Which underrated wine regions can I visit in Australia?
Underrated wine regions with cellar door tastings in Australia include the Riverina, the Granite Belt, South Tasmania, Heathcote and South Burnett.
Detailed answer: Australia has several world-renowned wine regions, including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Hunter Valley and Margaret River. But there are some underrated wine regions that even most Australians won’t have heard of. These include…
Underrated wine regions: The Riverina
The Riverina wine region is nowhere near as famous as the Hunter Valley. But that’s not to say there aren’t good wines to be found around Griffith and Leeton in New South Wales. but the Riverina still produces plenty of good wines. The most famous name in the region is DeBortoli – the brand is well known for producing award-winning wines at affordable prices.
Underrated wine regions: The Granite Belt
Usually the only drink associated with Queensland is a cold XXXX – it’s always thought of as being too warm for wine-growing. However, the industry in the sunshine state dates back to 1860.
The Granite Belt, near the New South Wales border in the Southern Downs around Warwick, is the most established region. This is mainly because of the climate. It’s the only part of Queensland to get a distinct change in season, and its elevation (750m to 1,250m above sea level) ensures that the temperature range is similar to that of central Victoria.
There are just under 50 boutique wineries in the region, producing pretty much the whole gamut of grapes, but if you have to choose one, go for the Ballandean Estate in Ballandean near Stanthorpe. This winery offers dinners in the Barrelroom Restaurant as well as cellar door tastings.
Underrated wine regions: South Burnett
The South Burnett region north-west of Brisbane is better known for its coastline. This is where you’ll find Fraser Island 4WD tours and whale watching. But go inland to the Great Dividing Range and you can find Queensland’s other major wine region. Eleven wineries have offer cellar door tastings including the Clovely Estate in Moffatdale. It sells a lot to the Asian market, with varietals including a Verdelho and a sparkling rosé.
Underrated wine regions: South Tasmania
Queensland isn’t the only state that people tend to forget about when it comes to wine. Tasmania tends to disappear off the average Australian’s mental viticulture map too
Hobart is a fabulous base for doing a bit of wine touring, however. The wine regions in several directions from Hobart have banded together under the WineSouth banner.
The three main directions to head in are north-east to the Coal River Valley, north-west to the Derwent River Valley and south-west to the Huon Valley. The latter hosts the Home Hill Winery, which does an excellent Tasmanian pinot noir.
Amongst the best wineries to visit is the Frogmore Creek Winery, which has won a greedy haul of awards. It’s in the Coal River Valley, an 18km drive from Hobart. As with most wineries in these parts, the Tasmanian weather leads to a specialism in cool climate wines such as pinot noir and iced Riesling.
Underrated wine regions: Heathcote
The Mornington Peninsula, an easy day trip from Melbourne, and Yarra Valley are Victoria’s best-known wine regions. But Heathcote is fast emerging. The big, bold red wines produced in the Heathcote region are gaining a strong reputation. “Heathcote Shiraz” in a bottle shop is synonymous with full-bodied, high alcohol content red wine. Of the Heathcote wineries with cellar doors open to tourists, to choose from, the Wild Duck Creek Estate and Jasper Hill are among the most welcoming.
The region is found in Central Victoria, in the middle of a rough triangle between Melbourne, Bendigo and Shepparton.
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