Australian winery Nepenthe has produced its first vintage of trendy Spanish wine Albariño.

The move comes after UK buyers urged Australian producers to branch out into new grapes and styles to keep consumers interested. The Albariño varietal is relatively new to Australia but Nepenthe viticulturalist Murray Leake said the cool climate and high rainfall in the Adelaide Hills where the winery was based made for ideal growing conditions.

"The region's diverse combination of aspect, slope and elevation results in vineyard sites with similar climatic conditions to the grape's native home in north-west Spain," he said.

"Nepenthe has developed a reputation for pioneering new and interesting varieties and the addition of Albariño further signifies our commitment to driving innovation in the region."

Consumer wine trends have been moving away from the juicy, jammy style of wines that Australia has traditionally produced towards leaner, drier ones.

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