The Grampians Wine Region

• Summary
• Weather for The Grampians Wine Region

The Grampians region of Victoria is one of Australia's most stunning wine regions. The Grampians is a jewel in Victoria's natural history crown, as it is home to Great Western, Australia's best-known sparkling wine brand. Great Western is in fact a town on the Western Highway between Ararat and Stawell. It is an area of beauty and natural diversity, much of which is protected within the Grampians National Park.

The Grampians debut as a sparkling wine region was partly due to its French connections. The French established St Peters vineyards in the 1850's.

Although the region is wedged between The Grampians Range and Serra Range to the west and the Pyrenees Range the region itself is not high at around 350 metres. Vineyards are planted on slopes receiving plenty of sunshine for their late ripening varieties.

While famous for its sparkling wine the mainstay of production is high quality table wines. The white varieties particularly, are suited to the cool climate of the region. The Grampians region boasts a long list of grape varieties, including: Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chasselas, Ondenc and Shiraz.

Shiraz is particularly suited to the region, producing finely structured wines with intense regional spice.

Harvest time: Mid March to mid May.