North Durras' Adrian Farrant is a hobby winemaker experimenting with alternative grapes

Adrian Farrant's copy of Janis Robinson's book Wine Grapes outlining 1400 different grape varieties is bookmarked with sticky notes. He flicks through and opens on one - Egiodola.

"Oh I do grow some of those out here," he said, gesturing to the neighbouring lawn of his North Durras property where Mr Farrant has been experimenting with growing alternative wine grapes for 12 years.

The particular vines in question - Egiodola - came from a university.

"I am not aware of anyone else growing them in Australia," he said.

The former microbiologist and avid beekeeper was undertaking a horticultural course at Moruya TAFE when he was challenged with growing vine cuttings.

"I thought to myself 'I might just have a go at making some wine'," he said.

He bought some excess grapes from a vineyard in Canberra, which he transformed into an "absolutely beautiful Shiraz. You wouldn't believe it," he said.

The vinification was simple, and he didn't realise it at the time, but the grapes were just perfect, and the timing, too, perfect. The ease and exceptional taste of the bottle drew Mr Farrant in. Nearly every bottle since has been more difficult than that first one, but he has been refining his process ever since.

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"I don't want to just make wine," he said. "I want to make consistently good wine."

However, you won't find Mr Farrant's wines on the shelves of supermarkets because he is branching out from the traditional wine varieties, making drops "no one has ever heard of," he said.

"They are different wines, but they are just as good as the three or four we tend to drink."

He steers clear of traditional Shiraz, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, opting instead for grapes such as Petit Verdot or Mataro.

As well as his Egiodola vines, he has 30 Chambourcin vines which produce 150 litres of wine per year.

"It's good to see Australians starting to be interested in alternative varieties," he said.

And Mr Farrant's wine is definitely helping oenophiles broaden their taste-horizons.

One group of people, after trying Mr Farrant's wines while visiting the area said "I can't believe a little place like this has such good wine".

So what is the trick to homebrewing good wine?

"You need to have good quality grapes to start off with," Mr Farrant said. But equally important is "making sure everything is washed and sterilised before you start".

"If you have good grapes, everything falls into place, more or less."

Mr Farrant enters his wine in Milton Amateur Beer and Wine Show and the Eurobodalla Agricultural Show each year. However he knows not everyone will love his wine.

"It's a very individual thing," he said.

"If you like that wine, that's all that matters."