Geelong Wine Region - Melbourne

Although it was initially one of Australia’s most significant wine-producing areas,  over the last 20 years it has been outflanked by the phenomenal growth in the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula. Nevertheless, it is still renowned for some excellent award-winning wines. Under an hour from Melbourne there are around 50 vineyards to be found, producing quality wines for local and export markets.

Types of Wine/Grapes

Predictably, with its strongly maritime influenced cool climate, the most successful and internationally renowned grapes are pinot noir and chardonnay. Most of the wineries also produce striking and intense shiraz grapes and the area is also capable of growing powerful and long-lived cabernet sauvignons.

Climate/Geography

Geelong is one of Australia’s most southerly wine producing regions with spring frosts, scant summer rainfall, cold winds and poor clay soils. This makes it a difficult place to grow grapes, and requires irrigation and various other cool-climate viticultural techniques to protect slow-ripening fruit.