Viticulture

Viticulture Industry Overview

• Viticulture is the scientific study of grapes, including their cultivation, harvesting, and use in wine production: 

  • Definition

    The cultivation and harvesting of grapes, including the management of grapevines, fertilization, pest control, and soil quality 

  • Related terms

    Viniculture is the study of grapes specifically for wine production, and is considered a subset of viticulture 

  • History

    The use of grapes for wine began in Georgia and Iran around 6000 BC, and spread to Egypt around 3000 BC 

  • Location

    Viticulture can be found on every continent except Antarctica, as the grape vine is highly adaptable to new environments 

  • Related fields

    Viticulture is a branch of horticulture, which is the study of cultivating and producing intensively managed crops 

  Viticulturists use their expertise to: Understand when to harvest grapes for quality and ripeness, Prevent pests, Fertilize vineyards, Prune, and Design sustainable farming programs. 

What kind of Wine Region?

Journey to the far south-west corner of Victoria to a region blessed with rolling hills, volcanic soil, a dramatic coastline and an excellent reputation for wine.

Covering a large area of Victoria, the Henty wine region extends from the Hopkins River across to the South Australian border and is home to about a dozen wineries and many more vineyards. It is one of the coolest of Australia's mainland wine-growing regions, and with the addition of plenty of sunshine it provides conditions similar to Europe's Rhine Valley and Burgundy. Just like these regions, the Henty wine region impresses with varieties such as riesling, pinot noir and chardonnay.

Visit Basalt Wines near Port Fairy to sample biodynamic wine and tapas at its renowned cellar door and continue on to Pierrepoint Wines at the foothills of Mount Pierrepoint for pinot gris and pinot noir.