Located north east of Hobart, the Coal River Valley lies in a rain shadow and is curiously one of Australia’s driest wine regions.The area has a distinct maritime climate with a long growing season.Vineyards are planted on a range of sandstone and alluvial soils and are largely protected from wind. Owing to low rainfall in the area, supplementary irrigation is often required.

Gippsland is named after a former Governor of Victoria. Considered both a wine region and a zone, Gippsland extends from just east of Melbourne through to the southern NSW border. Vines were originally planted as early as the 19th century however the modern revival of the region’s viticulture did not occur until the 1970’s. An enormous geographical region – similar in size to Belgium, it is comprised of coastal plains and predominantly south-facing slopes of the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. The region is divided into three geographical areas, South, East and West. South Gippsland located about 100 km east of Melbourne, is a true cool climate area. Significant maritime influence ensures it is the wettest, coolest and windiest sub-region, providing ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. East Gippsland has a more Mediterranean style climate, with West Gippsland

<p><b>Barossa Valley</b></p> Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’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’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 th