GUIDEBOOK TO THE WINE REGIONS
Featured Regions
Mornington
Peninsula
YARRA
VALLEY
GEELONG
HENTY
The Rest of the Guidebook
Porongurup
An important sub-region in the Great Southern GI, Porongurup is known for producing exemplary cool-climate wines. It's the smallest sub-region within the Great Southern, but one that is gaining traction with its superbly concentrated and mineral driven whites, such as Riesling.
Orange
Three-and-a-half hours' drive west of Sydney will bring you to one of the most exciting emerging wine regions in Australia. Sitting on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, the Orange wine region comprises the contiguous area that is at least 600m above sea level, centred around the city of Orange.
Frankland River
Frankland River is a key subregion of the Great Southern GI Zone. It is situated inland from the western coast, about 250kms east of the Margaret River region, about 100kms north from the southern coast and 350kms south east of Perth.
Hunter Valley
A couple of hours' drive north of Sydney lies the town of Cessnock. This is the gateway to the oldest commercial wine region in Australia: the Hunter Valley. The first vines were planted here in 1823, and when James Busby returned with cuttings from Europe in the 1830s, he helped to establish the Hunter Valley as a major Australian wine region.
Margaret River
With its pristine beaches, ancient forests, and unique flora and fauna, the Margaret River region is one of the most spectacular wine regions in Australia. And thanks to a group of passionate and dedicated winemakers, it is also one of the best too, producing some of the highest quality wine in the country.
Huon Valley
To the south of Hobart, and following the Huon River to the south west is the Huon Valley region. Once famed for its apple orchards, the Huon Valley is a small region, but one with enormous potential.
Beaujolais
Beaujolais is home to the Gamay grape where it thrives in the moderate climate on granitic slopes. This region has much more to offer than “Beaujolais Nouveau” and can produce incredibly complex and delicate wines that can rival top Pinot Noir from Burgundy
South-West France
The south-west region of France is a highly underappreciated region that can produce some incredibly unique wines for a fraction of the price that the more well-known regions do. This is where Malbec finds its home made in much more rustic style than those of Argentina.
Jura
Jura is one of the most loved regions for wine nerds around the world due to the highly terroir-expressive whites and reds that are made here and the unique winemaking techniques. Jura is known for producing oxidative whites in which the wine is aged in a barrel.
Southern Rhône
The Southern Rhône is home to what we know as the GSM blend - a red blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (Mataro in Australia). This is a region steeped in history - the appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape being the new home to the Pope and eventually the first AOC in France.
Languedoc
The Languedoc is the largest viticultural region in France. With this comes a lot of large-scale producers making lack-lustre wines, so it’s important to know where to look. Languedoc is home to lots of unique grape varieties from very old vines.
Roussillon
Roussillon is a region that borders Spain and the Mediterranean Sea. It showcases a unique blend of Spanish and French influence with a dynamic number of wine styles coming from the region - the Banyuls red dessert wines are to die for! Just like Languedoc.
FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA
One of Italy’s most progressive and internationally recognised white wine regions, Friuli Venezia-Giulia is known for its precise, textured, and often skin-contact driven wines.
EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Emilia-Romagna is home to some of Italy’s most loved wines such as Lambrusco and produces a variety of whites and reds that match the rich culinary tradition of the region.
CAMPANIA
Campania has long been admired for its volcanic terroir and ancient grape varieties, many of which date back to Roman times. Today, it produces some of Italy’s most compelling whites and structured reds - particularly around Avellino and the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.
CALABRIA
Calabria is a rugged and mountainous region with a winemaking history dating back to antiquity. It is best known for producing robust red wines from indigenous varieties. Despite limited international recognition.
BASILICATA
Explore Basilicata, home of Aglianico del Vulture — powerful, age-worthy reds born from volcanic soils in Italy’s rugged southern mountains.
PUGLIA
Puglia is a region in southern Italy known most for its full-bodied, juicy red wines. These wines can offer great value and variety for fans of the bigger classic Aussie red wines but there are also some hidden gems that can produce some more elegant expressions of the robust reds as well.