Victoria
The wide climatic variations allow Victoria produce a diverse range of wines from elegant sparkling wines to full bodied reds and fortified wines.
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Overview:
Less than an hour's drive east of Melbourne's CBD, the Yarra Valley is one of Australia's most picturesque wine regions and a source of some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Australia. The region also produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Vines were first planted in 1838, and viticulture spread rapidly through the 1860s and 1870s.
Declining soil fertility and the move towards fortified wine production saw production cease in 1921. Although replanting in the Yarra Valley began in the late 1960s, it was not until the early 1990s that the area under vine surpassed its earlier peak.
Terroir & Environment:
Although there is substantial variation in climate, even the warmest sites are comparatively cool, with mean January temperatures reaching just 18.6°C.
The topography is varied, ranging from river flats to steep slopes, where north-facing slopes are strongly preferred. The soil can generally be split into two basic types: deep and fertile red volcanic soil on the southern side of the valley; and grey to grey-brown on the surface ranging from loamy sand to clay loam with red-brown clay subsoils on the northern side of the valley. The soil is relatively acidic and low in fertility but generally well drained.
Renowned for:
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
C’ellar Vie Estates of Interest:
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| Clyde Park |
5 Maddens Lane |
Oakridge |
Windy Peak |
| Coldstream Hills |
Giant Steps |
Shelmerdine |
Yarra Burn |
| De Bortoli |
Gulf Station |
St Huberts |
Yering Station |
| Dominique Portet |
Innocent Bystander |
Sticks |
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Overview:
The Murray Darling is a vast region stretching from North West Victoria to Western New South Wales. Concentrated around the centres of Mildura, Red Cliffs, Robinvale, Euston and Merbein, vines thrive in the hot sun and low humidity of this large, flat and dry region, producing Chardonnay and Shiraz for a range of commercial table wines.
The Murray Darling is the second largest wine region in Australia. More Chardonnay is produced in the Mildura Murray Darling region than anywhere else in Australia. The Murray Darling also produces more than 130,000 tonnes of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Terroir & Environment:
The soil is unique to the Murray River system and is known technically as calcareous earth. It ranges from brown to red-brown loamy sand, sandy loam or loam. The surface is neutral to moderately alkaline with increasing alkalinity at depth as textures become more clayey and calcareous. Generally, the soil supports vigorous growth and high grape yields.
Renowned for:
Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
C’ellar Vie Estates of Interest:
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| Lindemans |
Mildara |
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| McWilliams |
Zilzie |
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Overview:
The Heathcote wine region, nestled between the Goulburn Valley and Bendigo regions, is famous as a premium Shiraz producing area. The first vines appeared in the 1860s, but it was not until the 1960s that the real wave of development occurred.
Terroir & Environment:
Situated on the slopes of the Mount Camel Range, north of Heathcote, the region produces high quality cool climate Shiraz, and a small amount of Grenache and Merlot. The region benefits from an easterly aspect which ensures good exposure to the sun whilst the prevailing cool south to south-east winds, that blow throughout the growing period from October to March, moderate the impact of the afternoon heat in summer. Summer temperatures are two to three degrees lower than nearby Bendigo. Rainfall is surprisingly evenly spread during the year and spring frost is seldom a problem.
The slopes of the Mt Camel Range offer deep red clay-loam soil and with fine structure overlying uniformly textured red calcareous sodic clay soils, known as Cambrian Greenstones and, in their local manifestation, as the Heathcote Greenstone Belt.
Renowned for:
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
C’ellar Vie Estates of Interest:
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| Heathcote Winery |
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| Jasper Hill |
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| Mt Ida |
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Overview:
The Grampians region in Western Victoria, 218km west of Melbourne, was first planted to vine in 1863. Located on the fringes of the Great Dividing Range, the Grampians region has a significantly cooler climate than those areas to the east, warming to the north-west. Although the Grampians region is primarily a red wine area, its cool, dry climate has helped establish the region as Australia's first for sparkling wines.
Terroir & Environment:
High sunshine hours during growing-season and moderate relative humidity help offset the relatively low heat, making the region well suited to later ripening red varieties, particularly Shiraz. Spring frosts and the limited water necessitate great care in site selection.
Soil is not especially fertile, and unless the pH is significantly increased by the addition of lime and/or gypsum, vine vigour and crop yield will be affected. There are two principal soil types: acidic grey and grey brown loamy sands and clay loam soils; and acidic hard yellow soil with structured clay subsoils, often requiring lime adjustment.
Renowned for:
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay
C’ellar Vie Estates of Interest:
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| Bests Great Western |
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| Seppelt Great Western |
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Overview:
Wine production on the Mornington Peninsula dates back to 1886, when Dromana wine won an honourable mention in the Intercontinental Exhibition in London. Located in the Port Phillip area of Victoria, the Mornington Peninsula region enjoys a 'maritime' climate, with the wind blowing from either the north and west across Port Phillip Bay or from the south and east across Bass Strait. Although the wineries are relatively small, Mornington Peninsula's many different sites and mesoclimates produce an exotic array of wines.
Terroir & Environment:
The relatively cool climate ensures growers make careful consideration of site and aspect. The region enjoys relatively high humidity and sunshine hours with plentiful rainfall during winter and spring. The Peninsular's summer heat is generally maintained through till March, only starting to decline during April, often providing "Indian summer" conditions.
Below the gently undulating hills and open landscape are four principal soil types. Hard mottled yellow duplex soils with a very distinct break marked by a thin, acid cement/sand pan between the surface soil and the underlying friable, well-drained clay are to be found in the Dromana area. Very deep and fertile red soils of volcanic origin (kraznozems) predominate around Red Hill and Main Ridge. Brown duplex soils can be found in the Merricks area and much sandier soils are in evidence at Moorooduc.
Renowned for:
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio & Viognier, Pinot Noir
C’ellar Vie Estates of Interest:
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| Dromana Estate |
Merricks |
Red Hill |
T'Gallant |
| Devils Bend |
Moorooduc |
Stonier |
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