The Goulburn Valley is a historic wine producing region in northern Victoria, on the border with New South Wales. Plantings began in the 1860s, and indeed, some of the original Shiraz vineyards are still in production at over 150 years of age, marking them as some of the oldest vineyards in the world.

The region boasts a varied geography with some vineyards located on alluvial benchlands following the Goulburn river and others in the surrounding hills. The climate is hot and dry, but well inland, and as such it enjoys a favorable diurnal range that helps extend the growing season.

Shiraz forms the bulk of plantings here, but Grenache and Mourvedre also play a role, and white Rhone varietals such as Viognier and Marsanne, in particular, have proven to be quite distinctive. The wines tend to be more firmly structured, complex, and tightly wound than those from the Barossa, and share a bit more in common with the Rhone Valley itself. Tahbilk is an iconic and historic producer of collectible wines and Mitchelton is also a name to look for, particularly with respect to exotic white Rhone varietals. (Wine/Appellations)