New South Wales wine is
Australian wine
The Australian wine industry is one of the world's largest exporters of wine, with approximately 800 million out of the 1.2 to 1.3 billion litres produced annually exported to overseas markets. The wine industry is a significant contributor ...
produced in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Australia. New South Wales is Australia's most populous state and its
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
consumption far outpaces the region's wine production. The
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and ...
, located north of
Sydney, is the most well-known wine region but the majority of the state's production takes place in the
Big Rivers zone-
Perricoota,
Riverina
The Riverina
is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...
and along the
Darling and
Murray River
The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
s. The wines produced from the Big Rivers zone are largely used in
box wine and mass-produced wine brands such as
Yellow Tail. A large variety of
grapes
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...
are grown in New South Wales, including
Cabernet Sauvignon,
Chardonnay,
Shiraz
Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 p ...
and
Sémillon
Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, mostly in France and Australia. Its thin skin and susceptibility to botrytis make it dominate the sweet wine region Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC.
History
The Sémil ...
.
[J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pp. 473–474 Oxford University Press 2006 ]
New South Wales is the second-largest wine-producing state in Australia, accounting for 30 percent of the A$5 billion Australian wine industry In 1994 the various wine regions within New South Wales agreed there was a need to form a peak lobby group to act as the conduit between industry and the New South Wales Government, and to represent New South Wales at the Federal level through the Winemakers Federation of Australia Inc. This body is the New South Wales Wine Industry Association.
Climate and geography
The of the New South Wales land mass covers a vast expanse of varying
microclimate
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...
s. Overall, the climate shares some similarities with the
French wine
French wine is produced all throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world, along with Italian, Spanish, and Amer ...
region of the
Languedoc
The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France.
Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...
.
[T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' pp. 560–562 Dorling Kindersley 2005 ] The
Great Dividing Range has a substantial influence on the climate of many of New South Wales'
viticultural
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
areas with areas of higher
elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Ver ...
, such as
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
,
Canberra District and
Hilltops have cooler climates with more
continental influences. The
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and ...
is very warm, with high
humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present.
Humidity dep ...
and a large amount of rainfall during the growing and
harvest season
The harvesting of wine grapes (Vintage) is one of the most crucial steps in the process of wine-making. The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels with winemakers basing t ...
. The
Mudgee
Mudgee is a town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area as well as being th ...
and
Cowra
Cowra is a small town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre and the council seat for the Cowra Shire, with a population of 9,863.
Cowra is located approximately above sea level, on the ...
regions and the
Big Rivers zone are warm and much drier than the Hunter Valley with several areas requiring
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
for grape growing.
The soils of New South Wales are similar varied with
clay
Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4).
Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...
,
loam and
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...
being the most common. The Lower Hunter region has several locations with
volcanic
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...
loam with
alluvial
Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. All ...
sands and
silt
Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension with water. Silt usually has a floury feel ...
s on the flatter valley vineyards. The
Tumbarumba region in the south has soils of
basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90 ...
and
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...
with the
Hilltops region also having granite based soils with mixtures of basalt and gravels.
History
According to the writings of
Watkin Tench
Lieutenant General Watkin Tench (6 October 1758 – 7 May 1833) was a British marine officer who is best known for publishing two books describing his experiences in the First Fleet, which established the first European settlement in Australia in ...
, the very first Australian vineyard was planted in New South Wales in 1791 with vines from settlements in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
. The vines were planted in the garden of
Arthur Phillip, then
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of the
colony
In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the '' metropolitan state' ...
, in a site that is now the location of a hotel on
Macquarie Street in Sydney.
[J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition p. 42 Oxford University Press 2006 ] Phillip's early vineyard did not fare well in the hot, humid climate of the region and he sent a request to the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
government for assistance in establishing
viticulture
Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
in the new colony. The government responded by sending two
French prisoners of war, under the assumption that all French citizens must know something about
making wine. However, neither men had any viticultural training and the most they were able to produce was peach
cider.
[T. Stevenson ''"The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"'' p. 553 Dorling Kindersley 2005 ]
In 1824,
James Busby
James Busby (7 February 1802 – 15 July 1871) was the British Resident in New Zealand from 1833 to 1840. He was involved in drafting the 1835 Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand and the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. As British Resident, ...
was awarded a
land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...
for 800
hectare
The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...
s (1,980
acres) along the
Hunter River Hunter River may refer to:
*Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia
*Hunter River (Western Australia)
*Hunter River, New Zealand
*Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada
**Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada
...
which he planted with grapevines, studying the techniques that he would include in his 1830 book ''A Manual of Plain Directions for Planting and Cultivating Vineyards and for Making Wine in New South Wales''. In 1831, Busby toured
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
and collected over 600 vine samples from across the continent and shipped them back to Sydney. Many of these vines survived the trip and were cultivated in New South Wales and from there spread across Australia, introducing new varieties to the land.
