| Wine region | |
| Type | Australian Geographical Indication |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2010 |
| Years of wine industry | Established 1982 |
| Country | Australia |
| Part of | Limestone Coast |
| Growing season | October to April [1] |
| Heat units | 1151 [1] |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 711 mm (28.0 in) [1] |
| Size of planted vineyards | 243 ha (600 acres) [2] |
| No. of vineyards | 20 [3] |
| Varietals produced | Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris [4] |
| Comments | 2011 |
Mount Gambier wine region is a wine region located in the south east of South Australia around the regional city of Mount Gambier. The first planting of vines occurred in 1982. The region received appellation as an Australian Geographical Indication in 2010 and as of 2014, is represented by 20 vineyards and eight wineries.
The Mount Gambier wine region is the southernmost region in the Limestone Coast wine zone. It covers the area around the principal regional city of Mount Gambier and is bounded to the north by the Coonawarra just north of Nangwarry, to the east by the border with Victoria and to the south by the continental coastline from the border to Carpenter Rocks in the west. [5] The Mount Gambier wine region was registered as an Australian Geographical Indication on 21 December 2010. [6] [7]
The first plantings occurred in 1982 in a vineyard established by Sandy and Helen Haig immediately south of the city of Mount Gambier. The establishment of vineyards within the wine region is attributed to primary producers diversifying away from dairy production following the corporatisation and deregulation of that industry beginning in the late 1970s. Vineyards are exclusively family businesses ‘usually associated with other agricultural pursuits such as orchards, grazing, hay production and animal husbandry.’ The vineyards planted in the 1980s focused on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties while establishments in the 1990s included varieties such as Cabernet and Merlot. Between the years 2001 and 2010, the majority of the region’s vineyards were planted with a total planted area of 243 ha (600 acres) for the region as of 2011. As of 2014, there are at least 20 vineyards and eight associated wineries in operation within the region. [2] [3]
As of 2011, the most common plantings in the Mount Gambier region are Sauvignon Blanc (38% of total area) followed by Pinot Noir (29%), Chardonnay (15%) and Pinot Gris (10%). Alternatively, white wine varieties account for 65% of plantings while red wines varieties account for 35% of plantings. [4]
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a 'rite of passage' and an easy entry into the international wine market.
The Coonawarra wine region is a wine region centred on the town of Coonawarra in the Limestone Coast zone of South Australia. It is known for the Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced on its "terra rossa" soil. The name has been said to have originated in Bindjali, an Aboriginal language, meaning "wild honeysuckle". It is about 380 kilometres (240 mi) south-east of Adelaide, close to the border with Victoria.
Wrattonbully is a wine region in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia's South East, between the Padthaway and Coonawarra regions, between the Riddoch Highway and the Victorian border.
The Central Otago wine region is a geographical indication in New Zealand's South Island, and the world's southernmost commercial wine growing region. While Central Otago is best known for Pinot Noir, many white wine varieties are also popular.
The Mount Benson wine region is a wine region in the south east of the Australian state of South Australia located on the continental coastline about 300 kilometres from the state capital of Adelaide and halfway between the towns of Kingston SE and Robe. Mount Benson is one of six wine growing regions that are located in the Limestone Coast wine zone.
New Zealand wine is produced in several of its distinct winegrowing regions. As an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, New Zealand has a largely maritime climate, although its elongated geography produces considerable regional variation from north to south. Like many other New World wines, New Zealand wine is usually produced and labelled as single varietal wines, or if blended, winemakers list the varietal components on the label. New Zealand is best known for its Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and more recently its dense, concentrated Pinot Noir from Marlborough, Martinborough and Central Otago.
The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine, ranking fourth in the country behind California, Washington, and New York. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders that are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the states of Washington and Idaho. Wine making dates back to pioneer times in the 1840s, with commercial production beginning in the 1960s.
The Mendocino County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California. The region is part of the larger North Coast AVA and one of California's largest and most climatically diverse wine growing regions. Mendocino County is one of the northernmost commercial wine grape regions in the state with two distinct climate zones separated by the Mendocino Range. Ten American Viticultural Areas have been designated within Mendocino County. Mendocino is one of the leading wine growing regions for organically produced wine grapes. Nearly 25% of the acreage in Mendocino County is grown organically. In 2004, the residents of the county voted to become the first GMO-free county in the United States in an initiative that was supported by many of the county's largest wineries. The county's widespread focus on organic viticulture has inspired journalists to describe it as "California's organic wine Mecca".
