The Victorian Wine Story

Victorian wine – a cool story

The diversity of Victoria’s wine is striking. Across the twenty-one wine regions that span the state from east to west and north to south, Victoria produces wines in every conceivable style. No other state in Australia can boast a collection of wine this colourful or compelling.

A long-established history of grape vine cultivation, winemaking and export success underpins the contemporary band of Victorian wine producers. Some regions are long established, some recently recognised and some have been dramatically transformed. The carefully considered pairing of the right varieties with the right regions underscores the evolution of precisely refined wine styles, informed by worldly experience and internationally seasoned palates.

The character of the state’s capital, Melbourne, and its melting pot of cuisines and cultures is the perfect stage for the enjoyment of Victoria’s wines. The eclectic range of varieties, united by inherent characters of fine structure, precise detail and definition create a natural affinity for food. Cast an eye around the state and you’ll discover a wine for every occasion and flavour, from cool-climate sparklings to the rich opulent fortified styles and all that’s in between.

The cutting edge of Australia’s finest wine, the best of the best, is alive in Victoria’s vineyards and wineries. The most contemporary cool-climate styles, from riesling to chardonnay, pinot noir to shiraz, cabernet and beyond all stand tall on the world wine stage among the icons of Europe, our neighbour New Zealand and the USA. They’re proudly Australian, they are wines that speak of their origins, their people and, above all, their place - Victoria.

Nick Stock, award-winning Australian wine writer and author of the Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide.

History and development

• Established in the early 1850’s in the Yarra Valley, near Melbourne
• Victoria was the primary wine producing colony until phylloxera outbreak in 1880’s
• Reinvigoration of wine industry by 16 wineries in 1966
• Victoria has 3000 growers across 21 wine regions
• There are more than 850 Wineries and 650 Cellar Doors
• Victoria is developing international links that promote strong export growth, balanced against Melbourne’s reputation as a sophisticated wine/food centre

As we say

"In Victoria the world of wine is truly at your doorstep"