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Gippsland's Gourmet Trail... |
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When Victorians think wine regions, Rutherglen and Yarra Valley immediately come to mind. Yet only 1 hour on the Princess Fwy will take you to Gippsland, a region which Cloudwine believe is the most underrated and under-developed wine region in Victoria, if not Australia. Stretching from Philip Island in the west to the NSW border in the east , it may come as a surprise to many that Gippsland as a whole boasts nearly 30 wineries and 50 individual vineyards. Furthermore, total plantings under vine are approximately 150 hectares, although not all plantings are bearing fruit yet. |
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A variety of wine styles are produced, the most predominant of these being Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Chardonnay, not surprising as the climate ranges from cool to bloody cold! With some spectacular scenery, fishing, boating, bush walking, gourmet food AND wine as well - what more could one desire? Seasoned wine lovers will be no doubt fully aware of the amazing complexity and elegance of the Bass Phillip Pinot's in South Gippsland, and the immense power of the Nicholson River Chardonnay from East Gippsland. If you are venturing down to Gippy (as the locals call it), there are some quaint seaside towns to visit, sensational surf and plenty of fish waiting to be caught. And make sure you fatten up on the fabulous cheeses which the region is famous for. The region is also a wealth of natural resources, the oil fields of Bass Strait, the coal resources of the La Trobe Valley and the controversial timber logging in East Gippsland being the most well known. |
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It is impossible to generalise about the climate of Gippsland given it is over 500km in length and 150 km in width. As a means of size comparison, the Coonawarra is, roughly speaking, 15km from north to south and 5km from east to west. |
The Gippsland Region is divided into three sub-regions, East, South and West Gippsland. East Gippsland has a climate which could be considered mild given the maritime influences of Bass Strait. South Gippsland, perhaps the most well known portion of the region due to Bass Phillip fame, receives a higher level of rainfall and is much cooler, no doubt helped by the fact much of this area forms part of one of the southern most tips of Australia. West Gippsland, which extends from the La Trobe Valley through to the beginnings of the Great Dividing Range (ie getting towards the north eastern portion of the Yarra Valley), tends to be much dryer than the rest of the region. Before you ask, we have not in any way received any inducement to mention the accommodation providers described below. They are simply places we have stayed at personally or have heard good things about! East Gippsland This is one of our favourite areas of Gippsland - Lakes Entrance and Metung in particular. Although not particularly noted for its wine (not that there's anything wrong with it), it's the beautiful Gippsland Lakes system and pristine beaches that attract the punters. Our advice to those visiting Lakes Entrance is to pack a picnic, not forgetting a bottle of Gippsland wine or two, and spend the day exploring the Lakes system and the Great Dividing Range foothills to the immediate north. If you're feeling adventurous, hire a 'putt putt' boat and 'wet a line' for a couple of hours at Lakes Entrance. Flat Head, Mullet and Snapper are some of the fish we couldn't catch. If fishing is not your forte` there are some great little galleries featuring paintings and sculptures by local artists in the forest ranges above Lakes Entrance. On the winery front, no doubt a lot of you would be familiar with, or at least have read about, the Nicholson River Chardonnay, one of Australia's most complex and powerful white wines. In addition to the flagship white, Ken Eckersely also does a pretty good job of producing a pinot noir and the occasional shiraz pinot, a rare combo in anyone's book. If elegance and finesse is preferred, then Peter Edward's McAlister Bordeaux blend might be of interest. Edwards' vineyard is situated in Longford at the western end of the Gippsland Lakes, and year in year out produces wine of great elegance and ageing capacity. Robin Bradley from the Gold Book has accorded the wine 5 stars and Jeremy Oliver saw fit to give the 1994 18.7pts in Onwine Australian Wine Manual. Briagolong Estate is also worth noting for those looking for a potential up and comer in this sub-region. The winery is located about 25km north of Sale, nestled in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. Burgundian inspired wine maker Gordan McIntosh has high aspirations for his primary label and if in any particular vintage the wine doesn't reach his high standards it will not be released. Unique Places to Stay in East Gippy... Powerscourt Country House, home of the Gippsland Harvest Festival held each March, boasts modern French Cuisine and pretty posh accommodation - it's also adjacent to the Wa-de-lock Winery. Deja Vu Bed and Breakfast is a modern, absolute waterfront property set on the cliffs in Lakes Entrance (17 Clara Street). Featured on Getaway, Deja Vu is among the top B & B's in Australia and among the top places we've enjoyed breakfast. Row a canoe across the lake from their private jetty and join the 'Wyanga Park Winery Cruise' on the appropriately-titled vessel, "The Corque". Or if you're feeling energetic, row your canoe all the way to the Winery - note though there is a large hill to climb to get to the winery - we recommend "The Corque!" South-West Gippsland Phillip Island - scenery, surf, and the place where you can view those fairy penguins and fur seals. The 'Phillip Island Vineyard & Winery' on Berry Beach Road, just off the Back Beach Road, is open daily and light platters are available. This winery is unique as it is the only permanently fully netted vineyard in Australia. It was established in 1994 by the owners of Diamond Valley Vineyard in the Yarra Valley. We have heard through the grapevine that Abeleigh Cottages at 33 Steele Street, Cowes, stacks up well. Jenny and Robert Hudson have two award winning three-bedroom cottages set in a large, peaceful garden. With antiques, spa bath, bbq, deck and more, Abeleigh sounds pretty good! Follow the South Gippsland Highway towards Leongatha - home of Phillip Jones's Bass Phillip winery - maker of Australia's best pinot's. Bass Phillip is only open by appointment. Also be sure to visit Lyre Bird Hill, Paradise Enough and Windy Ridge, amongst others, all within easy driving distance of each other. Windy Ridge lays claim to being Australia's southern most winery. We have the Cab Sav Malbec and the Pinot, both of which have copped the quality oak treatment and are assured a long and healthy life. This is good stuff (check out the Gold Book ratings) so get on board. West Gippsland The West Gippsland sub region has a much lower profile than both the South and East zones. Two wineries we know a little about are Ada River and Narkojee. Narkojee is situated at the eastern end of the western end of Gippsland (get it?) and is best known for a richly flavoured and fully worked chardonnay. In fact, if the $50 Nicholson River chardy is a bit out of your price range (and who would blame you) the $28 Narkojee would be our next pick for Gippsland chardonnay. Apparently the cabernet is of comparable quality as well (also around $28). Just to confuse you further the Ada River winery is located at the western end of West Gippsland. Ada actually has two vineyards, one at Neerim and another situated in the Yarra Valley proper which is on a long term lease. All wine is made to organic principles and the pick of the bunch is probably a very pleasant gewürztraminer. It's hard to believe that most of the range retails at around $15 a bottle. Little wonder our distributor sells out in months. We are endeavoring to pick up some cases for this year's release to the trade, so please let us know if you would like to pick up some of this very affordable wine. If you have a bit of time on your hands, pop into the Tarago River Cheese Company at 2236 Main Neerim Road, Neerim South. They are recognised Australia-wide for their outstanding brie and blue cheeses. All the milk for their cheeses comes from the local herd of Fresians - estate grown! Or you can always just pop into "Gippsland Food and Wines" on the Princess Fwy in Yarragon for the biggest range of Gippsland wine and cheese all in one location. If you have half a day on your hands, we suggest a visit to Walhalla. It's a quaint, former gold-mining town with the main attractions (seriously) being the cemetery and a train. The cemetery is built on the side of a very steep hill and has quite a bit of history attached to it. It's a beautiful area and there is a lot of unique accommodation available as well as a number of little antique and gift shops. Great if you really want to escape the crowds and relax. All in all, Cloudwine is a big fan of this diverse region and it is one which surely offers a lot of potential, in particular the production of high quality pinot. The region is also a great example of how easily you can combine a trip to some of the state's greatest natural assets with a winery visit or two. Okay, so co-writer Stewart may have been born and bred in Gippy, but we're not biased! Cheers. Vintage Guide Don't take the below as gospel as it is very difficult to generalise about such a large and diverse geographic region but it will suffice as a general guide. 1999 Generally speaking crop levels were down due to prolonged near drought conditions and frost. Disease raised it's ugly head in some areas due to patches of summer rain. 1998 Earlier vintage that usual. Generally conditions were sunny and warm, and nearly all vineyards were disease free. Chardonnay is thought to be the pick of the varieties. 1997 Like other Southern Victorian regions Gippsland had an excellent vintage. Yields across the board were very low, resulting in intense, concentrated wines. |
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