Southern Highlands Wine Region

Current and Recent Weather at Moss Vale

This wine region is located just to the south east of Sydney on the Hume Highway. It is centred on the townships of Berrima, Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale. The modern era of winemaking in the Southern Highlands dates back to the 1980s, but most of its wineries have even shorter histories.

Australian wine regions now have a system, called Geographic Indicators, to give a statutory endorsement to the names and boundaries of regions. The regions are grouped into zones. The problem is that on the ground vineyards and wineries rarely fall into neat patterns for classification. Thus we have the Southern Highlands Wine Region falling into the same zone as the Shoalhaven Coast Wine Region, with which it shares little in common from a viticultural point of view.

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The Southern Highlands Region spans the Great Dividing Range. The altitude of 600-750 metres delivers a cool climate which allows successful cultivation of varieties such as Pinot gris, while there is scope for a wide range of other varieties to be used in the region, including for example Tempranillo, and Rhone and Italian varieties.

The region within easy reach of Sydney or Wollogong for day trips. It's cool summers make it an attractive weekend or holiday retreat from the warm humid coastal plains, and some of the vineyards originated from tree-changers, people escaping from Sydney's city congestion.

The cool climate gives this region an exciting future as a producer of quality grapes. It will develop a stronger reputation over the next few years as more wineries and vineyards come into production.

Some wineries in the Southern Highlands Region and the alternative varieties that they are using

Artemis Wines Tempranillo
Berrima Estate Arneis
Blue Metal Vineyard Pinot gris, Petit verdot, Sangiovese
Centennial Vineyards Albarino, Corvina, Meunier, Pinot gris, Rondinella, Tempranillo, Verdelho
Cushendell Chenin blanc, Gamay
Cuttaway Hill Estate Pinot gris
Eling Forest Winery Furmint, Harslevelu
GrumbleBone Estate Vineyard Pinot gris
Joadja Vineyards Malbec, Sangiovese
McVitty Grove Pinot gris
Mount Ashby Estate Pinot gris
Mundrakoona Estate Tempranillo
Saint Derycke's Wood Marsanne
Southern Highland Wines Chambourcin, Gewurztraminer, Nebbiolo, Pinot gris, Sangiovese, Viognier
Tertini Wines Arneis

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