2023 Red Hill Chardonnay, Port Phillip Estate

Victoria

Producing just 4% of the national total, Victoria is nonetheless home to many of the most exciting wines. In the early days, Victoria was the centre of Australian production, but by the 1950s only 30 wineries remained. Now there are over 800 (mostly small) in operation. The north-east of the state is home to hot Rutherglen, famous for its fortified wines, notably Muscat. Nearby, but cooled by altitude in the Australian Alps are King Valley and Beechworth where many less common, often Italian, varieties are found. Central Victoria contains Heathcote making velvety and highly alcoholic shiraz and currently the darling of critics, Goulburn Valley is famous for Tahbilk, in operation since the mid-19th century making fine wines from Rhône varieties and Bendigo, the Pyrenees and Grampian all of which make rich leathery shiraz and powerful cabernet. The area around Melbourne, the Port Philip zone, is perhaps the most exciting in the state and includes Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Sunbury and Macedon. These are all cooler to properly cool climate zones often with strong maritime influence. This is home to some of the country’s best Pinot Noir, most elegant and racy chardonnay and some intense, savoury shiraz and cabernet. Pinot from Mornington has a particular purity and freshness to it whilst Yarra Chardonnay and especially shiraz have a very European feel to them.