New South Wales

  • Regions: Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Riverina, New England, Southern Highlands
  • The climate shares some similarities with the French wine region of the Languedoc
  • The Great Dividing Range has a substantial influence on the climate
  • Areas of higher elevation  have cooler climates (Orange, Canberra and the Hilltops region)
  • The Hunter Valley is warm, with high humidity and a large amount of rainfall during the growing and harvest season
  • The Mudgee and Big Rivers Zones are warm and much drier than the Hunter Valley
  • Extremely wide variety of grapes grown here
  • Hunter Valley is well known for its Sémillon, typically produced dry with low alcohol levels often less than 10% (sometimes known as “Hunter Riesling”)
  • Hunter Shirazes are often very tannic with the ability to age for 20–30 years, compared to those of the Rhone Valley
  • The Shiraz from the Hilltops region are noted for their black pepper flavors, which are more Old World Syrah like than typical spicy and rich Australian Shiraz