Wine regions Australia - Cowra

Cowra   New South Wales

The Cowra region is often referred to as Chardonnay country, due to the production of large volumes of consistently good Chardonnay. Moderately priced red wines are increasingly being made, displaying ripe, soft fruit flavours.

Cowra's landscape produces elegant wines and its people celebrate their bounty and history in style. View from Windowrie Estate

The Cowra Wine Region has a long winemaking history since the first wines were planted in the 1860’s. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that serious wine planting took place, with the first vineyard being established in 1973.

In the 70’s and 80’s Chardonnay was the principle variety cultivated and it was during this period that Cowra became dubbed ‘Chardonnay Country’ and won numerous accolades for the Chardonnay produced in the region. Red Wine grapes, especially Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon began to be planted extensively in the early 90’s and now share equal profile.

Vignerons have also planted many non main stream varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Marsanne, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Verdelho and Viognier. Most of these can be found at the regions cellar doors.

Today the region boasts 36 vineyards covering in excess of 2000 hectares and producing more than 10 million bottles of wine each vintage.

The Cowra Wine Region is in the Central Ranges zone of New South Wales. The region is approximately 320km West of Sydney and is 810 meters above sea level.

The Lachlan and the Belubula rivers cross the region depositing alluvium, the signature soil type of the river flats. Elsewhere in the region on low undulating hills there are red podsols and brown earths of moderate to low fertility.

The main towns in the region are Cowra and Canowindra.

Cowra itself is an attractive and unpretentious town that has plenty to offer the wine buff; cellar doors, fine restaurants and cafes, and a range of accommodation.

Canowindra has excellent vineyards and is the site of a large Devonian fish fossil deposit for which they built the wonderful Age of Fishes Museum were you can see a fabulous collection of 360 million year old fossils.

The Cowra region hosts a Food and Wine Weekend in November, the Cowra Wine Show is in July (which includes public tastings), Balloon Fiesta in April and every Spring the Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) celebrates, spring, cherry blossoms and the town's shared WWII history with Japanese people.

Harvest time: early March to early April

Sites with more information: Cowra Region Vineyard Association Taste Canowindra Cowra The Great Escape The Newell Cowra The Age of Fishes Museum

The Age of Fishes Museum