King Valley

King Valley sits in the foothills of the Alpine National Park in north-east Victoria, three hours from Melbourne. The region spans 2,021 km² and is nestled within the broader North East Victoria wine zone. Elevation ranges dramatically from 155 metres near Milawa in the north to 800 metres on the Whitlands Plateau in the south, creating a progressive cooling effect that defines the character of the wines produced here.

• Part of the North East Victoria Geographical Indication
• Elevation spans 155-800 metres (500-2,600 feet)
• Climate is continental with warm days and cool nights
• One of Australia's highest-altitude grape-growing regions

King Valley's soils vary by position in the landscape. Deep red clay loam dominates much of the region, while alluvial soils line the King River corridor and stonier soils characterise the hillside vineyard sites. The continental climate brings warm days and cool nights, and temperatures drop progressively moving south from Milawa toward the Whitlands Plateau. This altitude-driven cooling allows grapes to retain natural acidity, a key factor in the region's success with both sparkling and still wine styles.

• Deep red clay loam is the dominant soil type
• Alluvial soils occur along the King River
• Stonier hillside soils suit varieties needing good drainage
• North-to-south temperature gradient gives growers site selection flexibility

King Valley grows an exceptionally diverse range of varieties, with a strong Italian focus that reflects the region's cultural heritage. Prosecco leads the way, comprising 43% of the 2023 crush. The region is also recognised as Australia's premier Sangiovese producer and grows a wide array of other Italian varieties including Nebbiolo, Barbera, Arneis, Fiano, Vermentino, Verduzzo, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, and Sagrantino. White varieties as a whole account for 53% of plantings, well above the national average of 36%. Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc round out the white portfolio, while Pinot Noir adds a Burgundian option to the red range.

• Prosecco is the dominant variety at 43% of 2023 crush
• Australia's premier Sangiovese region
• Italian varieties including Nebbiolo, Barbera, Fiano, and Arneis are widely planted
• White varieties represent 53% of total plantings

Brown Brothers has farmed in the region since the 1880s, but King Valley's distinctive Italian identity came with the wave of Italian migrant families who arrived in the 1940s and 1950s. These families initially cultivated tobacco, transitioning to wine production from the late 1970s onward. The GI was formally granted in October 2007, making King Valley the youngest GI in Victoria. The Prosecco story began when Otto Dal Zotto planted the first vines in the late 1990s and released the first bottles in 2004. In 2009, five winemaking families joined together to create the Prosecco Road food and wine trail, establishing a tourism identity that has since defined the region for visitors across Australia.

• Brown Brothers established in the region since the 1880s
• Italian migrants arrived 1940s-1950s, initially growing tobacco
• GI status granted October 2007
• First Australian Prosecco released by Dal Zotto in 2004