Stay at Morvern Valley Guesthouse and enjoy a winery day trip.

AUSTRALIAN WINES AND THE HIGHLANDS - A NEW COOL CLIMATE WINE GROWING REGION

Early history.

One does not normally associate the Southern Highlands, with its cold winters and cool autumn and spring weather, with vineyards.

Most traditional wine growing in Australia took place in the famous Barossa and Hunter Valleys, or even further inland, where the hot summers and abundant irrigation waters make cultivation easier.

However, grapevines were amongst the first imported plants originally grown in Australia, and there is evidence that Dr. Charles Throsby planted vines at Throsby Park (near Moss Vale) as early ago as the 1820s.

Whether they were used to make wine does not seem to be recorded, but given the preference of people at the time for fortified wines, it is likely.

The industry today.


In the 1990s wine growers became interested in the formerly overlooked advantages of high altitude vineyards, as a means to source varietals, and for distinctive wines for blending.

Local pioneers - Joadja Wines (1983/1989) and Eling Forest Wines (1985/1992), are very much in the mould of the traditional Australian winemaking entrepreneurs. These are "boutique" wineries, pioneers who have seen their vision for winemaking grow, and who use a combination of traditional and modern techniques for growing and producing their wines.

They have since been joined by other boutique wineries: Howards Lane (1991/1993), Mundrakoona Estate (1996/2002), Centennial Vineyards (1996/2001), St Derycke's Wood (1995/1998), Statford Park, 2001, Southern Highland Wines, 2002. (Dates in brackets are for first plantings/first vintage.)

In 2003 there were 60 vineyards in the Southern Highlands under cultivation, over 250 hectares. When these mature, they may produce up to 700,000 bottles of premium wines.

The vignerons of the Highlands formed themselves into an association and have gained separate recognition of the Highlands as a cool climate winemaking region.

Today touring the wineries to taste the local vintages (and gaining the advantage of cellar door prices) is a popular pastime for visitors to the Southern Highlands. In the next year several more cellars are scheduled to open.

Vintage time is usually from early March through April, with harvesting of the grapes, crushing and winemaking.

New season's white wines, and aged reds, are usually released by mid-year, so late May, June and July are good times to visit to catch up on the very latest vintages. At other times, wine lovers are encouraged to keep an eye on the Highlands, and to visit its wineries to see the quality and variety of the local cool climate wines.


So if you would like to visit all these Southern Highland wineries - choose Morvern Valley Guesthouse as your Southern Highland Accommodation.