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Wine 101: Hunter Valley wine region
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The Hunter Valley wine region lies in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region is subdivided into an Upper and Lower Hunter regions. The Lower Hunter region produces more red wine grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Some more sensitive grape varieties like Pinot Noir, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc have not seen much success in the Hunter Valley wine region because of the climate of harsh heat, humidity and rainfall during the growing and harvesting seasons.
The region is one of the oldest and most well known in Australia with vineyards rooted there since the 1830's. The Hunter Valley is notorious for its unique Semillon, a dry wine with low alcohol content. In order to achieve a lower alcohol content, the grapes are picked while slightly under ripe. This maintains acidity levels. Semillon was historically known as "Hunter Riesling" even though the grapes used to manufacture it have no relation to true Riesling.
Semillon usually has a buttery, honey nut flavor and have the ability to age for several decades. They are usually considered to be at their peak between 10 to 20 years after bottling. It has been described as "Australia's unique gift to the world."
The Hunter Valley is also known for their peach flavored Chardonnay and earthy Shiraz which often has the ability to age for 20 or 30 years.
Located about two hours north of Sydney and 45 minutes from Newcastle Airport, the Hunter Valley attracts tourists from all over the world. It boasts 60 restaurants and 120 wineries.
For more information on the Hunter Valley wine region, click here.
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