Seven Australian wine regions for a foodie getaway this winter

Keen for a wintry weekend of wine-swilling? If you’ve tried the big name wine destinations, these up-and-coming regions are refreshingly underrated.

A warming fire, a spicy red, and farm-fresh food served with country hospitality. This is a winter wine getaway, Aussie-style, and if you haven’t indulged in a sip of wine tourism for a while, you may find some surprises in store beyond the heavy-hitting wine regions.

Recent years have seen the rise of some exciting up-and coming wine destinations across the states and territories, and according to Wine Australia head of education, Mark Davidson, winter is prime time to check them out.

“The cooler weather means more space to explore, cosy dinners around a fireplace — and all this means more wine,” he says.

So, this season, forget escaping the cold with a beach trip to warmer climes, and embrace it with wine glass in hand. Here are some of the destinations giving Australian wine a fresh flavour.

Drinks and dinner around a cosy fireplace are part of the appeal of a winter wine getaway.

GRANITE BELT, QLD

Better known for sun and surf, the Sunshine State is shouldering in on Australia’s wine scene, and the higher you go above sea level, the better it gets.

“You don’t necessarily think of Queensland when you think of wine from Australia, but the Granite Belt is starting to change peoples’ minds,” says Davidson, referring to the region on the state’s southern border.

Towering more than 1000m above sea level at its highest point, the Granite Belt is Australia’s highest altitude wine region, and its Shiraz, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris stand up well against those of more temperate states.

Winemaker Jon Heslop at Witches Falls, in the Queensland Granite Belt region. Wineries such as his are helping to boost Queensland's reputation for quality wines. Photo: Wine Australia

DAYLESFORD AND THE MACEDON RANGES, VIC

A famed spa destination thanks to its many natural mineral springs, this Victorian region, just more than 90 minutes from Melbourne, offers another type of elixir.

“There’s a brilliant energy with a wonderful food scene and some real excitement around local wine,” Davidson says.

Pinot noir enthusiasts will find their perfect potion, and even though there isn’t a heavy concentration of cellar doors, research and forward-planning will be rewarded with quality wine, lovely historical towns and revitalising mineral soaks in between.

RIVERLAND, SA

Despite being Australia’s heftiest wine grape producing region by bulk, Riverland can get forgotten as a wine tourism destination in the shadow of The Barossa and McLaren Vale. Nevertheless, if you’ve done the big, flashy cellar doors in the latter destinations, you may be pleasantly surprised by the new generation of culinary movers-and-shakers cropping up in the region.

Along the banks of the Murray River, Riverland is seeing an increasing number of forward-thinking growers taking advantage of its warm, dry summers and mild winters to experiment with Southern Mediterranean styles.

“They’re reimagining the region beyond big broadacre farming,” Davidson says. “There’s Montepulciano, Spanish and Portuguese varieties and some fun wines coming out of there.”

Mallee Estate, Riverland South Australia. A bulk wine production district, Riverland is also building its appeal as a wine tourism destination. Photo: Wine Australia.

GREAT SOUTHERN, WA

Taste cool climate wines with a backdrop of National Heritage landscapes on the southern coast of Western Australia. Almost five hours south of Perth, this is one for road-tripping adventurers (or can be reached via a flight to Albany).

While it may not carry the tourism clout of the Margaret River, there’s plenty to discover between its five sub-regions of Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker and Porongurup.

“It’s spread out, further afield and might require more work to discover, but that’s part of the charm,” Davidson says. So, get your playlist ready, plan your route, and prepare your palate for some smashing Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

SOUTHERN TASMANIA

An easy drive from the island state’s capital, a wine tour in southern Tasmania is the perfect adjunct to a Hobart city stay.

Sip cool climate wines in the pristine Derwent Valley, and taste the local bounty in the picturesque historical town of Richmond, on the Coal River, just 25 minutes from Hobart. Drive south from Hobart to discover the Huon Valley, a mecca for makers, growers and artisans, and take your pick of boutique cellar doors, between cider breweries, in the state’s apple-growing heartland.

CANBERRA DISTRICT, NSW AND ACT

Is the Clonakilla Shiraz the best of its kind in Australia?

Decide if the pundits are right at the Colonakilla cellar door in Murrumbateman, 45 minutes out of Canberra. Straddling two states, the Canberra District wine region is also well known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, and a tour of its top wineries can be easily combined with a weekend visit to the capital’s big-ticket attractions.

ORANGE, NSW

Three hours out of Sydney, this high-altitude food bowl is where you’ll find classic styles with a lighter twist.

“You’ll get the same varietals that you might find in the Barossa and McLaren Vale, but very much defined by the higher altitude,” Davidson says. “Whites are lighter, juicer and fresher, while reds are more light-to-medium-bodied.”

A relatively young wine region, with its first commercial vines only planted in the 1980s, Orange has made up for lost time, with around 40 wineries beckoning between the twists and turns of its picturesque country roads.

Justin Jarrett, Vigneron at See Saw Wines, Orange. With its cool climate, Orange offers classic wine styles with a lighter twist. Photo: Wine Australia