Venture Wine Tours Australia

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VICTORIA _____________________________________________________________________________________

THE YARRA VALLEY

The Yarra Valley, a cool-climate, low-yielding wine region, is an hour east of Melbourne in the rolling foothills of the Great Dividing Range. The region’s cold winters and fertile soils help make Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and sparkling wines at home here. The region ’s winemaking history dates to 1840, but the large plantings now producing great wines began in 1968 at the Yarra Yering, Yeringberg and Fergussons wineries. The French company Moet & Chandon, seeing the district’s potential for sparkling wines, established the Domaine Chandon winery here in 1985. As more wine lovers discover this region on Melbourne’s doorstep, the number of excellent restaurants and luxury boutique hotels and lodges available here continues to grow.

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MORNINGTON PENINSULA

The Mornington Peninsula is an hour’s drive south of Melbourne and is bounded by Port Phillip Bay to the north and Bass Strait (and Tasmania) to the south. This very cool marine climate ,not unlike that of the Bordeaux region in France, produces clean wines with crisp acidity and is best suited to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines. The hilly peninsula, with its genuine country feel and its varying views over Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait, is a favourite retreat for Melbourne’s well heeled. Many of the winery structures here are modern, state-of-the art complexes with their own restaurants, such as Dromana Estate and Red Hill Estate.

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THE MACEDON RANGES

The Macedon Ranges, a short drive north-west of Melbourne, was planted in the 1850s and has seen a renaissance since replanting in the 1970s. Volcanic and granite soils and a very cool climate provide tough growing conditions, but good viticultural and winemaking skills have produced some great wines in recent years. The area is known for long-living Shiraz, lime flavours on the palate, and a long, dry finish.