Romantic Central has recently become famous for its wine, especially its Pinot Noir, which seems to thrive in its cold, semi-arid climate. At its heart, annual rainfall is below 400mm and while there are pockets of higher temperatures (between 10 and 12.5 degrees Celsius annually), most of the region is cold, at below 10 degrees. Frosts are a constant threat and annual degree days are below 3000. This is a subalpine region in which site and aspect are critical for growing any crops, particularly wine, and much of the food source is wild or high country farmed.

Contemporary, distinctive regional foods include: red deer, hare, wild rabbit, wild thyme, rosehips, stone and pip fruits, hazel nuts and walnuts, merino sheep meat, thyme honey and wine (pinot noir, riesling, pinot gris).