Australia's emerging wine regions
Explore the unique and exciting wines from Australia's smaller, up-and-coming wine regions. Discover new favorites and exceptional wines.
Great wines are born from new regions that are still finding their voice, but the future is already bright.
- Australian wine proverb
Australia’s emerging wine regions: A new wave of excellence
Western Australia is one of Australia’s most prestigious wine regions, renowned for its premium wines that embody elegance and restraint. The region’s relatively small size, combined with its diverse climates, allows for the production of wines that are sophisticated, balanced, and distinctive. From the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon of Margaret River to the cool-climate Shiraz and Riesling from Great Southern, Western Australia produces wines that offer a unique expression of the land.
With the influence of the Indian Ocean and the diverse landscapes, the region is best known for its refined and elegant wine styles. Margaret River has gained international recognition for its top-tier Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and the signature Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends, while Great Southern’s cool-climate Shiraz and Riesling reflect the region’s versatility and cool growing conditions.
Let’s explore the iconic sub-regions of Western Australia and the notable producers who have helped elevate the region to global acclaim.
Explore the famous sub-regions of Australia’s emerging wine regions
Canberra district, Adelaide hills & Geelong: The rising stars of Australian wine
Australia’s emerging wine regions are gaining a reputation for producing wines that are as unique as they are exceptional. Three of the most notable emerging regions include the Canberra district, Adelaide hills, and Geelong. These areas are pushing boundaries and offering wine enthusiasts a taste of the future of Australian wine.
🍇 Canberra district – Located at the junction of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, the Canberra district is becoming known for its cool-climate wines. Shiraz-Viognier blends are particularly popular here, with the region producing wines that offer a combination of power, elegance, and distinctive aromatic complexity. The region’s high altitude and varied microclimates provide ideal conditions for both red and white varieties, including Riesling and Pinot Gris. With an increasing number of wineries and the recognition of its quality, the Canberra district is certainly a rising star in Australian wine.
🍇 Adelaide hills – The Adelaide hills, nestled in the cooler part of South Australia, has long been known for its ability to produce world-class cool-climate wines. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are key grapes here, with the region’s vineyards benefitting from altitude and exposure to cool winds. The wines of the Adelaide hills are fresh, vibrant, and aromatic, showcasing the best characteristics of cool-climate viticulture. The region is also known for producing exceptional sparkling wines, making it one of the most exciting and diverse emerging wine regions in Australia.
🍇 Geelong – Situated on the southeastern coast of Victoria, Geelong is gaining recognition for its boutique Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. The cool maritime climate, with influences from the Bass Strait, offers ideal growing conditions for these two varieties, resulting in wines with finesse, complexity, and remarkable aging potential. Geelong’s small scale allows for meticulous attention to detail in winemaking, and the wines produced here are consistently gaining acclaim. With an increasing reputation for quality, Geelong is well on its way to becoming a leading name in Australian wine.
Discover the key grape varieties of Australia’s emerging wine regions
Shiraz, Viognier, Pinot Noir & Sauvignon Blanc: The grapes shaping Australia’s emerging wine regions
Australia’s emerging wine regions are not only gaining attention for their unique terroirs but also for their exciting use of grape varieties that express the regions’ cool-climate characteristics. In areas like the Canberra district, Adelaide hills, and Geelong, innovative winemakers are showcasing both traditional and alternative varieties that are making waves in the Australian wine industry.
🍇 Shiraz – While Shiraz is traditionally associated with warmer regions like the Barossa Valley, it also thrives in the cooler Canberra district. The region’s Shiraz-Viognier blends are a hallmark of its winemaking style, offering a distinctive combination of richness, spice, and elegance. The cooler temperatures allow the grapes to retain their natural acidity, resulting in wines with vibrant fruit flavors and a complex profile that balances power with finesse.
🍇 Viognier – Viognier is a variety that has found a perfect home in the Canberra district. Known for its rich and aromatic character, this white grape is often blended with Shiraz to produce wines with floral notes, stone fruits, and a touch of spice. Viognier’s expressive flavors and smooth texture make it an exciting variety in these emerging regions, contributing to the region's rising reputation for producing elegant and complex wines.
🍇 Pinot Noir – Pinot Noir is a key grape in both the Adelaide hills and Geelong, two regions known for their cool-climate conditions. In the Adelaide hills, the grape produces fresh, vibrant wines with expressive red fruit flavors and subtle earthy undertones. Geelong, with its maritime climate, is also becoming renowned for its boutique Pinot Noir, with wines that exhibit finesse, complexity, and excellent aging potential. This grape thrives in the cooler regions, where it is able to develop delicate aromatics and a refined structure.
🍇 Sauvignon Blanc – The Adelaide hills have become a hotspot for cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc, with the variety’s crisp acidity and citrusy, herbal flavors perfectly suited to the region. The altitude and cool winds from the surrounding hills provide the ideal growing conditions for this grape, resulting in wines that are fresh, vibrant, and full of character. Sauvignon Blanc from the Adelaide hills is known for its intensity and expressive aromatics, making it a standout variety for wine enthusiasts.
Explore the notable producers in Australia’s emerging wine regions
Clonakilla, Shaw + Smith & Geelong Winery: Leading producers in emerging regions
Australia’s emerging wine regions are home to innovative and influential winemakers who are helping shape the future of the country's wine industry. Wineries like Clonakilla, Shaw + Smith, and Geelong Winery are at the forefront of these regions, producing wines that highlight the unique characteristics of their respective terroirs. These producers are setting high standards for quality and paving the way for the continued success of these exciting wine regions.
