Australian Wine Regions

Australia only registered on the wine Richter scale back in the 1980s. Now, one in four bottles sold in the UK is Australian, overtaking France as the biggest exporter of wine to our shores. They introduced many parts of the world to the concept of decent wine that both tasted of something and cost less than a fiver a bottle – and they haven’t looked back since! It’s probably true to say that Australian wine has forced Old World giants such as France, Spain and Italy to re-evaluate the way they make wines, and communicated them to consumers.

Being one of the driest countries on the planet, Australia relies heavily on irrigation from its rivers, in particular the Murray River. Using this as their water supply, winemakers have transformed what could be near desert conditions into thriving and fertile vineyards. The Australians have got this nailed, enabling them to produce delicious, quality wines en masse in the unlikeliest of places. Interestingly, what’s been emerging from Australia over the last few years is the concept of regionality, whereby each region has a particular style and character of its own, reminiscent of French wine styles and appellations. For anyone getting to know their wine, this opens up a whole new world of interest and discovery! Trust us, there’s more than just Shiraz going on here.

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Learn About the History, Grape Varieties, Climate and Wines of Each Australian Wine Region Below:

Queensland
New South Wales
Tasmania
Victoria
South Australia
Western Australia
Queensland

An Introduction to Queensland

Home to one of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders, The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland is a lesser known Australian wine region that took its first steps into viticulture in the 1860s. Somewhat overshadowed by its neighbouring wine regions, Queensland is certainly one of Australia’s best kept secrets! Historically, this hot and humid wine region mostly produced fantastic ports and big, flavoursome reds, although in recent years it has established a reputation for popular whites such as Semillon and Chardonnay.

Most vineyards can be found on the southeast of the state, although cooler areas along the western side of the Great Dividing Range hills are becoming more popular, as healthy grape growing is easier to achieve here. The most significant winemaking area of this region is the Granite Belt, sitting 700 to 1000 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest and most scenic vineyards in Australia. It also produces a pretty impressive Cabernet Sauvignon too!

Climate and Geography

Winemaking here isn’t plain sailing, as the hot, wet climate and high humidity make the perfect breeding ground for fungal diseases – which winemakers in this region are always mindful of. Soil in Queensland tends to be black or grey and cracks easily when dry. The humidity helps to keep the soil in a good condition for viticulture, allowing it to supply the vines with ample nutrients for delicious wines. The landscape of Queensland is a real mixture of flat river plains, hills, dry desert and beautiful sandy beaches, with stunning vineyards dotted throughout.

Red Varieties

Shiraz, Merlot, Port, Cabernet Sauvignon

White Varieties

Chardonnay, Verdelho, Semillon

Climate

Hot

Landscape

Hilly

Soil

Vertosols

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New South Wales

An Introduction to New South Wales

It may be one of Australia’s smallest regions in terms of volume, but New South Wales is hugely significant in the wine world. Not only can it claim to be the birthplace of Australian wine (dating back to 1828), it is home to one of the country’s most famous regions, the Hunter Valley.

Hunter Valley’s international recognition becomes all the more impressive when you consider it makes up less than 3% of Australia’s total wine production. While known for world-class Semillon (considered to be up there with some of the best produced in Bordeaux), this region also makes some cracking Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as some bullish, long-lived Shiraz. Semillon is most certainly the jewel in its crown, although Verdelho is starting to make a real comeback in this region – definitely one to watch!

Climate and Geography

Hunter Valley is not an easy place to grow grapes. Being the most northerly key wine region in Australia it is subtropical in climate, experiencing extremely hot summers followed by extremely wet autumns. Hot and humid, but benefitting from the cooling effects of cloudy periods and plentiful rainfall in the growing season, Hunter Valley produces incredible long-lived dry Semillon with complex flavours that suggest oak ageing, when in fact barrels aren’t actually used.

Throughout this region you can expect to find sandy, clay loam soils that are well-drained and permeable. By the mountains however, you will find volcanic ash in the soil, giving grapes a distinct mineral flavour. Red volcanic soils further up the mountain slopes have proven to be especially great for Shiraz.

Red Varieties

Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo

White Varieties

Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling, Verdelho

Climate

Subtropical

Landscape

Mountainous

Soil

Sand, clay, loam

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Tasmania

An Introduction to Tasmania

It may be an island, but Tasmania makes up for the remoteness and relatively tiny output by making sure what little wine it does produce garners worldwide acclaim and attention. It has a moderate maritime climate that’s cooled by westerly winds from the Southern Ocean, preventing it from getting extremely hot. Thanks to this cooler climate, Tasmania is unique to the rest of the Australian wine regions, and softer red grape varieties such as Pinot Noir do very well here. It is also known for producing Rieslings and Chardonnay, and has a nice line in particularly well-made Cabernet Sauvignons. They also make some very good sparkling wines, which sadly rarely make it over to our shore, so aren’t very well known outside of Australia.

