Mudgee, Australia

The large, old country town of MUDGEE (meaning "the nest in the hills" in the Wiradjuri language) is the centre of an increasingly important wine region that's the original home of Aussie Chardonnay. The town is set along the lush banks of the Cudgegong River, and the countryside appears to have more grazing cows and sheep than vineyards. Once known for Mudgee Mud, a particularly dire local beer, it is now famous for its wines and is popular with the Sydney crowd, not least because of the many art galleries and local produce shops that dot the town.