The countdown is on—the Vancouver International Wine Festival (running February 20 to March 1) will be here before we know it. When you hit the International Festival Tasting Room on February 26, 27, or 28, there’s going to be a flood of wine from Australia. This year’s theme country is a big one, with many different regions offering a range of unique styles. This week, I’ll focus on four of those regions to help you navigate the room (or liquor-store shelves).

Hunter Valley
Located close to Sydney in New South Wales, this is where many big and bold Shirazes and Cabernets are found, along with rich and juicy whites. Subtropical and quite humid at times, breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean have a cooling effect that keeps the grapes from becoming overripe, and soils run the gamut from alluvial fan to clay loam and volcanic. Sémillon is one of the most widely planted white grapes, and “Hunter Valley–style” Sémillons are the stuff of legend. When freshly bottled, they have bracing acidity and plenty of high-toned citrus notes, but they really hit their stride once they have a few years of age on them, gaining marzipan, nougat, and hazelnut notes. Mc­Guigan Wines and McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant both have Sémillons worthy of a follow-up, and for those big and meaty Shirazes and Cabernets, pop over to Wyndham Estate.

Barossa Valley
A hop, skip, and a jump from Adelaide, the Barossa basks in a hot continental climate suitable for ripening the biggest of reds. Antarctic winds coming across the Great Southern Ocean offer a large diurnal temperature swing, allowing for big wines that have bright acidity, something that’s crucial for a wine of good balance. Plenty of old vines (some over 100 years) are still thriving in the area, and they grow everything from Syrah and Grenache to Tempranillo, Viognier, and even Riesling at higher altitudes. Some of the biggest names in Australian wine—practically royalty—are based here, including Penfolds, Wolf Blass, and St Hallett; the latter’s Blackwell Shiraz is a can’t-miss gem.

Coonawarra
In the Limestone Coast area on the edge of South Australia sits Coonawarra, and there’s no question that it’s Cabernet country. It’s the flattest wine region I’ve ever encountered, and terra rossa soils—literally, “red earth”—dominate the landscape. It’s that soil that makes the Cabernets so charismatic, with notes of blackcurrant, mint, and dark chocolate. Wynns Coonawarra Estate has been knocking it out of the park with its Cabernet Sauvignon for decades. This wine holds up after many years of cellaring and is an outright bargain for the quality; you can find it at many private wine stores for around $30.

Margaret River
Waaay over on the west coast, Margaret River is a three-hour drive south of Perth. Besides wine, the area’s big claim to fame is excellent surfing. Just driving down the highway, you get a very good sense of the terroir: thousands of eucalyptus trees sway in the breeze with minty aromatics swirling amid that salty fresh sea air. Cabernet Sauvignons thrive, picking up on those eucalyptus notes, but the area is also known for Sauvignon Blanc–Sémillon blends and well-structured Chardonnays. Devil’s Lair is a consistent producer of all of these styles, so do stop by their table.

Getting thirsty?
Let’s run through a few reminders about attending the festival. First, don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne—it’s all about wine aromatics in there. Also, arrive as close to the start time as possible. There are hundreds upon hundreds of wines being poured, and you want to give yourself as much time as possible to give many of them a whirl. Having said that, don’t forget to spit! Sure, it seems like small amounts of alcohol, but those tastes add up quickly. You don’t want to be the person getting carried out of the room! If you’re nervous about your spitting technique, practise at home over the sink using water.

It’s going to be packed, so once you’ve gotten your sample and asked the winemaker your questions, step out of the way so someone else can have their chance. I find taking notes to be a little cumbersome, so when I want to remember a wine to follow up on later, taking a quick photo of the label with my phone does the trick.

Finally, don’t stick to what you already know and like. It can be tempting to stay with your favourites, but you’re not going to find any new ones that way. This is a great chance to wade into new territory because, really, when was the last time you had a wine from Croatia?

I’ll see you in the tasting room!