Geelong's diverse subregions
The Geelong wine region begins at Werribee, on Melbourne's southwestern fringe, and stretches right down the Great Ocean Road to the Otway Ranges. Its climate is generally cool and mostly maritime, although there is diversity in growing conditions across its three distinct subregions. In the Moorabool Valley, black basalt and limestone soils and old, close-planted vines produce detailed and complex pinot noir and chardonnay.
There’s a similar soil profile on the Bellarine Peninsula, although more moderate conditions have led to larger plantings of shiraz and sauvignon blanc among the pinot and chardonnay. On the tempestuous Surf Coast, sandy loams and savage winds pose viticultural challenges, although the producers who brave them are rewarded with exceptional wines.
Geelong's best wineries
For producers like the Halliday award-winning Mulline, established in 2019 by winemaker Ben Mullen and his partner Ben Hine, this subregional diversity is what drew them to Geelong in the first place.
“We saw a real opportunity here,” Hine said in an earlier interview. “It’s such an amazing region with three very distinctive subregions, and we didn’t see a lot of other labels who were making wine across multiple subregions or celebrating its diversity.”
Mulline's current release includes seven regional blends (a chardonnay, a syrah, a sauvignon blanc, a pinot noir, a shiraz pinot blend, a pinot gris and a rosé) and 14 single-vineyard wines, two of which are from vineyards they manage themselves. “We wanted to shine a light on all the different, amazing sites throughout Geelong, and really showcase what the region does best,” said Mullen.
Geelong's best wines and grape varieties
Although Mulline, and others including Provenance Wines, make wine from a range of varieties across a number of different subregions and sites, Geelong’s climate and limestone soils mean pinot noir and chardonnay are the favoured varieties for many of the region’s winemakers – particularly those who call the Moorabool Valley home.
Clyde Park, By Farr and Bannockburn, all among the country’s finest producers, are just three examples. But head further out and you’ll encounter varieties like riesling, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and shiraz from producers such as Oakdene and Scotchmans Hill, who are both on the Bellarine.
Due to the harsh weather blowing in off the ocean, the Surf Coast is the most difficult of Geelong’s subregions to grow vines, yet wineries such as Bellbrae and Brown Magpie persist despite the challenges. Here you’ll find pinot gris/grigio, sauvignon blanc and more among the pinot noir and chardonnay.
Here are 20 wines that showcase the best of the Geelong wine region.
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