Canberra wine region
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The Canberra District wine region is located around Canberra, in the Capital city of Australia. It is located at 35°0′S 149°20′E / 35°S 149.333°E.
Wine is grown and produced at or near and in a triangular area of about 60 km sides bordered by Canberra, Yass, and Bungendore, taking in the important localities of Murrumbateman and Lake George. This is noted as a cool-climate wine area, despite having regular summer day temperatures of over 35C and occasionally over 40C.
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[edit] History
This industry dates from the 1970s, although there is evidence that wines were produced in the area from soon after the first European settlement near Yass in the 1820s.[citation needed]
[edit] Geography and climate
The region is a tableland of the Great Dividing Range about 150 km inland from the Pacific Ocean. The region has low and variable rainfall and requires supplemental irrigation. Typical vineyard elevations between 500 and 900 metres, and the inland location result in relatively high continentality, possibly explaining the affinity for leading varieties Shiraz and Riesling. Promising recent results from Tempranillo may be explained by the strong homoclime to Ribera del Duero[1]
- Annual rainfall: 630 mm
- Mean January (late growth period) temp: 20.2°C
- Sunshine hours per day: 7.4
[edit] Production
Varieties (mainly): Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Viognier, Tempranillo and Pinot
Picking / Vintage: Late February (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay) to late April (Cabernet Sauvignon)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Smart, R. (2008) Creating an Australian Vega Sicilia, Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal 23(3): 12-15.
