A paradise in Australia, the Riverina wine region share similarities with Switzerland in terms of its picturesque sceneries and the huge area it covers. Murrumbidgee and Lachlan rivers are its lifelines, flowing across, from east to west. Endowed with natural beauty, never-lasting water resources and unique climatic conditions, Riverina makes for one of NSW’s largest wine region in terms of land covered and the amount of grapes harvested. It’s worth the time to explore its cellar doors while enjoying the rolling hills, charming towns, vast plains and meandering rivers.
Highlights of Riverina Wine Region
- Centred on Griffith city, it’s the biggest wine region in NSW (even larger than the combined area of all other wine regions of NSW) and the 2nd biggest in Australia.
- Riverina accounts for 60% of NSW’s and 15% of the country’s grape harvest with over 20,000 ha of land under viticulture.
- Almost 50% of the wine produced annually is exported to international markets.
- It hosts one of the most-awaited Riverina wine show every year showcasing wines from all around Australia. A number of food and wine events also take place here all around the year.
- It houses some highly-acclaimed wineries of Australia like McWilliam’s, De Bortoli and Berton Vineyards, that have garnered appreciations from world-renowned wine critic James Halliday.
Riverina’s Terroir
The region experiences a warm climate along with low rainfall, which is supplemented by its strong irrigation system. The humidity plays a major role in grape production which is quite low in the summers and increases gradually in the autumn season.
The plains are richly deposited with variable alluvial soils. The vineyards are covered by rich red-brown earth comprising of loamy and clay soil with lime in the depth.
Must-Try Wines
Despite the warm conditions, the Riverina wine region produces excellent Chardonnay and is the third largest Chard producer after Murray Darling and Riverland. The region is also known for its outstanding Botrytis wine which is made using the Semillon varietal. It houses some famous brands like the Cassella’s [yellow tail] wine label that specialises in the production of alternative varieties.
