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Victoria

Victoria is a state in the southeastern corner of mainland Australia. Warmer northern and western vineyards and cooler areas elsewhere support a broad range of wines: sparkling, white, red and fortified. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Shiraz are all grown, so the region named alongside Victoria helps explain a bottle's origin.

Place
Victoria, Australia
Explore next
Grampians · Heathcote · Mornington Peninsula
Producer profiles
16
Atlas locationVictoria · Australia34.53° S · 143.00° EOpen in Atlas

Victoria's wine regions include warm northern and western areas and cooler vineyards elsewhere in the state. Growers make sparkling wines, whites from Chardonnay, reds from Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Shiraz, and fortified wines with added spirit. Victoria was Australia's largest wine-producing state in the 1880s. Changing gold-mining fortunes and the vine pest phylloxera then halted production in many areas. Interest in its wines returned in the 1970s. Today, the smaller regional name on a label gives a more specific origin within the state's varied climates.

6 named areas

Inside the region

Explore the wine-growing areas of Victoria.

  1. 01Grampians1 producerGrampians is a Western Victoria region with a Mediterranean climate cooled by the Southern Ocean. Shiraz ranges from silky red-cherry and plum styles to concentrated, spicy wines, while Riesling shifts from tropical lime in warmer years to a reserved, toasty character in cooler vintages.
  2. 02Heathcote3 producersHeathcote's red soils over calcareous sodic clay are known as Cambrian Greenstones, and south-easterly winds keep summers cooler than nearby Bendigo. Shiraz is deep and velvety with dark cherry-plum fruit, while Cabernet can show blackberry and eucalyptus-mint character.
  3. 03Mornington PeninsulaNo producers listed yetEvery Mornington Peninsula vineyard site is within seven kilometres of the ocean. Pinot Noir ranges from delicate cherry-strawberry wines to richer site expressions, while Chardonnay typically shows melon, citrus and fig.
  4. 04Murray Darling4 producersMurray Darling spans north-west Victoria and western New South Wales along the Murray River. Its hot, sunny, low-humidity growing season relies on irrigation, and its Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are soft, sweet-fruited wines for drinking within one to two years.
  5. 05Rutherglen4 producersRutherglen is known for sweet, concentrated fortified wines made from Muscat and Muscadelle. Its Durif is ripe and spicy, with balance and ageing potential. Warm days, cool nights and long dry autumns shape the growing season, with spring frost remaining a risk.
  6. 06Yarra Valley7 producersYarra Valley's elevation and the direction its slopes face create varied growing conditions. Pinot Noir is generally light to medium-bodied, with plum, strawberry and cherry flavours. Chardonnay often shows white peach, melon and fig, while modern Shiraz styles tend towards freshness.

Producer profiles

Producer profiles

Every producer profiled in Victoria so far.

  • Bass Phillip WinesSmall biodynamic estate in Gippsland, Victoria, producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay across three tiers from densely planted, unirrigated vineyards farmed on Burgundian principles.
  • Brown Family Wine GroupAustralian family wine group linking Brown Brothers Prosecco, Innocent Bystander Chardonnay and Pirie traditional method sparkling.
  • Carramar EstateVictorian Carramar Estate rosé from Andrew Peace Wines, made with separately vinified Shiraz, Sangiovese and Colombard.
  • Duxton VineyardsDuxton Vineyards is a large, vertically integrated Australian wine enterprise in the Southern Murray Darling Region, with more than 2,400 hectares of vineyards, a Buronga winery and branded wines including Pete's Pure.
  • Fowles WineFamily owned Fowles Wine in Avenel, with Strathbogie granite vineyard history and Ginger Prince sparkling rosé, white and Moscato.
Browse 11 more
  • Giant StepsYarra Valley producer of cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from named vineyard sites.
  • Lindeman'sAustralian wine company founded in the Hunter Valley, with Bin Series, single vineyard and regional wines.
  • McPherson WinesA family-owned Victorian winery since 1968, McPherson Wines pairs Central Victorian fruit with Jo Nash’s small-batch cellar work.
  • Mount Mary VineyardA Yarra Valley estate making estate-grown Bordeaux blends, Pinot noir and Chardonnay from a gentle north-facing slope.
  • Punt Road WinesA 58-hectare Napoleone family estate in Coldstream, making bright, fruit-led Yarra Valley wines from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay and more.
  • Quarisa WinesTharbogang family producer using grapes from New South Wales and South Australia across red, white and sparkling wines.
  • Rosemount EstateAustralian producer founded by Bob Oatley in 1969, known for regional wines and berry-led Shiraz Cabernet blends.
  • TahbilkA Victorian winery established in 1860, with working historic cellars and wines from Marsanne, Sangiovese and Shiraz.
  • Trentham EstateMurray River family winery established in 1988 by Anthony and Patrick Murphy, farming 45 hectares of red loam over limestone with an early January harvest; fruit-forward varietals at accessible prices, with an IWSC Shiraz Trophy in 2008.
  • Yarra Yering VineyardA Yarra Valley estate founded by Dr Bailey Carrodus in 1969, working 29 hectares of dry-grown vines on a northerly slope below the Warramate Hills.
  • Yarra Yering VineyardsA dry-grown Gruyere estate in the Yarra Valley, founded in 1969 and known for its numbered blended red wines.
Sources for this guide1 source

Sources for this guide are listed below. Featured producers are a selection, not a ranking.

  • World of Wine Atlas and learning records

Where to go next

mapSee Victoria in the AtlasSee Victoria and its wine-growing areas on the map.placeContinue to Yarra ValleyYarra Valley is one of Victoria's wine-growing areas.learningUnderstand ChardonnayRead the Chardonnay guide.