of Victoria

a harvest day, so everything is picked at night.”

In Wadsack’s opinion, Beechworth, towards the north of the state’s wine country, makes arguably the best Chardonnay in Australia, with “steely minerality but also real flavour”.

Mornington Peninsula has earned a reputation as the home of the country’s benchmark Pinot Noir, and the best Shiraz can compete with anything in the northern Rhône.

“Shiraz is a story that isn’t well told in Victoria but it’s a very important variety,” Wadsack says. “The good ones are absolute bangers. The top wines taste almost like Hermitage. Those wines keep for 20 years. They have that wonderful minerally, smoky almost bacon-fat sort of smell.”

Then there is the crowning glory of the Victoria winemaking tradition: its fortified Muscat. Wadsack puts these wines on the highest pedestal, arguing that the best are comparable with anything from the Douro Valley, and ready to drink younger.

Our indies are impressed

Mark Wrigglesworth, The Good Wine Shop, west London

What regions of Victoria is Mark most enthusiastic about? “Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Beechworth,” he says.

“The individual regions have so much to offer and are so diverse it makes it difficult to create a single Victorian identity – other than for good wine, I think.”

Wines that particularly stood out were SubRosa Nebbiolo 2018 and a white Grazia blend from Vinea Marson – “both unique and great quality for the price”.

So do the wines of Victoria have a promising future in the independent trade? “Definitely. Their unique identity and individual character give lots to please the consumer across a broad range of varieties and styles.”

Lisa Owens, Liquorice, Shenfield, Essex

“All the wines were of an excellent standard, especially in terms of their balance,” says Lisa.

“A personal preferences was the Handpicked Chardonnay from Yarra Valley. It paired beautifully with the burrata, peach and fig, complementing the sweeter elements of the dish but not overpowering the creaminess of the cheese. Wonderful!

“A red I found interesting was Pizzini Pietra Rossa Sangiovese from King Valley. It was so well balanced. If I’m honest my expectations were lower, imagining bigger, bolder fruits and not the silky smoothness typical of an Italian Sangiovese, but I was pleasantly wrong.

“Finally, the Stanton & Killeen Classic Rutherglen Muscat was a true delight. My tasting notes simply say ‘delicious’. It felt a treat to have something reminiscent of ‘Christmas in a glass’ in January. I would happily drink this all year round.

“I have been familiar with the most famous regions such as Yarra Valley for many years now. More recently, though, I feel Mornington Peninsula is having its moment and I seem to hear this region being talked about more and more.

“Rutherglen really impressed me, having been a fan of dessert wines for years.

“I am particularly grateful to be introduced to King Valley. The diverse grape varieties here make for interesting tasting and I will be exploring more in this region.

“I believe there will always be consumer appeal where there is quality and there is no doubt Victoria produces some outstanding wines. The variety of grapes and the wildly differing terroir ensures a USP for Victoria and will pique interest for the keener wine consumers.”

Wine Victoria

For more information, contact secretariat@winevictoria.org.au