New South Wales | Wine Terms

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New South Wales

A state located along the Pacific Ocean in southeastern Australia, bordered by the state of Queensland on the north, and the state of Victoria on the south. New South Wales is Australia’s most populous state thanks to Sydney, the country’s largest city. It’s the birthplace of Australian winemaking. Settlers in the 1780s planted the first vineyards in the Sydney area. During the 1800s the HUNTER VALLEY became Australia’s most important wine region. The zones and regions established under the Australian GEOGRAPHIC INDICATIONS system paint a picture of the New South Wales wine landscape. Farthest north is the Northern Rivers Zone that currently contains the small HASTINGS RIVER region. Heading south toward Sydney lies the Hunter Valley, known for unique, long-lived SÉMILLON wines, lush CHARDONNAYs, and long-aging Shiraz (SYRAH). West of Sydney on the other side of the Great Dividing Range are a number of emerging growing areas that have the humidity problems prevalent on the eastern side. Farthest north of these is the Central Ranges Zone that includes (from north to south) the regions of MUDGEE, ORANGE, and COWRA. Farther south is the Southern New South Wales Zone that includes (from north to south) the HILLTOPS, CANBERRA DISTRICT, and TUMBARUMBA regions. Farther west in the southernmost section of New South Wales is the Big Rivers Zone, the result of the giant irrigation projects implemented in this dry, arid region. This zone includes the huge RIVERENA region, which produces 65 percent of New South Wales wine production, the Pericoota region, and parts of the highly productive MURRAY DARLING and SWAN HILL regions. Additionally, New South Wales grapes can make their way into wines under the designation of SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA, a gigantic zone that covers three full states and parts of two others.

Related Links: South Eastern Australia, Canberra District, Shoalhaven, Victoria, Mudgee

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