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"Wine of south-eastern
Australia" on a label means that the wine could come
from the majority of Australian wine producing regions, with
Western Australia being the exception. This represents 98%
of the Australian vineyard areas. These wines (led by Jacob’s
Creek) have driven the international export success of Australian
wine over the last 15 years.
Australian winemakers use a
mix of multi-regional and regional blending. Multi-regional
blending uses wines from different regions to make a single
wine, whereas regional blending uses wines from different
vineyards within a region to make a single wine.
The six states and their major
wine growing regions are listed as follows. Most of the wine
that is used in the Jacob’s Creek range comes from the
major winegrowing regions in South Australia.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The key wine growing regions
of SA are:
1. Barossa
Valley
2. Adelaide
Hills
3. Riverland
4. McLaren
Vale
5. Langhorne
Creek
6. Clare Valley
7. Coonawarra
8. Padthaway
Barossa
Valley
In 1842 immigrants from England,
Germany and Poland established one of Australia's
best-known and historic wine regions, the Barossa Valley.
The main red varieties now grown are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Grenache and the key white grape varieties are Riesling,
Semillon and Chardonnay.
Shiraz abounds in the Barossa,
and is probably the wine for which the region is most famous.
Riesling is the other classic Barossa variety. The style is
quintessentially Australian - quite unlike the European Riesling.
The region also produces excellent quality Grenache, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Jacob’s Creek flows through
the Barossa Valley. The Barossa's first commercial vineyard
was located on the banks of Jacob’s Creek, this site
is located between the townships of Rowland Flat and Tanunda.
Adelaide
Hills
This is South Australia's oldest
wine region with vines grown and wines made as early as the
1840's. It is recognised as a premier cool climate region
of Australia.
The cool, high altitude vineyards
create fine sparkling and still wines of intense flavour,
good acid structure, elegance and balance. Varieties grown
include Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for both sparkling and bottled
wines in the coolest parts; Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon
Blanc and Merlot in the slightly warmer areas; and Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz in the lower altitudes.
Riverland
The Riverland receives a great
deal of sunshine and this, together with its rich sandy loam
soils and plentiful water supply makes up Australia's largest
wine growing region. Around two-thirds of South Australia's
and almost one-third of Australia's wine grapes, are grown
here. Once home to varieties for fortified and brandy production,
the region has undergone a quiet transformation over the past
decade and now produces premium varietal bottled wines with
generous flavours.
The region is renowned for its
rich and flavoursome Chardonnay grape, which excels in the
warm climate providing generous fruit flavours. More Chardonnay
is now grown in the Riverland than the combined total of all
other regions in South Australia. Shiraz, and Merlot are also
well suited and produce full flavoured wines.
McLaren
Vale
Located approximately 40 minutes
south of Adelaide the McLaren Vale region is situated close
to the sea amongst green pastures and olive groves. The region
is made up of a mixture of wineries ranging from new to very
old and from small to medium in size.
McLaren Vale has a dry Mediterranean
climate and is generally hot, however it is tempered by sea
breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent. This climate together
with Ironstone and sandy loam soils produce high quality fruit
for the production of intensely flavoured bottled wine.
McLaren Vale is known for rich,
full-bodied reds from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has
also started to gain more recognition for producing Chardonnay,
Grenache and Merlot.
Langhorne
Creek
Located near McLaren Vale, Langhorne
Creek is regarded as one of the best-kept secrets in Australian
Viticulture. The cooling breezes of the Great Southern Ocean
sweeping over Lake Alexandrina help make Langhorne Creek a
focus for fine cool climate wines.
Traditionally a red grape-growing
region it is known for its production of outstanding Cabernet
Sauvignon and Shiraz. Langhorne Creek reds are renowned for
their soft tannins and full-flavoured fruit-driven palates,
excellent depth of colour and medal winning quality. This
region now also has a large area of high quality Chardonnay
and Riesling.
