Wines of Victoria

The state of Victoria, renowned for its distinct soils and astonishing diversity of microclimates, is home to some 21 wine regions. The warm days and cool nights make ideal growing conditions, the Yarra Valley for example is cooler than Bordeaux and a bit warmer than Burgundy – well suited to classic cool-climate grape varieties.

Regionality and a keen understanding of terroir is evident across Victoria, ranging from the fine expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Mornington Peninsula (look out for the pioneering Paringa Estate wines) and the Yarra Valley (the wines of Yarra Yering are world-class) in the south, to sublime Shirazes (try Chapoutier’s Tournon Mathilda Shiraz) from the ancient Cambrian soils of Heathcote, to the fortified/sweet wines of Rutherglen in the north – with a plethora of other interesting plantings and wine styles in between.