Victoria and Central Victoria Wines: A Diverse Australian Treasure

Among wine fanciers, Victoria, Australia, has a well deserved reputation as a leader in viticulture and producer of some of the finest wines in the world. Despite the fact that it is Australia’s smallest state, Victoria, has a wide range of climate and topography. These variances add to the vibrancy of its wine industry as its wines are as amazingly diverse as they are delicious. Central victoria wines, in particular, reflect the area’s chilly mountain ranges, dry hilly areas, and its vast plains. From delicious sparkling wines from the colder areas to the rich red wine produced in the heavily forested or dry hilly areas, you are certain to find a Victoria wine to please any palette.

Victoria’s contemporary wines bear the legacy of a sorted and topsy-turvy heritage. As the history goes, Victoria’s earliest settlers cultivated wine grapes to produce drink for their personal use. When the gold rush brought more and more people to the area, vineyards were planted to satisfy the many thirsty miners as well as for export. Unfortunately, agricultural disease, government attempts to regulate and social factors made it difficult for many producers to operate. With a few notable exceptions, the industry virtually disappeared.

During the 1980s and 1990s people began to once again develop an interest in grape growing and the industry began a resurgence. Today Australia has five wine producing regions: Central Victoria, North East Victoria, North West Victoria, Western Victoria, Port Phillip and Gippsland. The Central victoria wine region is the largest with more than 600 vineyards located in one of four regions and two sub-regions, each with its own specialties which are defined by the area’s unique geography and the wines they produce.

The producers of Victoria wines are as diverse as its climate and topography. Those vintners which began production before the decline of the industry in the 1900s largely specialize in the rich red wines, the largest of which also produce some fine whites. Many of these use grapes of Italian heritage. Legacy vintners in cooler regions may also produce sparkling varieties. Among the older and largest producers of Central Victoria wines are Brown Brothers, Jones Winery, Seppelt’s, and Simeon Wines.

In addition to the older, more established producers we find family owned and operated wine estates such as Blackgum and Robinvale Organic Wines. It is likely that these smaller producers are of the boutique variety and specialize in a particular type of wine or winemaking process. These newer wineries may also be more likely to use more “natural” processes in both grape growing and winemaking.

Were one to set out to sample all the varieties of Victoria wines available today, he or she would find literally hundreds of wines to try—from rich robust red wines to light and fruity whites to splendid sparkling varieties. Each of these has its own special appeal. Combined, this glorious catalog of wines offers wine lovers an extraordinary selection. Whether you are interested in Victoria wines in general or you would like to sample those primarily from the Central Victoria region, you have much to choose from. As a whole, this array of special flavors is a treasure not only to wine lovers but to anyone interested in the special culture of Victoria and Central Victoria. Indeed the wine industry today is an integral part of the economy and the community. You owe it to yourself to begin sampling this treasure. You won’t be sorry.

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