Australia

History--red

Australia is one of the younger wine producing countries in the world, but it still traces its history back to the early 1800s, and some would say even earlier Governor Arthur Phillip brought vines with him on the First Fleet, and numerous vineyards were established in the area that is now Sydney.

By the 1890s, the popular Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, and Yarra Valley had begun to produce wine.

It would not have been the styles of wine we are familiar with now however - Australia primarily produced fortified wines until the 1950s! Around this time, Australia saw an influx of German and Italian immigrants, who brought with them the traditions from their home countries.

From sparkling wines in the 60s, aromatic whites became popular in the 1970s. During this decade, Australia also developed the wine cask, or "bag in a box." This simple Australian invention made wine more accessible, and cheaper. Wineries like Angoves and Penfolds began to use the cask in the mid 60s, and it now used across the world.

From here the change began towards complex, dry table wines, and the modern Australian wine industry really took off, with more vineyards being planted in every state of Australia.

Main regions--aromatic

Barossa Valley - with vines that go back to the mid 1800s, and ancient estates that still stand, the Barossa is an iconic region for Australian wine. The warm climate ripens Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet, Riesling, Semillon....plenty to choose from, amazing history and a bright future.

Yarra Valley - another established region that went quiet in the early 1900s but has bounced back in a big way, this Victorian powerhouse is home to some of the country's best Cabernet in the flat areas and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the slopes.

Margaret River - surrounded on three sides by the ocean, Margaret River is 3 hours south of Perth. Here we find world-class Chardonnay in a very modern style, as well as elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. A wonderful region.

Main grapes--racy

Shiraz - definitely the grape upon which the modern reputation of Australian wine was built, but will it be our future? That remains to be seen, but you can't ignore the massive impact that Australian Shiraz has had on the world of wine. A unique style, loaded with fruit and oak - certainly no wilting daisy. The Barossa gets most of the headlines, but don't forget Heathcote and McLaren Vale

Cabernet Sauvignon - a close second in terms of prestigious reds, Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark fruited powerhouse in the Australian climate. From Margaret River to Coonawarra to the Yarra Valley, this is a grape capable of producing world-class wines

Chardonnay - in the 90s it was all about rich fruit and creamy oak, these days it's more about the line of acidity and textural balance. Whatever the expression, Australia makes wonderful Chardonnay. From Beechworth in Victoria across to Margaret River in WA, there's great wines across the country.

Specific wine styles--strawberry

Rich Shiraz - The Aussie style of red wine is very much known as a flamboyant, fruit-forward one, and whilst there are certainly more options on the table than this, the big bold red is certainly the stereotypically Aussie style. And of course, we do it well! Shiraz is the main vehicle for these wines, but there's also Cabernet, Grenache and other friends who often appear.

Rutherglen fortifieds - somewhat overlooked in the modern wine environment, but should be on every serious wine lovers radar. The fortified wines of Rutherglen include muscats, topaques and port-style wines, and have been made in a similar fashion for over 100 years.