Your top 20 wine regions for 2021

Border restrictions might have made travel difficult this year, but that hasn’t stopped you visiting the country’s wine regions virtually. From Tasmania to Queensland, WA to New South Wales, and all over Victoria and South Australia, here are the 20 regions you searched for most in 2021.  

1. Tasmania

Australia’s southernmost state, and its coldest, is prized for its top-class sparkling, pinot noir and chardonnay – perfect for washing down its local seafood. 
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A vineyard in Tasmania's Tamar Valley

2. Orange, NSW

One of Australia’s highest cool-climate wine regions, Orange is known for producing a range of diverse styles including cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc from its elevated sites. As well as its vibrant, elegant wines, it’s a hub for fine food, with top dining, produce and events all part of the package.
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3. Coonawarra, SA

Coonawarra on South Australia’s Limestone Coast is one of the country’s top wine regions. Best known for its exceptional cabernet, it’s also an excellent place for adventuring with options for hikes and beaches close by. 
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4. Barossa Valley, SA

As well as national treasure Maggie Beer, this famous wine region is home to some of the planet’s oldest-producing vines. Shiraz is king, but other bold reds and robust whites like riesling also do well here.  
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Moonlight over McLaren Vale

5. McLaren Vale, SA

This beguiling region has so much to offer visiting wine and food lovers, with impressive quality across the board. Its position alongside pristine beaches, mountain ranges, and national parklands is a bonus.
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6. Hunter Valley, NSW

The Hunter Valley may be Australia’s oldest wine region, but it’s also among the country’s most innovative. Best known for producing semillon, chardonnay and shiraz, winemakers are also experimenting with alternative varieties and styles like piquette, made from the second-pressing of grape pomace. 

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7. Margaret River, WA

One of the most remote, beautiful wine regions on the planet, Margaret River is packed with five-star wineries, incredible beaches and expansive national parks. 
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WA's stunning Margaret River

8. Mudgee, NSW

Northwest of Sydney, Mudgee is an ideal destination for wine and food lovers. With more than 35 cellar doors, enticing cafes and restaurants, a craft brewery and distillery, and a vibrant monthly farmer’s market, there’s plenty to do in this ‘nest in the hills’.
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9. Great Southern, WA

The country’s largest wine region by area size, and the second-largest producer of grapes in Western Australia, Great Southern is resplendent with mountain ranges, forested cliffs, grazing pastures and towns steeped in history. 
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10. Mornington Peninsula, VIC

This attractive seaside region, famed for its pinot noir and chardonnay, combines the best of wine, dining, unwinding and outdoor activities – all just an hour’s drive from Melbourne.
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Shadows on the vines on the Mornington Peninsula

11. Clare Valley, SA

Nestled in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, the picture-perfect Clare Valley wine region is home to some of the most welcoming wineries and cellar doors in Australia. This historic region is a heartland for riesling, but you’ll also find rich reds and an array of other intriguing varieties on pour at its cellar doors.
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12. Adelaide Hills, SA

Just 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, the Hills is one of Australia’s most exciting wine regions. As well as incredible wines, European-influenced towns, cheese cellars, top-tier restaurants and local crafted goods are also to be found.
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13. Yarra Valley, VIC

The Yarra Valley is jam-packed with top wineries making some of Australia’s finest wines – it’s particularly well known for its appealing styles of pinot noir and chardonnay, and it’s also a hub for spicy shiraz and elegant cabernet.
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The Yarra Valley under fog

14. Granite Belt, QLD

The Granite Belt is part of the Southern Queensland Country region, producing exceptional medium-bodied wines, praised for their elegance in style. While still a young region, its success has not gone unnoticed.
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15. Macedon Ranges, VIC

As well as elegant wines, you’ll find rugged mountain ranges, scenic gorges, and characterful towns in this hidden region, plus cafes, restaurants and bars on par with some of Melbourne’s finest.
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16. Nagambie Lakes, VIC

Home to an iconic collection of family-run wineries, including Tahbilk and Mitchelton,
it holds an important place in Australia’s wine history despite being one of our lesser-known regions. 
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17. Geelong, VIC

A region for wine enthusiasts in the know, the refined, complex and character-filled pinot noir, chardonnay and shiraz of Geelong have received plenty of praise from James Halliday.
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King Valley at sunset

18. Canberra District, NSW

The Canberra District offers visitors a smorgasbord of experiences, from snow-capped mountains to premium cool-climate wineries.
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19. Gippsland, VIC

Stretching from Melbourne’s eastern outskirts to the border of New South Wales, there are wineries galore to discover across Gippsland’s vast expanse. The complexity and variance of climate and soil means there are a multiplicity of wines procured throughout, and travellers will have a flush list of drops to try. 
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20. King Valley, VIC

Colloquially called the ‘Little Italy’ of regional Victoria and known for its prosecco, the European influence on the King Valley has shaped a spirited wine region. 
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