When it comes to choosing the location for a vineyard, climate is a key factor, and nearly all the regions are located in the southern third of the country, from Margaret River in Western Australia to Hunter Valley in New South Wales, taking in South Australia and Victoria. Small wine regions are also found in Queensland and on the island of Tasmania.

Higher quality often means higher prices and Palandri Pinnacle Semillon / Sauvignon Blanc is exceptional value from Western Australia. The Aussies often refer to this blend simply as ‘SSB’ and this particular example comes from Palandri’s Margaret River and Great Southern vineyards. Although the Palandri name was launched internationally as recently as 1998, the Palandri family have had a long association with this region’s wine industry, with the late Giovanni Palandri migrating from Italy in 1949. Palandri wine labels rather appropriately depict reptiles found in the region.

The Barossa valley is famed for its Shiraz, made in a full and intense style. A typical example is Peter Lehmann Shiraz – it’s smooth and jam-packed full of spicy fruit. Peter Lehmann himself has been responsible for much of Barossa’s history. He made a bold move in the late 1970s, buying excess grapes from independent growers, making them into wine and then paying the growers when the wine was sold. This kept many of them afloat and they later formed a consortium to build a new winery which is now owned by Peter Lehmann, his staff and his growers.

Adjacent to Barossa is the Eden Valley. Higher in altitude, it’s South Australia’s coolest wine region and has a longer growing season. Rainfall is greater than the Barossa Valley but, like many Australian vineyards, irrigation is essential to provide the vines with enough water. White grape varieties are grown too. Henschke Louis Semillon is a stunning fine white wine that’s delicious with a variety of dishes, particularly trout, salmon or pork. Another food-friendly grape variety is Viognier and Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier is a great example. Similar in style to Viogniers from the northern Rhône, it also has a lifted spice and lychee character which makes it a perfect partner for Oriental dishes, particularly stir-fries.

Immediately south of Adelaide is McLaren Vale. Viognier vines are planted here too, and d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab Marsanne / Viognier combines two northern Rhône varieties to great effect to make another superb food wine. Try it with pork, either grilled or Oriental style. D’Arenberg has almost a century of history, having been founded by former Hardys director Joseph Osborn in 1912. His grandson d’Arry and great-grandson Chester Osborn maintain the family’s traditions and grow an extremely wide variety of grapes, all to an exceptional standard.

Elsewhere in McLaren Vale, Shiraz is produced in a full bodied and rich style. One of the pioneers of McLaren Vale was John Reynell, who planted the first vines in 1839. The town of Reynella was named after him, as is the ever-popular Chateau Reynella Basket Pressed Shiraz. This is one of the few wines to be made using a basket press which gently presses the fermenting grapes extracting only the favoured soft tannins and rich flavours.

Equidistant from Adelaide and Melbourne is the tiny region of Coonawarra, famous for its terra rossa (red earth). This strip of land is 18km long and between 200m and 1.5km wide. Underneath this magical soil is a constant table of pure water, perfect for viticulture. Coonawarra produces Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest order, with immense varietal character. Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich but elegant example and graces top international restaurants' wine lists. It has been matured in French and American oak and is now gaining attractive bottle age, comparable to many clarets at higher prices.