On a crisp winter afternoon, the brick-and-beam warmth of Vancouver Urban Winery and Belgard Kitchen set the stage for a Canadian first: an educational seminar and trade tasting devoted entirely to the Australian state of Victoria.
Mark Davidson with Allison.
Trade buyers, sommeliers, and media gathered not simply to taste, but to recalibrate their understanding of Australian wine through a more precise lens.
Victoria is a state of surprising scale and nuance: 21 distinct wine regions and more than 650 wineries dispersed across maritime peninsulas, elevated mountain ranges, inland lakes and historic fortified enclaves. Yet for many Canadian buyers, the narrative of Australian wine remains partial, too often defined by volume and sunshine rather than site and subtlety. Presented by Wine Victoria and led by seasoned educator Mark Davidson, this seminar offered a thoughtful corrective.
The Victoria seminar wine lineup.
Davidson proved an exceptional guide. Drawing on decades of experience with Australian wines, he navigated geography, soils, climate influences and stylistic evolution with clarity and charm. Each wine became a portal into its place of origin, reinforcing a central thesis: Victoria is not one story, but many.
Yes, there were benchmark Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Mark Davidson led an excellent seminar.
But there was also Riesling, Nebbiolo, Fiano, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, evidence of a State confident enough to embrace both the classics along with a compelling array of alternative varieties.
Victoria may produce less overall volume than some of its larger Australian neighbours, yet it punches well above its weight in diversity and stylistic breadth. As Davidson aptly put it, “Every single wine style that exists on the planet exists in the state of Victoria. You’ve got tremendous sparkling wines… light whites, textured whites, light, juicy reds, full-bodied reds, all the way through to the ‘stickies’ and other fortified wines.”
Hot Air Balloons over the Yarra Valley (from a previous AdVINEture).
He also underscored the state’s remarkable compactness, a quality that makes it a paradise for wine travellers. Within a few hours’ drive, one can move from the maritime elegance of the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula to the structured inland reds of Heathcote and the historic fortified cellars of Rutherglen. A journey that feels less like crossing a state and more like traversing a continent of styles.
During the seminar, several themes emerged clearly:
- A sustained commitment to cool-climate viticulture
- Heightened attention to sub-regional and single-site expression
- Measured alcohol levels and integrated oak
- Increasing adoption of organic and regenerative farming practices
Cool climate defines much of Victoria’s fine wine identity. Ocean influence from the Southern Ocean and Bass Strait tempers the growing season, preserving natural acidity and aromatic precision.
A few of the Yarra samples for tasting.
In the Yarra Valley, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir often lean toward restraint: fine-boned, textural, savoury. Mornington Peninsula, surrounded by water, produces Pinot Noir of striking perfume and supple structure.
Further north, Heathcote’s ancient red Cambrian soils lend Shiraz an altogether different personality. These are structured, mineral-driven wines, darker in fruit profile yet anchored by a distinctive iron-rich character. This is not the sun-drenched, blockbuster stereotype some still associate with Australian wine.
Victoria’s contemporary face is one of site expression, moderate alcohol, thoughtful oak and a palpable sense of place.
And then there is Rutherglen, whose historic fortified wines remain among Australia’s great vinous treasures: layered, complex and astonishingly long-lived. They serve as both a nod to heritage and a reminder of the state’s stylistic breadth.
Following the seated masterclass focused on 7 wines (see tasting notes at the end of the article), attendees were also provided the opportunity to taste more than 40 additional wines. The expanded line-up widened the lens further to include Geelong, King Valley and the Strathbogie Ranges.
A Region Coming into Focus
Victoria provides diversity in both varieties and styles.
Victoria’s fine wine reputation has sharpened over the past two decades, propelled by a generation of winemakers who studied abroad, returned home, and re-examined their vineyards with fresh eyes.
Single-site bottlings have proliferated. Organic and biodynamic farming are increasingly part of the conversation rather than fringe pursuits. In the cellar, minimal intervention is often less ideology than pragmatic respect for fruit and place.
Climate change, too, has intensified attention on cooler pockets and higher elevations. Regions such as the Macedon Ranges and Alpine Valleys (once peripheral in global consciousness) are now central to discussions about Australia’s fine wine future.
A New Chapter in Canada
Wine Victoria’s Vancouver debut signaled more than a one-off showcase. Plans for sustained engagement in Canada, through education, portfolio development and importer partnerships, suggest long-term commitment.
Victoria Wines are worth a closer look.
For those of us in the room, the tasting was a reminder that Australian wine is not monolithic. Victoria offers a spectrum of styles rooted firmly in climate and site resulting in wines that speak as eloquently of restraint and structure as they do of fruit.
On that bright winter afternoon, with palate buzzing and notebook full, Victoria’s voice felt both distinct and timely. Geographically distant, perhaps, but entirely at home in Canada’s evolving fine wine conversation.
For this market, it was a first comprehensive glimpse of a State whose finest bottles deserve a far broader stage.
Tasting Notes
2021 Jayden Ong One Block Chardonnay – Yarra Valley
A lighter, fresher Chardonnay that leaned into restraint rather than overt richness. Fine acidity, subtle oak framing due to only a small percentage of new oak it underscored the cool-climate precision that defines the Yarra Valley today.
2018 Tahbilk Marsanne – Nagambie Lakes
A reminder of Victoria’s historical depth. Tahbilk’s Marsanne showed layered texture and complexity despite no use of oak. It offered a compelling counterpoint to more fashionable white varieties and highlighted the State’s heritage plantings.
2024 Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula
Supple yet structured with firm tannins, aromatic with an herbal component, this Pinot reflected Mornington’s maritime influence. The surrounding waters moderate temperature extremes, preserving freshness while allowing full phenolic development.
2019 Castagna “Un Segreto” – Beechworth
A distinctive, character-driven wine made up of an unusual blend of Sangiovese and Shiraz, it demonstrated Beechworth’s elevation and granite soils. Savoury, layered and expressive, it reinforced Victoria’s embrace of site transparency and minimal intervention. In this case, the first certified biodynamic producer in the state.
2023 Mount Langi Ghiran “Cliff Edge” Shiraz – Grampians
Far removed from blockbuster stereotypes, this Shiraz is a lighter, fresher style offering lifted aromatics, peppery spice and medium-bodied structure. The Grampians’ cooler conditions and granite-based soils deliver elegance over power.
2022 Blue Pyrenees Richardson Cabernet Sauvignon – Pyrenees
Classic in structure yet distinctly regional, this Cabernet showed fine tannin architecture and measured oak resulting in a lighter and very approachable style. The Pyrenees region continues to refine its voice, balancing ripeness with restraint.
NV Pfeiffer Classic Muscat – Rutherglen
To close, a nod to history. Rutherglen’s fortified Muscats remain among Australia’s vinous treasures. Complex, layered and luxuriously textured, this wine anchored the tasting in tradition while reminding us that longevity is built into Victoria’s DNA.
Collectively, the wines illustrated a State leaning into balance over bombast: moderate alcohols, thoughtful oak integration, savoury detail and a clear sense of place.
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