They also provide opportunities for travelers to stay in regional Australia, working in exchange for room, board and tours of the area.
Jess Davison and Michael Vanderzee who run Swanpool Creek wines said the other local wineries have supported them since they started.
“The local vineyards have been very welcoming,” Mr Vanderzee said.
“We're brand new to the regions and we have been welcomed and supported all the way.
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“It's funny to think 10 years ago we bought this place and had no idea how to grow grapes let alone make wine.
“But it's the help of people around us that has got us to this point.
“And we're very grateful for that and do what we can to help them.”
The other vineyards in the region who support each other offering advice, helping to pick, and sharing marketing secrets include Saffron Gramophone; Kooyonga creek; Tulley Wells; and Baddaginnie Run.
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Jessica and Michael are picking their first Chardonnay crop and hope to have it ready for drinking by Christmas.
“This one is a Chardonnay, the chardonnay grape ripens a bit quicker than the Shiraz,” Michael said.
“This season it is a little bit later, we had a slow start to spring, which has led to a delay in picking.
“Previous years we have had these warmer summers due to climate change, and this time because of the slow spring we are picking more of a traditional time which is mid to late February.
“This is our first chardonnay harvest, which is really exciting so we have just a small quantity of grapes.
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“We want to see how they go and what kind of wine they produce and all going well we’ll continue training our vines to produce more grapes for future years.”
Jessica said part of the Swanpool Creek model incorporated hosting foreign travelers as part of the HelpX program.
“The way that works is that people come and stay with us and they work five hours for five days a week, with two days off,” she said.
“One day is a rest day, the other day we explore our lovely north east region, which is good fun.
“Quite often they will have just arrived from France or China. We’ve had nearly 40 stay with us so far.
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“And we really love meeting people from a whole range of different countries.
“Most haven’t worked in a vineyard before so we do a lot of the basic training with them.
“We all work together in the vineyard and we all share meals together, we really love it.”
Michael said they planned to have a local bottle shop in Benalla sell their wines, however, they were waiting until they were producing a larger volume.
“You can pick up one of our wines from the Swanpool store or the Tatong Tavern,” he said.
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“And at the moment we are happy for people in Benalla to come out here and spend some time and money in Swanpool or Tatong as it supports the communities.
“We are also supplying another local B&B, Max's Paddock. And we will have a display in the Benalla Visitors information Centre in Mair St in the next week or so.
“We can also deliver wine in the Benalla area.”
● If you Would like to inquire about a delivery you can find Swanpool Creek Bed and Breakfast on Facebook or get contact details from the Benalla Visitor Information Centre.
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