The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. Centered on the Russian River, the Russian River Valley AVA accounts for about one-sixth of the total planted vineyard acreage in Sonoma County. The appellation was granted AVA status in 1983 and enlarged in 2005. The area generally lies between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa in the south, and Forestville and Healdsburg in the north. The Russian River Valley has a characteristically cool climate, heavily affected by fog generated by the valley's proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The area is known for its success with cool climate varietals, notably Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
The South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. South Australia has a vast diversity in geography and climate which allows the state to be able to produce a range of grape varieties–from the cool climate Riesling variety in the Clare Valley wine region to the big, full bodied Shiraz wines of the Barossa Valley.
Victorian wine is wine made in the Australian state of Victoria. With over 600 wineries, Victoria has more wine producers than any other Australian wine-producing state but ranks third in overall wine production due to the lack of a mass bulk wine-producing area like South Australia's Riverland and New South Wales's Riverina. Viticulture has existed in Victoria since the 19th century and experienced a high point in the 1890s when the region produced more than half of all wine produced in Australia. The phylloxera epidemic that soon followed took a hard toll on the Victoria wine industry which did not fully recover till the 1950s.
Foris Vineyards Winery is an American winery located near Cave Junction, Oregon in the Illinois Valley region of the Rogue Valley AVA of Southern Oregon. As one of Oregon's pioneering grape growers, Ted Gerber planted his first vineyard in 1974. For 15 years, Gerber provided fruit to other winemakers, until 1986 when the winery was founded by Ted and Meri Gerber and the Foris label was launched.
Western Australian wine refers to wine produced in Australia's largest state, Western Australia. Although the state extends across the western third of the continent, its wine regions are almost entirely situated in the cooler climate of its south-western tip. Western Australia produces less than 5% of the country's wine output, but in quality terms it is very much near the top, winning 30 percent of the country's medals.
Prince Edward County Wine is produced in Prince Edward County (PEC) located in south eastern part of southern Ontario, the most southerly part of Canada. Prince Edward County was designated as the fourth and newest Designated Viticultural Area (DVA) in Ontario in 2007. A DVA is a wine-producing region for which rules and regulations are set down by the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) of Ontario. VQA Ontario is an organization officially delegated by the government of Ontario to administer and enforce the Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999 There are currently some 42 commercial wineries and over 50 wine grape growers in Prince Edward County, cultivating more than 700 acres of vineyard, producing 757 tons of grapes and 6130 hectolitres of wine annually.
The Yarra Valley is an Australian wine region located east of Melbourne, Victoria. It is a cool climate region that is best known for producing Chardonnay, sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. Its proximity to the urban centre and high profile wineries have made it an important destination for enotourism, receiving over 3.1 million visitors in 2011.
Limestone Coast zone is a wine zone located in the south east of South Australia. It extends south of a line of latitude approximately in line with Cape Willoughby at the east end of Kangaroo Island and it is bounded by the continental coastline and the border with Victoria. It consists of the following wine regions all of which have received appellation as an Australian Geographical Indication (AGI): Coonawarra, Mount Benson, Mount Gambier, Robe, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and a small number of vineyards located outside the above regions. The zone received AGI in 1996.
Robe is a wine region located in the south east of South Australia immediately adjoining the town of Robe. The region received appellation as an Australian Geographical Indication (AGI) in 2006. It is part of the Limestone Coast wine zone.
Padthaway wine region is a wine zone region located in the south east of South Australia immediately adjoining a section of the Riddoch Highway including the town of Padthaway. The region received appellation as an Australian Geographical Indication (AGI) in 1999.
The Canterbury wine region is a New Zealand wine region and geographical indication that covers wine made anywhere within the Canterbury Region excluding the Kaikōura District, an area of some 44,500 square kilometres (17,200 sq mi) in the South Island.
The Auckland wine region is a New Zealand wine-growing area and geographical indication centred around New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. The GI covers the area delineated by the greater Auckland Region, and has a total vineyard area in 2022 of 285 hectares.