Clare Valley
Situated north-west of the Barossa,
settlers from England, Ireland and Poland first moved into
the region during the 1840's, producing a rich heritage of
architecture and villages which remain largely intact and
make it one of Australia's most picturesque wine regions.
The climate of the region provides
cool to cold nights and warm to hot summer days. Clare (and
in particular the sub-region of Watervale) is famous for Riesling,
but the area also produces some outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon
and Shiraz.
Coonawarra
Located in the southeast corner
of the State, 400 km from Adelaide, this region has become
famous for its red wines and for the Terra Rossa soil from
which the vines flourish. The actual wine region stretches
30 km from north to south and is 2-3 km at its widest point.
The combination of a cool to
warm climate and the region's famous terra rossa soil that
sits on top of well-draining limestone produces some of Australia's
most outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Padthaway
Situated near its more famous
cousin, Coonawarra, this younger wine region shares the same
'red gold' soil of terra rossa but is significantly warmer
and produces wine of great flavour and depth. The principal
red varieties grown in this region are Shiraz and Cabernet
Sauvignon, however the region is famed for the style and quality
of its Chardonnay.
 NEW
SOUTH WALES
The key wine growing regions
of NSW are:
1. Hunter Valley
2. Mudgee
3. Riverina
Hunter Valley
The birthplace of Australian
Wine and home to Australia’s oldest continuously operating
winery – Wyndham Estate, established in 1828. Nestled
under the Brokenback Ranges and two hours drive north of Sydney,
the climate is warm to hot through the growing season with
high humidity and rain. However, sea breeze and cloud cover
that often rolls into the valley in the afternoons provides
a moderating cooling effect.
Aged Hunter Valley Semillon
and Shiraz are generally what the region is famous for, and
the style of these wines are quite unique when compared with
many other regions around Australia and around the world.
The region also produces excellent examples of Chardonnay.
Mudgee
Mudgee is situated 256-km northwest
of Sydney on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range. The climate
throughout the growing season is warm to hot, but differs
from the Hunter Valley in terms of overall rainfall, especially
in summer. For over 150 years wine has been made here and
the fruit produced is generally accepted as good quality.
Mudgee produces full-bodied reds, mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon
and also some excellent white wines from Chardonnay here
Riverina
The Riverina district is one
of the largest grape growing areas in Australia. After both
World Wars the area welcomed many European migrants, of whom
many were Italian, and it is their influence that has shaped
the Riverina wine industry. The Riverina is very hot and has
the ability to produce high yields, which are possible due
to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation scheme.
Summer rain helps to provide
the humidity to produce botrytis cinerea (noble rot). It is
the sweet wine style from the botrytis-affected Semillon for
which the region is famous. The Riverina is planted with Semillon,
Chardonnay, Marsanne, Verdelho, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Merlot. The region supports many wine styles, from medium
bodied dry red and white wines, to sparkling and fortified
and also the sweet whites.
 VICTORIA
The main Victorian wine regions
are:
1. Yarra Valley
2. Mornington
Peninsula
3. Geelong
4. Macedon
Ranges
5. Goulburn
Valley
6. Bendigo
7. Rutherglen
With more than 20 wine regions
in Victoria, only a selection have been described.
Victoria's wine history began
in 1838 and Victoria was the premier wine State in Australia
until the spread of phylloxera, a change in taste/market demand
and the expansion of the wine trade in South Australia stunted
growth in the State. However the industry has gone from strength
to strength since the 1970's with viticultural regions once
again encircling Melbourne.
Yarra Valley
A premium wine region east of
Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is so close to the outer fringe
of Melbourne that there is a danger of the urban sprawl restricting
future growth. The climate is cool making it ideal for Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay bottled wines for which it is renowned,
as well as sparking wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc
and Riesling are also grown.
Mornington
Peninsula
Directly south of Melbourne
and approximately one hour's drive, this picturesque region
comprises mostly small boutique wineries. Cool climate also,
this region produces excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay as well
as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Riesling.
