Victorian Wine

In the decades from the 1840's to the 1870's, there was a golden age for Victorian wine. That wonderful age has been occurring again in the last decade as more and more exciting regions are developed and the wines become better and better. Victoria is a small state in area compared to say, South Australia and NSW, and most of the state is within easy travel distance of Melbourne. Within this easily travelled zone there is a wealth and diversity of wine regions.

The golden era of the mid 19th century saw wines of delicacy and quality. In 1886 Hubert de Castella published a famous book about Victorian wine called "John Bull's Vineyard". He criticised sweet full bodied reds and whites and predicted that wine styles would swing back to clean dry light sophisticated whites "as light as their climate can produce". He was right but 150 years ahead of his time! The Victorian wine industry was decimated by the phylloxera insect disease and the preference by drinkers for rich wines. De Castella also misunderstood the climate - he was talking about the cool Yarra Valley and one of the features of Victoria is diversity - around Rutherglen the climate is hot and it suits strong fortified wines. This style was popular for much of the 20th century and by the 1960's there were hardly any wineries south of this north east region.

The modern era sees cool climate regions circling Melbourne and making prestige excellent quality. As well there are huge producers in the Sunraysia along the Murray - Lindemans Karadoc winery accounts on its own for more than 10% of the annual Australian crush! Bin 65 is a famous wine to emerge from here. There are other great value wines from here - Deakin Estate, Alambie Wines with their Salisbury Estate and Castle Crossing labels, and Trentham Estate. The traditions continue at Great Western. The area has been renamed "The Grampians" and includes Seppelts Great Western, Mount Langi and Bests. Mount Langi led the way with Shiraz and a revitalised Seppelt has excellent wines as well. The reds from the central regions around Bendigo are becoming world famous. The region west of Bendigo is known as Pyrenees or Avoca, and the names include Blue Pyrenees, Dalwhinnie, Mount Avoca, Redbank, Taltarni and Warrenmang. Closer to Bendigo are Balgownie, Chateau Leamon, Heathcote, Jasper Hill, and Water Wheel. The Heathcote area of Bendigo is hailed as a region for Shiraz which will become as famous as the Hunter Valley or Barossa. There is lots of new investment including by the famous Rhone Hermitage producer Jaboulet. North of Melbourne is the Goulburn Valley which is home for Tahbilk - the wonderful piece of heritage established in 1860. Tahbilk and Mitchelton are often taken for granted because they have been there for so long but they have been quietly working away and the wines are wonderful and good value. Dalfarras is a good label - it is owned by Alasdair Purbrick of Tahbilk. There is a resurgence of fine fortified wines from Rutherglen. Some wonderful sparkling wines of a world class standard are emerging from southern Victoria - Hanging Rock Macedon, Domain Chandon and Yarra Burn are leaders. There is a wonderful new diversity of climates in the high country - King Valley and other regions offer various altitudes and differing climates. This central Victorian high country includes Delatite, Giaconda (who sold the 2000 release by tender because there was so much demand), Sorrenberg and quite a few growers who produce for famous brands elsewhere. Pizzini in King Valley is fairly well known. Garry Crittenden's "I" range of Italian grape varieties largely comes from here. Brown Brothers has the best of it - they have headquarters at Milawa on the hotter flat country and an assortment of vineyards at "terraced" altitudes and climates from the highest and coldest at Whitlands, above King Valley, through Banksdale at a mid altitude. There are new eye catching producers in East Gippsland - Bass Phillip is well known for Pinot Noir; Nicholson River has keen fans.

Victorian wine is a wonderful wine buffet!

Andrew Corrigan 2000