Hunter Valley
Overview
Encompassing the Lower and Upper Hunter Valleys, this finicky wine region somehow produces many of Australia’s fine wines. The Lower Valley is humid and hot, while the Upper requires irrigation to combat its dry climate, yet the region manages to retain and build upon its quality reputation. The Hunter imports a significant proportion of the grapes used for its wine production, which explains why an area not particularly suited to viticulture still produces great wine. Chardonnay, Semillon, Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon are particularly good. Thanks to its proximity to Sydney, the Hunter is a popular tourist destination for wine enthusiasts.
History
Vineyards were planted in the Hunter area as early as 1820, making it the oldest official wine region in Australia. The Lower Hunter Valley was the first sub-region to be cultivated, but in the 1860s German immigrants moved further inland and began to grow vines in the Upper Hunter Valley. Due to the rough growing conditions in both the Lower and Upper hunter, many of the vineyards were destroyed or abandoned, and the phylloxera epidemic of the early twentieth century only worsened the region’s plight. However, with the growth of nearby Sydney, the Hunter made a remarkable turnaround, and is now a common and admired name in Australian wine.
Geography
Temperature
The Hunter’s climate is not conducive to viticulture. Hot summers and cool winters, combined with frequent droughts, dumping rain, hail, and thunderstorms make growing wine here a constant challenge. Diseases, rot, and lack or water all pose serious threats.
Topography
Most wines are grown on flat, low-lying plains, but vineyards have expanded onto steeper slopes as well. Wine is grown up to 2,000 feet in altitude, with the majority of the high-altitude wines coming from the Brokenback Range in the west.
Terroir
Soil type is variable throughout the region. The flatter regions contain high quantities of sand and silt, and therefore drain very well. The mountainous soil is quite different, with red gravel, basalt, and granite.
Important Varietals
Chardonnay: Rich and Nutty
Semillon: This variety has been behind the Hunter’s success in whites. Hunter Valley Semillon retains a distinctive crisp, lemon flavor, a result of the need to harvest the grapes early due to the region’s unpredictable weather.
Shiraz: Earthy and dense, this variety is the most popular hunter valley wine
