VICTORIA WINE REGION - AUSTRALIA
Victoria’s Yarra Valley wine region
Photo by Thomas Griggs on Unsplash
Wine travel and wine tour experiences in the Victoria wine region:
An introduction to Victoria
Victoria is home to more wine regions, unique climates and innovative wineries than any other state in Australia. With over 20 distinct Australian wine regions to choose from, you’ll find diverse wines and wine tourism experiences – from dramatic mountains and picturesque coastlines, to friendly country towns and delicious local produce.
Victoria is known for its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and major events, including the Great Ocean Road, the Grampians National Park, and Australia's Sporting Capital in Melbourne. It's also famous for its food and wine scene, from the vineyards of the Yarra Valley to the high-country food regions. The state offers a mix of natural attractions, such as beaches, mountains, and unique wildlife encounters.
Victoria wine region Australia
The Victoria wine region is situated in the southeast of Australian wine country and is the country’s smallest - and coolest - mainland state. Viticulture here can be traced back to the 19th century when grapes were planted by Swiss settlers and Victoria was Australia’s most important source of wine. The birthplace of the Victoria wine region was in the Yarra Valley, where the production of wine dates back to 1838 and Victoria’s first vineyard was planted at Yering Station.
Today Victoria produces less than half as much wines as South Australia, but it produces some top-quality wines.
The main growing areas are located in the north-east of Victoria, western Victoria, central Victoria and a region known as the Port Philip Zone, surrounding Melbourne (including the two key regions of Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula).
The regions vary widely, from inland, dry, heavily-irrigated regions like Murray Darling, which grows some 75% of all Victoria’s grapes by volume to much cooler-climate coastal regions. Victoria is home to more than 800 wineries, most of which are quite small, family-run wineries, which sell directly to the public via the cellar door.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz grape varieties are the stars in Victoria, but Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Viognier are also grown in terms of Australian white wines and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for Australian red wines.
Victoria wine regions map
Mornington Peninsula
Source: Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash
Victoria wine regions, places to visit
Victoria has such a wealth of different wine regions, each with their own distinctive terroir and micro-climate and each producing different styles of wine, it is impossible to recommend which ones to visit and to say which is the ‘best Victoria wine region’.
However the most popular and stand-out regions, in terms of wine production and wine tourism, include:
Yarra Valley, one of Australia’s top cool-climate wine regions and Victoria’s most important quality wine region. It is home to some 150+ wineries and world-class wines, including Pinot Noir, Shiraz and some of the best Australian Chardonnay wines. Within easy reach of Melbourne, this is the oldest Victoria wine region and arguably the most popular in terms of wine tourism;
Mornington Peninsula, also close to Melbourne, with superb beaches and lovely villages and again known for its top-quality, ‘maritime, cool climate’ wines, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Pinot Noir though is the main star here. Vines have been grown here since 1886 and there are some 50 or so cellar doors here, with most featuring a fine restaurant and/or art gallery - targeting visitors from Melbourne;
Rutherglen in the north-east is another popular Victoria wine region to visit, one of Australia’s oldest wine regions and most famous for its world-class fortified wines;
Geelong, with its ocean climates, just an hour from Melbourne, is popular for its family-run wineries, on the coast and inland, crafting premium wines including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Shiraz.
The Grampians in western Victoria is popular for its rugged scenery, natural attractions and outdoor pursuits, but it also boasts some excellent cellar doors and some of the best Shiraz in Australia.
See here for information about all of the Victoria wine regions.
Melbourne skyline
Source: Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash
What to see in Victoria Australia
The state of Victoria is known for its great sporting events, its sublime coastal routes and its incredible food and wine and the great thing is much of what is wonderful about Victoria can be easily accessed from the state capital city, Melbourne!
Melbourne is well served in terms of international and national transport links and from the city centre you can easily access transport and road links to explore the beautiful Victoria wine region.
What not to miss in Melbourne
Melbourne is a bustling, vibrant city, a great cultural destination, a mecca for food and wine, shopping and entertainment, sporting events and it offers something for every visitor.
At the centre of the city is Federation Square, Melbourne’s culture and entertainment hub - a great place to start your visit! Explore the superb shopping scene, spend time in a museum or art gallery, check out the sporting calendar, or simply explore Melbourne’s famous laneways.
Discover Melbourne’s superb restaurant scene, but make sure you find time to experience its famous coffee scene too!
The great thing about Melbourne and the Victoria wine region is that much is accessible, including some of the state’s famous wine regions, even for just a day trip, from the capital Melbourne. Check out some ideas for a day trip from the city here.
To start planning your trip to Melbourne, visit here.
Victoria’s Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road begins 90 minutes south-west of the city, in a coastal, surf town called Torquay. From here you can explore this beautiful coastline and its beaches and seaside towns. Make sure you don’t miss its most famous attraction, the 12 Apostles, a group of limestone stacks which rise dramatically from the ocean.
The spectacular Great Ocean Road in south-west Victoria is one of the world’s most scenic drives, so make sure you make time for this in your itinerary!
For more about Victoria and information to help plan a trip there, visit Tourism Australia and VisitVictoria.com
The ‘12 Apostles’ - Victoria’s Great Ocean Road
Source: Photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash
If you’ve ever found yourself dreaming of a day spent sipping world-class wines amidst rolling vineyards, indulging in gourmet meals and soaking in breathtaking views, then the Yarra Valley is calling your name. Enjoy this guest article about the fabulous Yarra Valley in Australia’s Victoria…