[J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition p. 116 Oxford University Press 2006 ] By the mid 19th century, the wine industry of New South Wales was thriving. In 1855, a
sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne regi ...
from the region was featured at the Paris
Exposition Universelle, the same exposition that introduced the
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines that were to be on display for visitors from ...
. The wine was well received and won the honour of being served during the event's closing ceremonies at the state banquet of
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...
.
[H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 347-349 Simon and Schuster 1989 ]
Wine regions
Any grape grown in New South Wales can be included in wine produced under the "Southeastern Australia" appellation which also includes grapes grown in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
and parts of
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
and
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. The state has eight larger
Australian Geographical Indication
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...
(GI) zones which are divided into smaller regions and occasionally, sub-regions as follows:
*
Big Rivers – includes the regions of
Perricoota,
Riverina
The Riverina
is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...
plus
Murray Darling and
Swan Hill
Swan Hill is a city in the northwest of Victoria, Australia on the Murray Valley Highway and on the south bank of the Murray River, downstream from the junction of the Loddon River. At , Swan Hill had a population of 11,508.
Indigenous Peo ...
which are shared with the state of Victoria
*
Central Ranges
Central Ranges (code CER) is an Australian bioregion, with an area of 101,640.44 square kilometres (39,244 sq mi) spreading across two states and one territory: South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory.[Cowra
Cowra is a small town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre and the council seat for the Cowra Shire, with a population of 9,863.
Cowra is located approximately above sea level, on the ...]
,
Mudgee
Mudgee is a town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area as well as being th ...
and
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
.
*
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and ...
– includes the
Upper Hunter Valley,
Broke Fordwich and
Pokolbin subregions of the
Hunter wine region.
*
Northern Rivers
Northern Rivers is the most north-easterly region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence, Richmond, and Tweed rivers. ...
– includes the region of
Hastings River
Hastings River (Birpai: ''Doongang''), an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary, is located in the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia.
Course and features
Hastings River rise ...
*
Northern Slopes – includes the region of
New England Australia
*South Coast – includes the regions of
Shoalhaven Coast and
Southern Highlands
*
Southern New South Wales – includes the regions of
Canberra District,
Gundagai
Gundagai is a town in New South Wales, Australia. Although a small town, Gundagai is a popular topic for writers and has become a representative icon of a typical Australian country town. Located along the Murrumbidgee River and Muniong, Hon ...
,
Hilltops and
Tumbarumba
Tumbarumba ( ) is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, about southwest of the state capital, Sydney. Tumbarumba is located on the periphery of the Riverina and South West Slopes regions at the western edge of the Snowy Mountains. The s ...
*
Western Plains, no defined regions
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Valley has benefited from its close location to Sydney with the
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
and recognition that follows. Collectively the region accounts for 3% of the grapes used in wine production throughout Australia and is most noted for its unique Sémillon. The region is further subdivided into an Upper and Lower Hunter region with the Lower Hunter producing more red wine from grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. In the 19th century,
Verdelho was one of the most popular plantings in the Hunter only to later go into decline in the 20th century before seeing a recent increase in plantings. Various wine producers have experimented with planting
Pinot noir,
Riesling
Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...
and
Sauvignon blanc but the results have not been very successful due in part to the Hunter's harsh climate of heat, humidity and abundant rainfall during the growing and harvest seasons.
Much of the success of the Hunter Valley region as a wine-producing region can be attributed to the legendary winemake
Maurice O'Shea[ Maurice O'Shea (winemaker)] who helped pioneer the region as a suitable place for premium wine growing and also helped transform the greater Australian wine industry. From his Mount Pleasant Estate in Pokolbin, he began producing some of the nation's most recognised and acclaimed table wines, helping shift the Australian fascination with spirits and fortified wines to table wines. Mount Pleasant was purchased by the McWilliam family in 1931 and remains at O'Shea's original site, utilising the same vines and vineyards as he did.
Hunter Valley Sémillon is typically produced
dry with low
alcohol level
Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) o ...
s often less than 10%. This lower alcohol level is achieved, despite the region's warm weather, by picking the grapes slightly
under ripe to help maintain
acidity levels
The acids in wine are an important component in both winemaking and the finished product of wine. They are present in both grapes and wine, having direct influences on the color, balance and taste of the wine as well as the growth and vitality of ...
. Producers will often
ferment
Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...
