Canberra District wine region
35°0′S 149°20′E / 35.000°S 149.333°E The Canberra District wine region is located around Canberra, in the Capital city of Australia.
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. The district is noted as a cool-climate wine area, but encompasses a substantial climatic range, with the lower altitude and more inland regions near Yass substantially warmer than the higher altitude areas near Bungendore.
History
The industry dates from the 1970s, although wines were produced in the settlement near Yass in the 1860s.[1][2]
Climate and geography
The region is part of the Southern Tablelands about 150 kilometres (93 mi) inland from the Pacific Ocean. The region receives moderate, but variable rainfall, and vineyards require supplemental irrigation in most years. Typical vineyard elevations range between 500 and 900 metres (1,600 and 3,000 ft), 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.[3]
- Annual rainfall: 630 millimetres (25 in)
- Mean January (late growth period) temp: 20.2 °C (68.4 °F)
- Sunshine hours per day: 7.4 [4]
Production
Varieties (mainly): Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Viognier, Tempranillo, Pinot noir and Pinot gris
Picking / Vintage: Late February (Pinot noir, Chardonnay) to late May (botrytis Pinot gris or Riesling)
See also
References
- ^ "Wines of Australian Capital Territory".
- ^ "Between Sydney and Melbourne".
- ^ Smart, R. (2008) Creating an Australian Vega Sicilia, Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal 23(3): 12-15.
- ^ "Australian Bureau of Meteorology".