The Murray Darling region is a vast, warm climate region in the state of Victoria, Australia reliant upon irrigation from the Murray Darling basin. It is Australia’s second largest wine region. There are about 1,300 growers and 23,000 hectares of vineyards, producing up to 400,000 tonnes annually.

Climate: Hot with long sunshine hours, low humidity and negligible growing season rainfall all contribute to making irrigation essential. The continental influence is strong, with consequent high shifts in diurnal temperature ranges but insufficient to make spring frosts a problem.

Soils: Unique to the Murray River system and known as calcareous earth, ranging from brown to red-brown loamy sand, sandy loam or loam.

Harvest: Early/mid-February to March.

Wines: Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, other table wines.