Sémillon in
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
with additional barrel ageing to enhance the
mouthfeel
Mouthfeel refers to the physical sensations in the mouth caused by food or drink, making it distinct from taste. It is a fundamental sensory attribute which, along with taste and smell, determines the overall flavor of a food item. Mouthfeel ...
and texture. The wines are characterised by
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condimen ...
y,
honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
nut
Nut often refers to:
* Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds
* Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt
Nut or Nuts may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Co ...
flavours and an ability to age for several decades, often hitting their peak between 10–20 years.
As the wine ages, they can develop
lime
Lime commonly refers to:
* Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit
* Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide
* Lime (color), a color between yellow and green
Lime may also refer to:
Botany ...
flavour and burnt
toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
aromas.
[J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' Third Edition pp. 318-319 Abbeville Press 2003 ] Historically, Sémillon was known as "Hunter Riesling" even though the grape has no relation to true Riesling.
One of the first commercially successful Chardonnays produced in Australia was by
Murray Tyrrell
Sir Murray Louis Tyrrell (1 December 1913 – 13 July 1994) was an Australian public servant, noted as the Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia for a record term of 26 years, 1947–73, in which time he served six governor ...
in the Hunter Valley in 1971. Tyrell's vineyard was planted with Chardonnay
cuttings that he "
borrowed" from
Penfolds
Penfolds is an Australian wine producer that was founded in Adelaide in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia, and his wife Mary Penfold. It is one of Australia's oldest wineries, and is currently p ...
' experimental plantings by hopping over their barb-wire fence one night and
pruning
Pruning is a horticultural, arboricultural, and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots.
The practice entails the ''targeted'' removal of diseased, damaged, dead, ...
their vines.
[Oz Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pp. 63–73 Harcourt Books 2001 ][Tyrell's Wine]
Murray Tyrell-Biography
, Accessed: 12 January 2007 Hunter Valley Chardonnays are characterised by their soft texture, high alcohol and
viscosity
The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness": for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water.
Viscosity quantifies the inte ...
with
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-f ...
flavour notes.
Cabernet Sauvignon was first planted in the Hunter in 1963 by
Lake's Folly Winery in
Pokolbin.
Shiraz has a long history in the region and is particularly noted for its "
sweat
Perspiration, also known as sweating, is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distrib ...
y
saddle
The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not k ...
" aroma. The ''
terroir
(, ; from ''terre'', "land") is a French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, these contex ...
'' of the region's volcanic basalt soil was originally thought to be the cause of the "sweaty saddle" aroma, but research has proven this to be a
wine fault
A wine fault or defect is an unpleasant characteristic of a wine often resulting from poor winemaking practices or storage conditions, and leading to wine spoilage. Many of the compounds that cause wine faults are already naturally present in wine ...
of volatile
phenol
Phenol (also called carbolic acid) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () bonded to a hydroxy group (). Mildly acidic, it ...
s caused by the winemaking
yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constit ...
Brettanomyces
''Brettanomyces'' is a non-spore forming genus of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae, and is often colloquially referred to as "Brett". The genus name ''Dekkera'' is used interchangeably with ''Brettanomyces'', as it describes the teleomorp ...
.
Hunter Shirazes are often very
tannic with the ability to age for 20–30 years. They are characterised by earthy flavours with
tar
Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from coal, wood, petroleum, or peat. "a dark brown or black bi ...
notes with well-made examples having the potential to take on
Rhône-like qualities as they age.
Central Ranges
The Central Ranges GI includes the sub-regions of Cowra, Mudgee and Orange. Cowra is the warmest wine region in the Central ranges, located at a lower
altitude
Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...
and on flatter terrain than the other two sub-regions. The area has the potential for high
yields, especially when irrigation is employed, which creates varying ranges of quality throughout the region. Chardonnay is the most popular Cowra planting followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and
Merlot. Most of the vineyards in the Orange region are located on the hillsides near the extinct volcano
Mount Canobolas. With elevations between 600–1050 meters (1,969–2,953 ft), Orange is one of the coolest regions in New South Wales. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the main plantings here followed by Merlot and Shiraz.
The Mudgee region is one of the oldest wine regions in Australia and has the longest, unbroken history of viticulture in New South Wales. It was first planted in 1858 and was never affected by the
phylloxera epidemic that hit Australia in the late 19th century. Much of Mudgee is planted with red wine
varietal
A varietal wine is a wine made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000.winepros.com.au. ...
s such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz though the area is home to a unique
clone of Chardonnay that is virtually
virus-free.
