Riverina is one of the main growing areas for Australia's main succes: branded wines. On the dry sandy soils, the vines are mostly planted on flat fields with little slope, so that harvesting here can be done efficiently by machine. Since there is hardly any rainfall here, the vineyards have to be irrigated, the water for which is supplied by the Murrumbidgee River. In the warm dry climate, the vines are mostly left to themselves to develop proper foliage and protect the grapes from the hot sun. "Minimal pruning" is the name given to this method, in which only the bare minimum is done to the vines. The approximately 5,000 hectares are mainly planted with the grape varieties for Australia's classic blends, i.e. Semillon and Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. A third mainstay is Sauvignon Blanc, which is alternatively blended with Chardonnay or Semillon. The wines are of subtle quality throughout, but since they always have consistent brand quality, they lack unique class and character. However, they are also intended more for the entry-level segment. On the English market, however, they play a weighty role. A particular speciality are the late-harvest noble sweet wines, called "Noble Late Harvest", whose best qualities, such as those from the house of De Bortoli, can definitely compete with a Sauternes.