Climate and Geography

Tasmania has a complex geography where some sites are warm and dry, while other areas are wet and much cooler. The best area for cool-climate wine production is said to be in the northeast of Tasmania, in the sheltered Tamar Valley and Pipers River. Screens are used on some of the best vineyards to shield vine leaves from strong coastal winds that threaten to damage the grapes. Soils in Tasmania can be categorised into thirteen individual types, but the overall theme is that they are highly permeable and ideal for crop growth.

Red Varieties

Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon

White Varieties

Chardonnay, Riesling

Climate

Cool, maritime

Landscape

Mountainous

Soil

Kandasols

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Victoria

An Introduction to Victoria

Once a much larger and more significant part of the wine scene in Australia, Victoria has gone a little under the radar in the last few decades while other wine regions have stolen the limelight. It may have taken a back seat, but this dynamic and varied area is certainly not one to be overlooked. For a start, Victoria is home to Yarra Valley, which produces some of the best Pinot Noirs in the whole of Australia, along with some exquisite sparkling wines using Chardonnay and local varieties. Here the climate is pretty cool, giving winegrowers enviable vineyards similar to those of the Champagne region in north eastern France!

Rutherglen is another name you may hear, known for producing top-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Semillon and beautiful sticky dessert wines to die for. While along Victoria’s newer coastal regions, you’ll find the cooler climate Geelong, where delicate Pinot Noirs are the cream of the crop.

Climate and Geography

Victoria may be small, but it can boast the greatest diversity of site climates in the whole of Australia, making it possible for all styles of wine to be produced here. From light, sparkling wines to bold, complex, age-worthy reds. Soil here tends to be sandy loam or clay loam, which is generally considered the best for plant growth and viticulture.

Red Varieties

Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz

White Varieties

Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Semillon

Climate

Moderate

Landscape

Mountainous

Soil

Clay, sand, loam

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South Australia

An Introduction to South Australia

South Australia is the heart of the Australian wine industry, and has an absolute wealth of wine gems covering every single price level. It makes more than half of the country’s total production and contains some of its most famous names in regional terms. Barossa Valley is one of South Australia’s most prestigious regions, renowned for producing intense and complex Shiraz that will knock your socks off! It’s nestled between areas that produce outstanding white wines. Directly either side of Barossa are Eden Valley and Clare Valley, both famous the world over for Riesling. Further along the coast, the Adelaide Hills is where world-class Chardonnay is grown, as well as Rieslings that have risen in popularity in a way that has taken German Rieslings centuries to achieve.

A little further south you’ll find one of Australia’s most historic wine regions, McLaren Vale, which has old vines that have been growing for over 100 years. This is a great region for big, bold reds like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Likewise, the Coonawarra area is fantastic for producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon that rivals even the most prestigious to come out of Bordeaux.

Climate and Geography

South Australia has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Its Mediterranean climate and terroir together make a hotbed for viticulture. A variety of soils can be found throughout the region, with sandy clay being commonplace and ideal for growing Grenache grapes. Coonawarra, situated on the Limestone Coast, has fertile sandy, clay and silt soils mixed with gravel-based ironstone, perfect for growing characterful reds. Black cracking clay and thin topsoil is also found in the region and leads to lower yields, allowing for intense, powerful reds with concentrated flavours to be produced, usually Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Red Varieties

Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvèdre

White Varieties

Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling

Climate

Mediterranean

Landscape

Flat

Soil

Clay, sand, loam, gravel, ironstone

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Western Australia

An Introduction to Western Australia

Although Western Australia is actually quite a vast swathe of the country’s land mass, wine is produced only at the southernmost tip. In percentage terms, this area accounts for a tiny amount of the country’s total wine production, but is home to some of the biggest heavyweights in terms of quality of wine, including the Margaret River region.

Western Australia was originally renowned for its dessert wines, however it was an experimental dry white wine made in 1937 that changed everything and put it firmly on the world’s wine radar. Today there are over 160 grape growers and producers in the Margaret River area alone, with Cabernet Sauvignon being the most talked about variety to come out of this region. Western Australia also produces some outstanding Chardonnay, along with Shiraz, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Climate and Geography

Western Australia experiences warm, dry summers and mild winters due to the warming influence of the Indian Ocean. Fertile red loams dominate, although a general mixture of soil types can be found across the region, allowing winemakers to produce different styles of wine here. Sloping sites are fairly common in Western Australia too, which are great for water drainage and healthy vine growth.

Red Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz

White Varieties

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

Climate

Hot

Landscape

Sloping sites

Soil

Clay, sand, loam, granite, gneiss

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