Pyrenees

The Pyrenees wine region is one of Australia's great natural attractions. Most of the region’s vineyards can be found between the towns of Avoca, Redbank and Moonambel, with Avoca being 180 km, or less than a two hour drive from Melbourne.

The Pyrenees region was originally settled as an area for grazing cattle and sheep, when, as with most of Victoria’s regions, the gold rushes of the 1850s and 1860s saw great changes. And again, like so many of Victoria’s regions, it was named by Thomas Mitchell, who had served in Spain during the Napoleonic Wars and decided this region reminded him of the Pyrenees mountains that border Spain and France

While the first vineyards of the Pyrenees region were planted in the years following the gold rushes, they did not survive the changes in tastes that saw the vineyards of so many regions decline and disappear. By the 1960s and 70s a general revival of the wine industry was underway and in the Pyrenees region this occurred when Chateau Remy planted vineyards to make not wine, but brandy. However, they soon realised that tastes were changing and began instead to make sparkling and table wines at what is now the Blue Pyrenees Estate.

The Pyrenees region is in western Victoria and is part of the Great Dividing Range with the Avoca River running through it from north to south. The climate is temperate overall with much variation due to altitude, while its inland position means low summer humidity and big day/night temperature differences in spring. Summer temperatures are not too high, despite the long hours of sunshine. Rainfall, however, is limited and means that irrigation is usually necessary.

Aromatic Shiraz and intricate Cabernet Sauvignon stand out in the Pyrenees, produced in the main by boutique wineries of which there are now more than ten. There are also plenty of cellar doors, most to be found along the Sunraysia Highway. One of these is Berrys Bridge Vineyard, a 16-acre property that grows Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This vineyard was named after the owner of a neighbouring paddock, George Berry, whose grapevines, first planted in 1862, still survive. Another is Dalwhinnie Vineyard, located near the village of Moonambel. It produces Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and at 595m is the highest and most remote of the Pyrenees region’s vineyards. The property itself is in a natural amphitheatre.

The Pyrenees Ridge Vineyard produces wines that are all handmade using traditional methods. Methods that include, hand plunging, open vat ferments, basket pressing, barrel fermentation and small batch fermentations. These kinds of methods require that only small batches of grapes are used, but this also means that greater control is possible over flavours and the overall quality of the wine. Another interesting vineyard is the Blue Pyrenees Estate, which produces three different wine ranges; Blue Pyrenees, Ghost Gum and Fiddlers Creek. The estate is the coolest in the Pyrenees region, with microclimates within it that allows diverse varieties to reach their own potential. The vineyards are planted at an altitude of 400m.

While the Blue Pyrenees Estate claims to be the coolest, the Quoin Hill Vineyard claims to be both the highest and also the most southern of the vineyards in the Pyrenees wine region. Quoin Hill is a family run operation established in 1997, on property at the 520m level. Varieties planted are Shiraz, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Tempranillo and Pinot Noir. All wine is made from estate grown grapes, with the Shiraz and Chardonnay both having been awarded wine show medals. Quoin Hill’s winery and tasting rooms are housed in 100 year old stables that have been carefully restored. The tasting room overlooks the vineyard and Pyrenees Ranges and can seat 60.

Many of the products of these vineyards and others can be enjoyed at the World's Longest Lunch, an event held in February as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. And in Avoca each Anzac Day are the famed Anzac Day Races, an event that brings in many people from around the district. Camp on the race course itself!

Other events that can be enjoyed with the Pyrenees region is the 18th Annual Pyrenees After Vintage Luncheon in March, and in June the Camel Race Country Wool and Wine Festival, which includes a pet zoo, camel rides, shetland pony race, and fireworks at the end of the day. Also in March, is the Blue Pyrenees Pink Lamb and Purple Shiraz Races at Avoca Racecourse, which includes horse racing, boutique beer, and a Horse & Cart Parade.

While in Avoca it is worth a visit to the Pyrenees Hills Wine Store and Cafe. Found right on the main street of Avoca, this signal place allows you to see all the wines of the Pyrenees region.

Chardonnay does very well in the Pyrenees region, as does Sauvignon Blanc. The Pyrenees region’s Shiraz is dark, with strong flavour, while its Cabernet Sauvignon is earthy, and the sparkling wines of the Pyrenees region are highly distinctive.