A Guide to Australian Wines
Some regions of the world have been producing wine for thousands of years, but Australia isn’t one of these. That doesn’t mean it’s not into wine, however – production started within fifty years of European contact with this continent. Before long, the country was full of vineyards, mostly concentrated in the south.
Over the course of the past hundred years, the Australian wine industry has gone through some dramatic expansion. During the 1910s, this country produced only about four and a half million gallons of wine, or about seventeen million liters, annually. By the mid 1970s, that figure had gone up to almost a hundred million gallons, or more than three hundred sixty million liters, as the world became more aware of Australia’s vineyards and wine.
The wide range of soil conditions and climate types in this country are one of the things that makes it so good for producing wine. Many different kinds of grapes and wine are favored, with climates ranging from the hot and dry to the cool and damp, with some regions requiring irrigation. Parts of Australia’s wine producing regions are very similar to the best ones in Europe.
Most soils in Australia are clay based, and you’ll hit limestone if you dig deeply, but the overall soils vary as much as climate and temperature, letting winemakers grow the right kind of grapes for the local soil. The fruit is higher quality and the yield is better, too.
Australian wine was unknown to most of the world for the majority of its existence – in the late 19th century, some judges insisted that the Victoria wines they had just rated so well couldn’t possibly be Australian! However, by the fourth quarter of the twentieth century, the wine world had taken notice, and the first big boom occurred. The highest quality Australian wines got noticed, and production skyrocketed.
Another boom on the lower end of the price scale occurred recently – Australian imports were seen just about everywhere, offering decent, low priced wine in major retailers. These wines have fallen out of fashion somewhat, making them a little less popular now, but they still have a lot to offer. Take the time to check out some of the high quality wines Australia has to offer – you might be surprised.
Australia is the world’s fourth biggest wine exporter, and it has much to offer everyone. Spain, Italy, France and other major wine producers buy Australian wines as well as drinking their own. The country has been called one of wine’s most powerful influences today.
If you’ll be visiting Australia on your next holiday, don’t forget to have a look at some of the country’s excellent wine regions, and try a few wines. If you can’t make it to Australia, be sure to look at the options the next time you buy wine for your table. There are some really great wines waiting for you to find them.
For top Margaret River Wine, Howard Park’s single vineyard concept highlights the distinctive regional characteristics of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from Western Australia’s leading grape growing regions
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