Wineries of the Southern Highlands

Wineries | Winery Tours | The Highlands Cool Climate Wine Growing Region

WINERIES

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ARTEMIS WINES

Premium label quality wines from winemaker Anton Balog of the family owned Mundrakoona Estate vineyard.

A limited quantity of cool climate red wines released each year for the export and restaurant trade, also available at the cellar door. See our website for more information.

Sir Charles Moses Lane, Old Hume Highway, Mittagong NSW 2575.
Phone: (02) 4872 1311- Fax: (02) 4872 1322 - email: markantony@artemiswines.com.au

Click here to visit the website. CENTENNIAL VINEYARDS
Centennial Vineyards & Restaurant are situated in a breathtaking vineyard setting just 3 minutes drive west from Bowral.
The emphasis is on quality food & wine. Visit our cellar door and taste from our multi-award winning wines then have lunch or dinner overlooking the vineyards.
As the Highlands' most awarded producer of quality wines, we currently have 18 wines available for tasting with something to tempt everyone's palate. We also make verjuice and other cooking condiments. A must-do experience in the Southern Highlands. You won't be disappointed.
Cellar door open 10.00am to 5.00pm daily.
"Woodside", Centennial Road, Bowral NSW 2576 Australia
Phone: (02) 4861 8700 - Fax: (02) 4861 8777 - email: admin@centennial.net.au

Click here to visit the winery. MUNDRAKOONA ESTATE
Mundrakoona Estate is a family owned and operated boutique winery situated in a native bushland setting just 5 minutes drive from Mittagong.
Our vineyard is planted in the traditional European technique of close vine spacings designed to yield low crops with maximum flavour. All grapes are hand picked from our vineyard and other selected vineyards in the Highlands.
Our winemaking, based on the best of old world and new winemaking techniques, is designed to produce elegant wines that have a long and well balanced structure.
The cellar door is weekdays from 10.00am to 5.00pm and weekends and Public Holidays 9.00am to 5.00pm. Other times by appointment.
Visitors also have the opportunity to view and purchase decorative wrought iron pieces that are created, on site, in the working blacksmith shop.
Sir Charles Moses Lane, Old Hume Highway, Mittagong NSW 2575.
Phone: (02) 4872 1311- Fax: (02) 4872 1322 - email: sales@mundrakoona.com.au

Click here to visit the winery. SOUTHERN HIGHLAND WINES
Southern Highland Wines has created a winery that is fresh, modern and spacious, where you can experience award winning cool climate wines and mouth watering meals.
Sample our selection of flavoursome wines, tour though the winery, learn about wine making, relax with a glass of wine and enjoy a tantalizing selection of local produce.
Why not take a guided tour through the working winery with our experienced staff who will take the time to explain how our wine is made and will make your experience informative and memorable?
The winery is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm, and the café is open for lunch Thursday through to Sunday.
Come and enjoy a relaxing day in the Highlands at Southern Highland Wines.
Oldbury Road, Sutton Forest NSW 2577
Phone: (02) 4868 2300- Fax: (02) 4868 1808 - email: info@shw.com.au

also: Blue Metal Vineyard, Bou-saada, Eling Forest, Howards Lane, McVitty Grove Estate, Mount Ashby Estate, Marist Bros Wines, St Maurs Southern Highland Estate, Sutton Forest Estate Wines, Diamond Creek Estate, Kingsdale Wines, Joadja Vineyards & Winery

WINERY TOURS

Click here to visit our website BOWRAL SYDNEY AIRPORT SERVICES
Visit the wineries and vineyards of the Highlands in one of our modern air conditioned mini-buses - available for group charter and tours at reasonable rates.
Let us organise an outing for your conference group or social club and introduce you to some of the best of our cool climate vineyards.
Phone: (02) 4872 1651 - Mobile: 0419 226 109
Fax: (02) 4872 4444 - email:georgina.moore@bigpond.com

Click on the picture to see our website. SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS TAXIS AND TOURIST COACHES
Enjoy a tour of the district's superb new wineries in one of our air-conditioned luxury coaches. Vehicles include a 9 seat coach, 21 seat or up to 53 seat vehicle. Our drivers have a great knowledge of the Southern Highlands and can make your winery tour even more interesting with information on this beautiful and historic area.
For one to four people a taxi is a very pleasant, safe and cost effective way to enjoy the wineries of the Southern Highlands. Most credit cards accepted.
18 Priestly Street, Mittagong (PO Box 2001 Bowral 2576)
Phone: (02) 4872 4800 - Fax: (02) 4872 4802 - email: bookings@southernhighlandstaxis.com.au

One does not normally associate the Highlands, with its cold winters and cool autumn and spring weather, with vineyards.

Most traditional wine growing in Australia took place in the famous Barossa and Hunter Valleys, or even further inland, where the hot summers and abundant irrigation waters make cultivation easier.

However, grapevines were amongst the first imported plants originally grown in Australia, and there is evidence that Dr. Charles Throsby planted vines at Throsby Park (near Moss Vale) as early ago as the 1820s.

Whether they were used to make wine does not seem to be recorded, but given the preference of people at the time for fortified wines, it is likely.

In the 1990s wine growers became interested in the formerly overlooked advantages of high altitude vineyards, as a means to source varietals, and for distinctive wines for blending.

Local pioneers - Joadja Wines (1983/1989) and Eling Forest Wines (1985/1992), are very much in the mould of the traditional Australian winemaking entrepreneurs. These are "boutique" wineries, pioneers who have seen their vision for winemaking grow, and who use a combination of traditional and modern techniques for growing and producing their wines.

They have since been joined by other boutique wineries: Howards Lane (1991/1993), Mundrakoona Estate (1996/2002), Centennial Vineyards (1996/2001), St Derycke's Wood (1995/1998), Statford Park, 2001, Southern Highland Wines, 2002. (Dates in brackets are for first plantings/first vintage.)

In 2003 there were 60 vineyards in the Highlands under cultivation, over 250 hectares. When these mature, they may produce up to 700,000 bottles of premium wines.

The vignerons of the Highlands formed themselves into an association and have gained separate recognition of the Highlands as a cool climate winemaking region.

Today touring the wineries to taste the local vintages (and gaining the advantage of cellar door prices) is a popular pastime for visitors. In the next year several more cellars are scheduled to open.

Vintage time is usually from early March through April, with harvesting of the grapes, crushing and winemaking.

New season's white wines, and aged reds, are usually released by mid-year, so late May, June and July are good times to visit to catch up on the very latest vintages. At other times, wine lovers are encouraged to keep an eye on the Highlands, and to visit its wineries to see the quality and variety of the local cool climate wines.


	Cool Climate Wineries