216^] In 2010, he reached out to buy a little of this organically farmed fruit. He "bootlegged" the wines to friends and family before deciding to get serious. Vintage 2013 was the linchpin — the launch of the Latta label with Sangiovese and a collection of other single-site wines. [^216^] "A revolution was taking place within the wine industry to move away from conventional farming & using less in the cellar, fresh eyes & warm hearts I was totally all in on becoming part of the movement." [^216^]

Owen Latta's winemaking philosophy has been refined to elegant simplicity. "I wouldn't like to say I'm ever trying to emulate a favoured region, an iconic producer or current wine trend," he says. "I've always tried to think further ahead to forge my own path with my own styles — all I've ever wanted to be is just myself. I also don't want to have the mark of a winemaker on the wines. I like the gentle approach in the cellar that brings the vineyard into focus more so than the stamp of winemaking." [^210^]

The techniques are deliberately minimal. All wines are fermented with naturally occurring indigenous yeast. No sulfur is added until the completion of malolactic fermentation. [^210^] Owen has never added acid to juice, must, or wines. No fining or filtering takes place on any wine. [^210^] He relies solely on a cold cellar, time on lees, and time to finish wines prior to bottling. "An unforced approach is my philosophy." [^210^] He utilises a variety of vessels — neutral oak barrels of various sizes (228L, 300L, 500L, 600L, 1500L), stainless steel, and concrete. [^209^] Extended skin contact for white and rosé wines builds texture, complexity, and savoury notes. [^209^]

Producing wine without sulfur and adjustments is a wild ride. "The peaks and troughs during a wine's élevage can vary month to month sometimes week to week," Owen admits. [^210^] He has found that using low to no sulfur is best at the beginning, and a little at the end after malolactic conversion, pre-bottling. "I like that all of my cuvées go through this progression — it helps them build up a resilience, provide longevity, and push delicious textures whilst keeping a line of distinction." [^210^] Harvesting at the correct time is the most crucial part of winemaking. Some blocks are harvested multiple times to capture style, freshness, ripeness, and texture. "I like to use the vineyard as the colour pallet with multiple harvests, and not the winery to correct the fruit with additions." [^210^]