Australia's Wine Regions

Comprehensive knowledge about viticulture has enabled Australia's wine region to prosper and achieve success around the globe. Australia's land, soil and topography are widely known as the perfect conditions for producing delicious wine.

There are regions right across Australia where grapes for wine are produced, which have grown acclaim across the country and abroad.

The Geographic Indications Committee of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC) determines the geographic boundaries of each wine-growing region. The soil type and climate are integral factors that define each wine region.

For a wine to be recognised from a particular region it must have at least 85 per cent of the fruit sourced from that region.

Australia has far too many wine regions across its states and territories to list here but we have chosen a select few to give you an insight into what wine regions in Australia are producing.

Adelaide Hills

Just outside of Adelaide lies the Adelaide Hills Wine Region. The wine here is characterised by the cool climate that provides a fresh and clean flavour. The Adelaide Hills Wine Region creates the most delectable Sauvignon Blanc in the nation. Its climate and topography also enables it to create great Chardonnay and Pinot noir.

Canberra District Wine Region

The Canberra District Wine Region has around 140 vineyards and over 30 wineries to its name. Its unique flavour derives from a combination of the vineyard elevations, temperature and soil types distinct to the region.

Less than an hour's drive from Canberra city centre, Canberra's wine region encounters a cool climate, which firmly impacts upon the taste of wines growing in the Canberra District Wine Region. This area houses renowned wineries such as Brindabella Hills Winery, Lake George Winery, Tallagandra Hill Winery and Yass Valley Wines.

Clare Valley

Located in South Australian bushland, Clare Valley has some of Australia's most sought-after vineyards. Covering a length of 35km and about 10km in width, Clare Valley is situated in a high altitude area that encounters hot days and cool nights during the ripening period, producing crisp, acidic flavours, rich and tightly structured wines with a long, soft palate and thick colour.

With five sub-regions in the Clare Valley there are subtle differences in taste, however Clare Valley at large is known to produce fine, perfumed Riesling, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Hastings River

The Hastings River wine region is situated on the north coast of New South Wales and its wine attributes its unique flavour from the maritime, sub-tropical climate, and high rainfall and humidity levels.

A developing wine region, Hastings River is most known for its French hybrid variety Chambourcin. It's Semillon and Chardonnay also does quite well.

Hunter Valley

The Hunter Valley wine region is one of the most famous and historically important wine regions in the nation. The premium wine region of New South Wales, the Hunter Valley is broken into the Lower and the Upper Hunter Valley. With its fertile river flats and close proximity to Sydney Cove, it was developed into a major agricultural region in the early 1900s.

Famous for its Semillon, the Hunter Valley region also has distinctive Shiraz and Chardonnay. The Hunter Valley also grows Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

Margaret River

Margaret River is one of the most famous wineries in Western Australia. Beginning with Italian immigrant farmers, now Margaret River has strong national and international recognition for its award winning wine. In the 1960s, agronomist Dr John Gladstones and viticulturalist Professor Harold Olmo suggested the region was ideal for wine-growing as its soil and climate was largely similar to world-acclaimed wine-growing region of Burgundy.

Margaret River's maritime climate produces delicious Chardonnay as well as red and white Bordeaux-style blends.

Orange

Wines with refined, intense fruit characters and elegant structures owe to Orange's high altitude position on the Mount Canobolas slopes in New South Wales and the basalt-based, rich soils that exist on the extinct volcano Mount Canobolas.

The Orange wine region is located between the Mudgee and Cowra regions in the Central Ranges area. It has the highest altitude of wine regions in Australia. The Orange wine region is known for producing great Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.

Swan Hill

The Swan Hill Region is located in Victoria along the Murray Valley. The region is dependent on irrigation water from the Murray River, which flows through the Swan Hill region. The warm climate of the Swan Hill region enables it to produce consistent quality wine to the mass market. It is most recognised for producing good Chardonnay but its Cabernet, Shiraz and Riesling is also great.

Yarra Valley

You can find Yarra Valley about an hour away from Melbourne in Victoria. The Yarra Valley is famous for its blended wines using Viognier, Pinot Gris, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. It is most famous however for its Burgundian varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay due to its cool climate.

Enjoying Australia's wine regions

With an abundance of wine regions in Australia you are sure to find a district that produces a wine that your taste buds will relish. From the differing climates of Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, there's an exciting range of wines on offer across the nation.