Australia wine regions: Guide to the country’s finest wine

Australia is the iconic New World wine nation with more than 60 designated wine regions across the country and an international reputation for producing award winning styles

Wine enthusiasts dedicated enough to travel to the underside of the world can discover some of the oldest Shiraz vineyards, award winning Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir– as well as a full diary of wine tasting festivals.

Australia wine regions are largely concentrated in the southern part of the island, close to coastal areas where a Mediterranean climate encourages viticulture – half of the nation’s vineyards are found in the state of South Australia alone. The most prestigious wine regions of Australia are spread around the city of Adelaide – Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Clare Valley and McLaren Vale – while New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia account for the rest.

At Wine Paths, our local expert can arrange exclusive wine tours of the best wine regions in Australia, including elaborate tastings, luxury accommodation, gourmet cuisine and unique experiences. All of our private tours can be tailor-made to meet your exact requirements, ensuring every detail is taken care of so that you can relax and enjoy the matter at hand – sampling fine wines while surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. With so many Australia wine regions, deciding a route can be overwhelming – here is an overview of the main regions for you to consider:

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South Australia

Barossa Valley is arguably the most important of all wine regions in Australia – with some of the world’s oldest vineyards. The Barossa region is internationally renowned for its profoundly rich Shiraz, while the nearby Eden Valley is a windswept series of lofty hills producing exceptional Shiraz and floral Riesling. Clare Valley is recognised as the Riesling capital of Australia wine regions, where the elevated vineyards temper the intense heat to produce dry white wines of outstanding class and purity.

McLaren Vale is competing with Barossa for the title of Australia’s best red wine producer. The warm climate creates luxurious, chocolate toned Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, while the maritime influence is responsible for fine Chardonnay, Viognier and Marsanne. Of all the wine regions in Australia, Adelaide Hills is renowned for producing the country’s classiest Sauvignon Blanc as well as quality, cool climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and blends of sparkling ’Methode Champenoise’. The isolated island of Tasmania off the south coast has also gained popularity in the recent years for producing world-class wines.

Western Australia

Margaret River is a relatively young area but is now considered one of the best wine regions in Australia, famous for its world class Sauvignon Blanc blends, intensely flavoured Chardonnay, spicy Shiraz and some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon outside of Bordeaux. Swan Valley is a sprawling wine region of Australia with a diverse climate that produces a variety of styles including aromatic and intense Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and some exquisite Chardonnay.

Victoria

Close to Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is an Australia wine region noted as much for the quality of its sophisticated wines – including cool climate classics like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz – as it is for its stunning scenery. The Mornington Peninsula is home to more than 200 vineyards, as well as olive groves, orchards and colonial mansions. The cooler climate allows for notable Pinot Noir and Chardonnay styles.

New South Wales

Hunter Valley is one of the oldest Australian wine regions, renowned for producing arguably the country’s finest Shiraz as well as Chardonnay and impressively long-lived Semillon.

Contact Wine Paths for more inspiration before planning an exclusive tour of the best wine regions in Australia.

 

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