Wine regions - Mudgee

Mudgee   New South Wales

The Mudgee wine region is rich in both natural beauty and fine wine. Powerful and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the regional highlights with its complex flavours and ageing potential. Chardonnay is the strongest white variety, with pronounced peach and fig flavours.

Mudgee is the big brother of the Central Ranges wine regions which includes Orange and Cowra. The Great Dividing Range flanks the region on three sides hence its Aboriginal name meaning "Nest of the Hills".

This beautiful undulating country has an elevation range between 470m and 1080 metres resulting in significant diversity in grape varieties and wine styles.

The region has two main soil types, hard red duplex soil and yellow duplex soil. Under the topsoil is clay and gravel.  The soils of the region are only moderately fertile but well drained making the gentle slopes highly suited to grape production.

Mudgee’s  climate is mild with cool summer nights (extending the ripening period) and spring and summer rain. Water for irrigation is on occasion sourced from the Cudgegong River that runs south-east into Lake Windamere which cuts through the centre of the region.

Mudgee Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon have earned the region a reputation for full-bodied wines that carries over to its white varieties, the largest planting of which is Chardonnay.  Mudgee has also gained a reputation for alternative wine styles with plantings of Verdelho, Petit Verdot and Viognier.

The region has also been a pioneer of organic and biodynamic wines with Australia’s oldest certified organic vineyard, Botobolar established in 1971. There are altogether five organic/biodynamic wineries with cellar doors in Mudgee.

Mudgee, a town which has retained its historic character, is the largest town with the majority of vineyards and wineries located just to its north along Henry Lawson Drive and Cassilis Road. Wineries and vineyards also appear to the west and east of the town and near the towns of Rylstone and Illford.

The first white settlers started arriving in the early 1820s. By the late 1860s commercial plantings of vines were well established with much of the expertise coming from German immigrants.

The modern era of grape and wine production began in the 1970s. A number of small wineries and vineyards were established along with the expansion of large companies such as Orlando/Wyndham and Rosemount Estate. Today there are over 35 wineries, most of whom have cellar doors which makes Mudgee an ideal region for wine tasting.

The region is a popular wine tourism destination due to the many cellar doors, great local produce with plenty of good restaurants and cafés both in the vineyards and the towns.  The region has great natural beauty and is a well known destination for cyclists with many excellent bike routes around the vineyards. A range of accommodation services supports the influx of visitors to its many arts, food and wine events and other attractions.

The September Mudgee Wine Festival offers three weeks of events. Highlights include nights with local winemakers, a wine-and-music festival and a wine-and-golf playoff. Dinners and tastings are held in many cellar doors.

Harvest time: late February to early April

Sites with more information:

• Mudgee Wine
• Mudgee Region