With Australia's diverse climate, we are lucky enough to have wineries and grape growing regions spotted all over the place.
Big names like the Barossa, the Hunter Valley, and Margaret River may spring to mind when you think about Australian wines, but this week we are off to check out the Mudgee Wine Region.
History of Mudgee
Mudgee is an Aboriginal word meaning “Nest in the Hills.”
The Mudgee area is surrounded by small hills, it’s easy to see how it earned its name and is the second oldest settlement west of the Blue Mountains after Bathurst, discovered in 1821.
Steeped in winemaking traditions that stretch back to 1858, Mudgee is known for full-bodied red varieties and award-winning chardonnay.
Where is Mudgee?
Mudgee is a small country approx. 4 hours drive west of Sydney in New South Wales.
It's nestled in surrounding hills and has been a playground for small-scale winemakers since the 1850s.
Although in the last few decades this humble wine region has turned the heads of both Australian and international wine lovers alike.
Mudgee Wine Region is on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, unlike its more famous cousin the Hunter Valley.
It’s interesting to point out that evern though these two wine regions are relatively close by, the difference in the climate and landscape is enough to see Mudgee going to harvest around four weeks after the Hunter.
Mudgee Wines
Mudgee produces predominately red wine varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Shiraz makes up the highest percentage of wine produced here, at 22%. If white wine is a little more to your taste, Mudgee produces popular Chardonnay and Semillion varieties as well.
While chardonnay and shiraz seem to be the front runners in the Mudgee wine game, family-owned vineyards such as Burrundulla branching out into Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Merlot.
They have also been experimenting with Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot.
In the last 10 or 15 years, Mudgee has started to capitalise on the success of its local wineries by ramping up the access given to the wine-loving tourists.
Mudgee Explorer Tours offers group accommodation and winery day tours that cover the majority of the Mudgee Wine Region.
Blue Wren Wines has a designating tasting room for you to sip away your Sunday afternoon with friends.
Short Sheep Micro Micro-winery will give outsiders an inside look at handcrafted winemaking at its most pure. Sample their signature Syrah while you're there.
The Mudgee wine region is home to over 35 Cellar Doors, which showcase the local winemaking talent. With all those choices, you’re sure to find something that suits your palette.
If you’re looking for a wine region that has all the goods, with none of the crowds, then Mudgee might just be the spot.
