Cool maritime climate/Elevation 1-200m Mornington Peninsula is located to Melbourne’s south. The region is virtually frost-free (because of its proximity to the sea) but is susceptible to high winds. Rainfall is moderate, even through winter and the growing season. Most of the vineyards are located just above sea level to 200m. The Bordeaux varieties do better at altitudes below 100m. Vintages can be variable but, in good years, Mornington can make some of the most sublime Burgundian-like Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. The Mornington Peninsula is as unreliable as Burgundy itself, often failing to ripen fruit adequately. Chaptalisation (addition of sugar to the ferment) is not an option in Australia, so producers can struggle. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Gris also show potential. Andrew Caillard MW, Langton's

Cool to cold climate/Elevation 15-200m The arrival of Andrew Pirie and the planting of vineyards around Pipers Brook near Launceston in Tasmania’s north launched the region’s wine industry. The vineyards are all located in cool to cold maritime areas. At Pipers Brook most of the vineyards are located on slopes at elevations of around 100 to 140m on basalt-derived gravelly soils with relatively high iron content. Pipers Brook vineyards are close spaced on north-facing vineyards but quite exposed to wind. Riesling has thrived, while Chardonnay and Bordeaux varieties are a mixed bag, and Pinot Noir is showing great potential. Mesoclimate and individual sites differ markedly around Tasmania. The Tamar Valley, close to Pipers Brook, is estuarine influenced. Andrew Caillard MW, Langton's

Warm climate/Elevation 130-300m The Heathcote and Goulburn wine regions, about 50km apart, are located in Central Victoria about 100km north of Melbourne. The Goulburn Valley, which centres on the towns of Seymour and Nagambie, has a warm climate with strong continentality. The Goulburn River dissects the region and has washed the red and brown, sandy clay loams with alluvial sands. Most of the vineyards are located on these areas. Temperatures fluctuate enormously during the growing season creating a stressful environment for vines. Rainfall is low, although the region has experienced the occasional vintage washout. The most suited variety is Shiraz as typified by Mitchelton and Tahbilk. Andrew Caillard MW, Langton's

<p>Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony&rsquo;s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800&rsquo;s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley