Mudgee, 260 kilometer (160 miles) north-west of Sydney was first planted to grapes in 1858 by Adam Roth, and was the first wine-growing region in Australia to grow Chardonnay. Although Mudgee is on the same latitude as the Hunter Valley to the east, the district's average 500-1,000 meters  (1,600-3,200 ft) above sea level provides cooler growing conditions. This leads to a longer growing season which, when combined with the rich soil, produces full and flavorsome wines. Most of the district's more than 20 wineries are small individual boutiques.

The Yarra Valley, a cool-climate, low-yielding wine region, is an hour north east of Melbourne in the rolling foothills of the Great Dividing Range. The region's cold winters and fertile soils help make Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and sparkling wines at home here. The region's winemaking history dates back to 1840, but the large plantings now producing great wines began in 1968 at the Yarra Yering, Yeringberg and Fergusson's wineries. The French company Moet & Chandon, seeing the district's potential for sparkling wines, established the Domaine Chandon winery here in 1985. As more wine lovers discover this region on Melbourne's doorstep,  the number of excellent restaurants and luxury boutique hotels and lodges available here continues to grow.

The Mornington Peninsula is an hour's drive south of Melbourne and is bounded by Port Phillip Bay to the north and Bass Strait (and Tasmania) to the south. This very cool marine climate, not unlike that of the Bordeaux region in France, produces clean wines with crisp acidity and is best suited to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines. The hilly peninsula, with its genuine country feel and its varying views over Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait, is a favorite retreat for Melbourne's well heeled. Many of the winery structures here are modern, state-of-the art complexes with their own restaurants, such as Dromana Estate and Red Hill Estate.

The Macedon Ranges, a short drive north-west of Melbourne, were planted in the 1850s and has seen a renaissance since replanting in the 1970s. Volcanic and granite soils and a very cool climate provide tough growing conditions, but good viticultural and winemaking skills have produced some great wines in recent years. The area is known for long-living Shiraz,

The Barossa Valley, an hour's drive north of Adelaide, is one of Australia's most famous wine regions, and many of the nation's largest wine companies have their roots here. The Barossa was settled in the 1840s by German Lutherans who also brought the first vines to the valley. Today the region remains close to its roots.  Many Shiraz, Grenache and Semillon vineyards here have vines that are between 50 and 100 years old, producing wines with exceptional depth of fruit. Other grape varieties produced in the region include Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Semillon and Pinot Noir in the slightly cooler Eden Valley, nearby.

The Clare Valley wine region, an hour's drive north of the Barossa Valley and two hours north of Adelaide, has a number of elevated vineyards producing wines with distinct cool-climate characteristics and intense varietal fruit flavors. The best example of this is the Clare Valley Riesling, which presents itself with a crisp and fragrant bouquet, steely herb and lime flavors on the palate, and a long, dry finish.

McLaren Vale is half an hour south of Adelaide, between the southern Adelaide hills and the sea. The area's hot summer growing season is tempered by cool afternoon sea breezes. The region is known for old fashioned full-bodied reds, which have as much to do with a mild, temperate climate and complex soils as with the winemaking technique. The region's white wines also have a certain full-flavored intensity about them. The region is best known for Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and, more recently, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. Its proximity to Adelaide, pleasant sea views and rustic small wineries have made McLaren Vale a thriving tourist centre, spawning many superb, character-filled restaurants and bed and breakfasts.

The Coonawarra is a good four-hour drive south of Adelaide and six hours west of Melbourne. The area's cool climate, famed terra rossa soil and high-quality underground water produce near-perfect conditions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Coonawarra is Australia's premier producer of that variety. Other grapes suited to the area include Shiraz, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As all of the terra rossa soil here has been planted to vines, some Australian wine companies have planted large tracts of land to vines an hour north at Padthaway and nearby at Wrattonbully.

The Adelaide Hills vineyards average 400 meters (1,200 ft) above sea level, just half an hour from the seaside city of Adelaide. The verdant terrain of this wine region is often steep, with many vineyards facing north to catch the best sun. Together with the Eden Valley further to the north, the Adelaide Hills forms the largest cool-climate winegrowing region in Australia. Its reputation is growing rapidly as more and more high-profile winemakers recognize the potential of this area for very high-quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine.

The Margaret River coastal wine region, three hours south of Perth, is blessed with a temperate climate, high rainfall and good soils. It also has some of the best surfing beaches in the Southern Hemisphere! Vines were first planted here in the late 1960s by Dr Tom Cully of Vasse Felix, Dr Bill Pannell of Moss Wood and Dr Kevin Cullen of Cullen's, all of whom have gone on to produce some of the best wine in the region, and Australia. There are about 40 wineries in the Margaret River region now, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Pemberton, an exciting new wine region, is just over an hour's drive to the south-east of Margaret River. It consists of about 20 vineyards/wineries spread between the timber milling towns of Manjimup to the north and Pemberton to the south. Visually, the region is stunning and unique, with many of its wineries nestled among the karri, jarrah and redgum forests. Pemberton's wineries are gaining a solid reputation, with the soil well suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A visit to the south-west of Western Australia would not be complete without a detour to this delightful region.

The Great Southern Region, almost 400 kilometers (250 miles) south-east of Perth, on the Southern Ocean, spreads from the coastal towns of Denmark and Albany to the high-altitude towns of Mt Barker and Frankland in the north. The climate is near perfect for growing vines, being generally cool, with dry summers and wet winters, while producing Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines of complexity and intensity. The scenery in this area is also stunning, with the Stirling and Porongurup Ranges providing a grand backdrop.

The Pipers River/Tamar Valley region, 35 kilometers (20 miles) north-east of Launceston, is undoubtedly the premier wine-producing region in Tasmania, with the Pipers Brook and Heemskerk wineries leading the way. The cool and cloudy climate and the rich, red soils are well suited to viticulture, especially Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and sparkling wines. The countryside in north-east Tasmania is very green and quite hilly, with many of the local towns having the atmosphere of an English country village.