Riverina

The Riverina (southwest NSW, centred on Griffith) is one of Australia’s largest and most productive wine regions, accounting for roughly a quarter of the country’s annual crush. Its flat plains, hot summers, and irrigation from the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme have made it a powerhouse of volume production, but within that scale there are also premium producers and boutique stories.

 

Key grape varieties grown

• Chardonnay

  • The most widely planted white in the region.

  • Often used for large-scale commercial wines, but also made into fresh, fruit-driven still wines and sparkling base material.

• Semillon

  • The Riverina’s signature variety.

  • The region is famous for botrytised Semillon dessert wines (sticky, luscious styles) that have won international acclaim.

• Shiraz

  • The dominant red variety.

  • Produces ripe, generous, fruit-driven wines that are blended into major commercial brands, but also premium, oak-matured bottlings at the top end.

• Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot

  • Widely grown, often blended for commercial reds.

  • Warm climate ensures ripe tannins and rich fruit profile.

• Other white varieties

  • Colombard, Trebbiano, and Verdelho are grown for blending, value whites, and export bulk wine.

• Emerging varieties

  • Some boutique producers are experimenting with Italian varieties such as Montepulciano, Pinot Grigio, and Durif (Petite Sirah), reflecting the area’s strong Italian heritage.

 

Major wineries

The Riverina is dominated by large-scale companies, but it also has family-owned estates with strong reputations for quality:

• De Bortoli Wines

  • One of the pioneering families of the Riverina (founded 1928).

  • Internationally renowned for Noble One Botrytis Semillon, considered one of Australia’s greatest dessert wines.

  • Also produces a wide range of table wines, from affordable to premium.

• Casella Family Brands

  • Based in Yenda (Riverina).

  • Creator of [yellow tail], one of the world’s best-selling wine brands.

  • Represents the region’s global reach in accessible, large-volume wines.

• Westend Estate (Calabria Family Wines)

  • Founded by an Italian immigrant family in 1945.

  • Known for warm-climate reds (Shiraz, Cabernet, Durif) and varietal bottlings at multiple price tiers.

• Berton Vineyards

  • A relative newcomer (est. 1996) but now a significant regional player.

  • Produces Shiraz, Cabernet, Chardonnay and value-for-money varietal wines exported globally.