Victoria

Wine-growing region located to the southwest of Melbourne in the federal state of Victoria in Australia, named after the principal town of the region with the same name. It is part of the Port Philip zone. The region was built up in the 19th century by Swiss immigrants, and showed a similarly positive development as the Yarra Valley, located to the south. Phylloxera struck in 1875. The government ordered all vineyards to be uprooted in 1881, which however did not Stopp the spread of the pest, and brought viticultural activities to an end for the next eight decades. Viticulture was only reactivated in the 1960’s. The climate is warm and sunny in summer, and cool and dry in autumn. The vineyard area totals around 170 hectares, spread out in a fan shape in the hinterland of Corio Bay, in the river vallies and around Mount Anakie. The most important red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot Noir, the leading white varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Well-known producers include Bannockburn Vineyards and Scotchman´s Hill.