Geelong
Located west of Melbourne, Geelong
was devastated by Phylloxera in the late 1800's but was reborn
in the mid 1960's. Geelong remains a small but premium cool
climate region strongly influenced by its windy coastal location.
The region is famous for some of Australia's best Pinot Noirs,
as well as Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Macedon
Ranges
Similar in climate to the Champagne
region in France, production here concentrates on Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay, often used as a base for sparkling wine.
Goulburn
Valley
Established in the 1850's this
region is located in central Victoria and growing Marsanne,
Viognier, Roussanne and Shiraz. The region claims to be the
'home of Rhone varieties' in Australia. The climate is generally
hot with slightly cooler areas within and is also known for
its gutsy Shiraz.
Bendigo
Located in Central Victoria
approximately 120 km north-west of Melbourne, Bendigo's climate
is warm and dry making it renowned for red wines, especially
minty Cabernet Sauvignon and rich berry fruit Shiraz.
Rutherglen
Situated on the banks of the
Murray River, close to the NSW border, the wineries around
Rutherglen are rich in history. The former gold mining town
became a major centre for red and fortified wine once the
gold ran out. Today it is Australia’s capital for fortified
wine, especially liqueur Tokay and Muscat.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
The main wine producing regions
of Western Australia are:
1. Swan Valley
2. Margaret
River
3. Great Southern
Australia's biggest state, Western
Australia has the country's most isolated wine regions in
its southwest corner. Since 1970 the area has undergone many
changes with many new regions coming into existence, some
of which are described here:
Swan Valley
The wine industry of Western
Australia began in this area which is situated on the outskirts
of Perth. One of Australia's hottest regions, the major varieties
planted include Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Shiraz. Typically
the wines are soft, flavoursome, medium to full-bodied styles.
Margaret
River
Located on the coast some 260-km
south of Perth, this region, in a little over 30 years, has
become a flourishing centre for an internationally recognised
wine industry. The climate is maritime with long cool ripening
periods and free draining soils, making it ideal for premium
quality fruit. Responsible for only 1% of Australia's production,
the region makes up as much as 20% of the premium wine market.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon, Pinot Noir and Shiraz
varieties have won many accolades and are sought after both
nationally and in international markets.
Great
Southern
Great Southern is Australia's
largest and Western Australia's coolest viticultural region
and consists of five sub regions with a range of continental
and maritime influences. Varieties that perform well include
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.
TASMANIA
Tasmania is a small island with
a sublime landscape off the southeast corner of Australia.
The climate of the Tasmanian vineyards is cool, ideally suited
for the production of superb, tightly structured sparkling
wine from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and crisp, delicately
flavoured bottled wines from Riesling, Gewürztraminer,
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, wines notable for their finesse
and naturally balanced acidity.
QUEENSLAND
Not surprisingly, due to the
warmer and humid climate, Queensland only produces a small
amount of wine compared with the other States. However, like
other regions, vineyard developments are steadily on the increase.
Queensland boasts the closest vineyard to the equator. Vineyards
require a high altitude site to compensate for Queensland's
hot climate.
The major region is called the
Granite Belt. Vineyards are also found in the Roma, Mt Tamborine,
Purga, and Amberley districts. Typically the wines are well-flavoured
medium to full-bodied styles, mainly made from Semillon, Chardonnay,
Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Part content courtesy of the
Australian Wine Guide by Clive Hartley.
Now that you know where the grapes are grown, you might like
to learn about the different grapes that make up the Australian Red and White Wine Varieties.
Australian Wine topics:
»
Australian
Wine Growing Regions
» Australian
Red Wine Varieties
» Australian
White Wine Varieties
» Making
Australian Wine
» Australian
Wine Evaluation and Tasting
» Serving
and Storing Wine
» Matching
Australian Wine with Food
» Australian
Wine and Health
» Glossary
of Australian Wine Terms |