Australia's first
organic wine
Organic wine is wine made from grapes grown in accordance with the principles of organic farming, which excludes the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
The consumption of organic wine grew at ...
estate,
Botobolar Vineyard, was founded in the Mudgee region of
Phillip County
Phillip County was one of the original Nineteen Counties in New South Wales and is now one of the 141 Cadastral divisions of New South Wales. It includes the area to the east of Mudgee and Gulgong. The Cudgegong River is the border to the south ...
.
South Coast
The South Coast region includes the
Shoalhaven Coast, Eurobodalla and
Southern Highlands. These regions are within 100 km of the NSW Coastline between Sydney and the Victorian border.
Southern New South Wales
The Southern New South Wales GI includes the regions of
Canberra District (including part of the
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. I ...
),
Gundagai
Gundagai is a town in New South Wales, Australia. Although a small town, Gundagai is a popular topic for writers and has become a representative icon of a typical Australian country town. Located along the Murrumbidgee River and Muniong, Hon ...
,
Hilltops and
Tumbarumba
Tumbarumba ( ) is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, about southwest of the state capital, Sydney. Tumbarumba is located on the periphery of the Riverina and South West Slopes regions at the western edge of the Snowy Mountains. The s ...
. The Tumbarumba region is located in the foothills of the
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps is a mountain range in southeast Australia. It comprises an interim Australian bioregion,0042-5184 However, the moth has also been a biovector of arsenic, transporting it from lowland feeding sites over long distances int ...
and is the coolest region in New South Wales, performing well with white wine and cool climate varietals. The Hilltops region shares a similar climate with the
Orange region of the Central Ranges-warm daytime temperatures and cool nights during the growing season followed by cool autumn days during the harvest season. The Shiraz from the Hilltops region are noted for their
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...
flavours, which are more Old World Syrah like than typical spicy and rich Australian Shiraz.
The
Canberra District wine region is located in and around the
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. I ...
and the city of Canberra. The wine industry of the region is heavily dominated by local consumption and tourism trade. The area shares a similar continental climate with Hilltops and Orange. A wide variety of grapes are grown here including Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Riesling, Shiraz and
Viognier.
The Canberra winery
Clonakilla helped to popularise the resurgence of the
Côte-Rôtie AOC style of blending Viognier with Shiraz.
Big Rivers zone
The
Big Rivers zone GI is the largest-producing wine area in New South Wales and is similar to the
Riverland
The Riverland is a region of South Australia. It covers an area of along the River Murray from where it flows into South Australia from New South Wales and Victoria downstream to Blanchetown. The major town centres are Renmark, Berri, Loxt ...
area of South Australia. The major wine-producing centre is located around the
Riverina
The Riverina
is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...
area, which is also known as the
Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area
The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) is geographically located within the Riverina area of New South Wales. It was created to control and divert the flow of local river and creek systems for the purpose of food production. The main river s ...
, and the city of
Griffith
Griffith may refer to:
People
* Griffith (name)
* Griffith (surname)
* Griffith (given name)
Places Antarctica
* Mount Griffith, Ross Dependency
* Griffith Peak (Antarctica), Marie Byrd Land
* Griffith Glacier, Marie Byrd Land
* Griffith Rid ...
where the major crush facilities are located. After Riverland, this is Australia's second most prolific wine-producing region and is responsible for many of Australia's box and mass-produced wine brands. Along the
Murrumbidgee River
The Murrumbidgee River () is a major tributary of the Murray River within the Murray–Darling basin and the second longest river in Australia. It flows through the Australian state of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, desce ...
, Sémillon and Shiraz are the most popular plantings.
Wine industry
New South Wales presents a sizable market for the consumption of local wines and
Sydney, as well as the nation's capital,
Canberra, are gateway cities for wine tourism. The wine industry of New South Wales is reflective of the industry throughout Australia, with a strong presence of large firms and smaller boutique wineries. Some of the first New South Wales wines to gain widespread commercial recognition, in Australia and abroad, were the Shiraz-based "
Hermitage" wine from
McWilliam's and the Sémillon-based "
Chablis
Chablis () is a town and commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France.
It lies in the valley of the River Serein.
Wine
The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous French white wines ...
" wine from
Lindemans. Other large wineries, such as
De Bortoli Wines, Yellow Taill and
Rosemount all were founded in this state.
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
External links
Wine region map*
Creative Commons license">CC-By-SA
A Creative Commons (CC) license is one of several public copyright licenses that enable the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted "work".A "work" is any creative material made by a person. A painting, a graphic, a book, a song/lyrics ...
]
{{DEFAULTSORT:New South Wales Wine
Wine regions of New South Wales
Culture of New South Wales, W