Murray Darling
SUN-DRENCHED WINE COUNTRY
The warm and vast Murray Darling wine region is a hotspot for nature holidays, delicious local produce and a growing list of premium and alternative drops.
The Murray Darling is Australia’s second-largest wine region, home to a diverse range of wine styles, activities and a vibrant food scene. Straddling the Murray River, it’s a haven of rivers, wetlands and forests.
The first vines were planted in 1888 and the region's small producers are building on the firm foundations of the past while adding interest with innovative wines and alternative varieties.
Read on for more about the Murray Darling.
34° 25'S
latitude
142° 07’E
longitude
16,068HA
total vineyard area
Climate and Altitude
This warm, low-lying region basks in the hot sun, with low rainfall during growing season.
162MM
growing season rainfall
25.5C
mean temperature
19-134M
altitude
The Environment
The Murray Darling region spans Victoria and New South Wales, stretching west to the border of South Australia. The city of Mildura sits at its heart. You can drive to Mildura from Adelaide in a little over four hours or fly from Sydney or Melbourne.
Climate
Summers are hot and winters are mild. Being inland, nights can get quite cool.
Soil
The soil here is unique to the Murray River system, ranging from brown to red-brown loams and sands and supporting vigorous vine growth.
Top Varieties Grown
CHARDONNAY
Chardonnay is an important variety in the region, producing crowd-pleasing wines with bold tropical fruit and citrus flavours.
SHIRAZ AND CABERNET SAUVIGNON
These are the red wines that helped make Australian wine famous around the world. Deliciously rich and robust red wines that are ideal for immediate drinking.
ALTERNATIVE VARIETIES
Mediterranean varieties are perfectly suited to the warm climate of the Murray Darling wine region, and a growing list of wineries are producing wines such as Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, Sangiovese and Barbera.
