From Australia’s oldest continuous wine region – the famous Hunter Valley – to exciting new cool climate regions such as Orange, the Southern Highlands and Tumbarumba, the regions of New South Wales produce wines to appeal to every palate.
With currently nearly 35,000 Hectares under vine, these regions produce over 500,000 tonnes of high quality grapes and are home to over 500 wineries.
NSW is home to Australia’s oldest continuous wine region (Hunter Valley), and one of the newest (New England), which was on declared an official wine region in January 2008.
Australia’s two most popular wine varieties – Chardonnay and Shiraz, both had their start in NSW. Shiraz was first planted by John Macarthur on his vineyard in Camden in 1833; and Chardonnay was first made by Mudgee pioneer Alf Kurtz in 1862.
Family businesses dominate the NSW wine industry, accounting for more than 75% of the total crush (only 33% of the national wine crush is from family businesses).
NSW is Australia’s second largest wine producing state, accounting for 32% of Australia’s $5 billion wine industry.
NSW is home to two of Australia’s icon varieties namely, Semillon from the Hunter Valley and Botrytis Semillon from the Riverina.
NSW is home to 7 of Australia’s Top 20 Wine Exporters: Casella, McGuigan, De Bortoli, Nugan Estate, McWilliams, Warburn Estate, and Berton.
NSW is home to 8 of Australia’s Top 20 wine producers by vineyard area: McGuigan, Warburn, McWilliams, De Bortoli, Nugan Estate, Cumulus, Robert Oatley and Gooree Park.
There are 14 official wine regions solely in NSW: Canberra District, Cowra, Gundagai, Hastings River, Hilltops, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, New England, Orange, Perricoota, Riverina, Shoalhaven Coast, Southern Highlands, Tumbarumba.
NSW is home to 5 of Australia’s 20 oldest wine companies and/or continuously operating wine brands: Wyndham Estate 1828; Lindemans 1843; Drayton’s Family Wines 1853; Mudgee Wines 1856 and Tyrrell’s 1858.
In 1983 NSW had 76 wine producers, today is has 484+ wine producers.
NSW is home to over 329 cellar doors.