🍇 Clonakilla – Based in the Canberra district, Clonakilla is one of the most recognized producers in the region, known for its outstanding Shiraz-Viognier blends. The winery has been a pioneer in showcasing the potential of the Canberra district’s cool-climate terroir, producing wines that are rich, aromatic, and beautifully balanced. Clonakilla’s wines have consistently received acclaim for their quality and aging potential, helping to put the Canberra district on the map as one of Australia’s emerging wine regions.
🍇 Shaw + Smith – Located in the Adelaide hills, Shaw + Smith is known for producing cool-climate wines that reflect the region’s unique characteristics. The winery’s focus on Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay has earned it a reputation for crafting fresh, vibrant wines with exceptional finesse. Shaw + Smith is also celebrated for its sparkling wines, which have helped to elevate the Adelaide hills as a leading destination for high-quality, cool-climate wine production. The winery’s commitment to excellence has solidified its place as one of the top producers in the region.
🍇 Geelong Winery – Situated in the Geelong wine region, Geelong Winery is known for producing boutique wines with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The winery’s wines showcase the terroir of this cool maritime region, offering wines that are elegant, complex, and have excellent aging potential. Geelong Winery’s commitment to producing high-quality, small-batch wines has made it a standout producer in the region, and its wines are gaining recognition for their exceptional quality and unique expression of Geelong’s terroir.
Discover the key vintages from Australia’s emerging wine regions
Tasmania has seen several outstanding vintages that have contributed to its growing reputation for producing wines of exceptional quality and aging potential. Some of the most notable recent vintages include 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2020, each known for producing wines with distinctive characteristics and remarkable balance.
📅 2012 – A stellar vintage for sparkling wines
The 2012 vintage in Tasmania was marked by excellent conditions for the production of sparkling wines, with a cool growing season that allowed for slow ripening and excellent acidity. The pinot noir and chardonnay from this year were exceptional, with the wines showing great depth, complexity, and a fine balance of fruit and acidity. Many producers consider 2012 to be one of the best sparkling wine vintages in recent history.
📅 2016 – A year of perfect balance
2016 was a vintage that showcased Tasmania’s ability to produce wines with balance and finesse. The long growing season allowed the grapes to develop full flavors while maintaining vibrant acidity. Pinot noir and chardonnay from 2016 are noted for their fresh fruit flavors, rich texture, and elegant finish. This vintage produced wines that are both approachable in their youth and have great aging potential.
📅 2018 – Vibrant and expressive wines
The 2018 vintage in Tasmania saw a warmer-than-usual growing season, which resulted in wines with vibrant fruit flavors and excellent ripeness. The pinot noir and chardonnay from this year are characterized by their expressive aromas and flavors, with notes of red berries, citrus, and stone fruit. The wines are fresh, lively, and showcase the best of Tasmania’s cool-climate viticulture.
📅 2020 – A cool year with exceptional freshness
2020 was a cooler vintage, which resulted in wines with great freshness and acidity. The slow ripening process helped preserve the natural aromas and flavors of the grapes, resulting in wines with precision and clarity. Pinot noir and chardonnay from 2020 are elegant, with fresh citrus, red fruit, and subtle spice notes. This vintage is expected to age beautifully, with wines that will continue to evolve over the years.
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Australia's emerging wine regions: A new chapter in Australian winemaking
Australia is known for its iconic wine regions such as the Barossa Valley and Margaret River, but in recent years, the spotlight has shifted to smaller, up-and-coming wine regions that are making their mark. These emerging regions, including the Canberra district, Adelaide hills, and Geelong, are offering something new and exciting for wine lovers. With their unique climates, innovative winemaking techniques, and exceptional terroirs, these regions are pushing the boundaries of Australian winemaking.
The rise of cool-climate viticulture in emerging regions
One of the key features of Australia’s emerging wine regions is their cool-climate viticulture, which plays a major role in producing wines with fresh acidity and complex flavors. These regions have the perfect conditions for growing cool-climate grape varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, which are gaining recognition for their elegance, balance, and exceptional quality.
The Canberra district, located at the junction of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, has gained prominence for its cool-climate wines, particularly Shiraz-Viognier blends, which showcase the region’s ability to produce wines with aromatic complexity and rich fruit flavors. In the Adelaide hills, the combination of high altitudes and cool winds makes it one of the best regions for cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, producing wines that are fresh, vibrant, and full of character. Similarly, Geelong’s maritime climate provides the ideal growing conditions for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, resulting in wines with finesse, complexity, and remarkable aging potential.
Innovative winemaking techniques shaping the future
In addition to their unique terroirs, Australia’s emerging wine regions are known for their innovative winemaking techniques, which are helping to create wines that are both cutting-edge and true to their roots. Many winemakers in these regions are embracing sustainability and organic practices, with a focus on minimal intervention to allow the wines to express their terroir fully.
For example, wineries in the Canberra district like Clonakilla have been pioneers in producing Shiraz-Viognier blends, which have become a signature of the region’s winemaking style. Similarly, Shaw + Smith in the Adelaide hills is known for its forward-thinking approach, producing high-quality wines with a focus on precision and balance. In Geelong, boutique wineries are dedicating themselves to small-batch production, ensuring that every bottle reflects the unique characteristics of the region’s terroir.
Emerging wine regions gaining global recognition
As the wines from these emerging regions continue to gain recognition for their exceptional quality and unique characteristics, the future of Australian winemaking looks incredibly bright. Wine lovers around the world are beginning to take notice of the wines from the Canberra district, Adelaide hills, and Geelong, with their increasing presence at international wine competitions and in fine wine collections.
The rise of these smaller, innovative wine regions is transforming the Australian wine landscape, proving that there is more to the country’s wine industry than just its well-known regions. As the vines continue to grow and the winemakers continue to push boundaries, Australia’s emerging wine regions will undoubtedly shape the future of the Australian wine industry for years to come.