Victoria Wine Regions

Goulburn Valley & Nagambie Lakes

Warm climate/Elevation 130-300m
Located in Central Victoria about 100km north of Melbourne and 50km east of Heathcote. Temperatures fluctuate enormously during the growing season creating a stressful environment for vines. Rainfall is low, although the region has experienced the occasional vintage washout.

Primary Varieties: Shiraz , Marsanne, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Major Wineries: Mitchellton Winery, Tahbilk Wines.

Yarra Valley

Cool climate/Elevation 50-400m
The region is probably Australia’s best known cool-climate area. The Yarra Valley is well known for its Cabernet Blends, but this is based on the performance of just a few producers. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can be quite exquisite, while Shiraz is variable. Sparkling wine production has become extremely important and this area produces some of Australia's best.

Primary Varieties: Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chardonnay.

Major Wineries: Coldstream Hills, De Bortoli Yarra Valley, Mount Mary, Oakridge Estate, Seville Estate, Tarrawarra Estate, Yarra Yering, Yering Station, Yeringberg.

Beechworth

Cold climate/Elevation 400-500m
Beechworth has attracted considerable interest in recent years, generated by the enthusiasm for the exalted Giaconda wines. While north or north-easterly slopes may generally be favoured, Giaconda’s vines are planted on protected south-facing slopes.

Primary Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Major Wineries: Giaconda, John Gehrig, Amulet.

Rutherglen

Hot climate/Elevation 160m
Rutherglen in north-east Victoria – known particularly for its Muscats and Tokays – has produced a distinctive Australian style. The region was first discovered in 1836.

Primary Varieties: Liqueur Muscat, Liqueur Tokay.

Major Wineries: Baileys of Glenrowan, Campbells, Bullers, Chambers, Morris.

Gippsland

Cool climate/Elevation 30-100m
Gippsland comprises the south-eastern underbelly of Victoria extending from Phillip Island in the south to the southern border of New South Wales to its northeast. South Gippsland, the coolest and wettest sub-region, is located about 100km east of Melbourne. This is an emerging region with a reputation largely forged by Phillip Jones of Bass Phillip. His vineyards are close-spaced and each vine is given inordinate attention.

Primary Varieties: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Major Wineries: Bass Phillip, Nicholson River.

Mornington Peninsula

Cool maritime climate/Elevation 1-200m
Mornington Peninsula is located to Melbourne’s south. The region is virtually frost-free, but is susceptible to high winds. Rainfall is moderate, even through winter and the growing season. Vintages can be variable.

Primary Varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Gris.

Major Wineries: Paringa Estate, Stonier Wines, T’Gallant.

Heathcote

Warm climate/Elevation 130-300m
Located in Central Victoria about 100km north of Melbourne and 50km west of the Goulburn Valley. The best vineyards are located on the Heathcote 'red snake', a strip of red brown gravelly loam that runs in a thin north-south non-continuous direction.

Primary Varieties: Shiraz.

Major Wineries: Jasper Hill, Wild Duck Creek Estate, Heathcote Winery, Shelmerdine.

Macedon Ranges

Cool climate/Elevation 500-690m
The Macedon region, an hour’s drive north east of Melbourne, is regarded as one of the coolest mainland wine regions. By the early 1980s a number of enthusiasts had planted vineyards, mostly to the early ripening varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Mount Macedon is 1000m high.

Primary Varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay.

Major Wineries: Bindii, Virgin Hills, Hanging Rock, Rochford Wines, Mount Macedon Winery.

Pyrenees

Warm climate/Elevation 350-450m
The Australian Pyrenees, at the most southerly part of the Great Dividing Range, are located about 70km northwest of the Grampians. Rainfall is generally quite low necessitating drip irrigation.

Primary Varieties: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay

Major Wineries: Dalwhinnie, Blue Pyrenees, Redbank, Taltarni.

Sunbury

Cool climate/Elevation 35m
Sunbury is a cool region of gently undulating plains located close to greater Melbourne’s north-west boundary. The vineyards are mostly vertically shoot positioned to increase exposure to sunlight. The growing season is relatively cool and dry compared to the Yarra Valley.

Primary Varieties: Shiraz.

Major Wineries: Craiglee.

Grampians

Warm climate/Elevation 240-350m
Located in western Central Victoria, Seppelt at Great Western was built at the end of the gold rush in 1850. The Grampians embraces the viticultural centres of Great Western and Ararat at elevations of 240-350m. The region, while essentially cool, experiences long sunshine hours and low rainfall. Supplementary irrigation is needed.

Primary Varieties: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay.

Major Wineries: Best’s Wines, Mount Langi Ghiran Vineyards, Seppelt Great Western.

Geelong

Cool maritime climate/Elevation 10-100m
Geelong was one of Victoria’s pioneering wine districts. The chill factor over winter is bone crunching. In spring, blustery cool winds are quite prevalent and can affect flowering and fruit set. It is Bannockburn Vineyards, however, that put this region on the quality map in the mid 1980s. As a wine region Geelong is disparate with too few standout wines to define its style.

Primary Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir.

Major Wineries: Bannockburn Vineyards, Jindalee Estate.