Wine Notes: Australian Wines
Monday, 19. October 2009
Wine has been around for a long time, and some areas of the world have been producing for thousands of years. Australia’s not one of them – it’s been making wine only since Europeans came to this continent. However, within fifty years of European arrival, vineyards were appearing just about everywhere, and flourishing.
Over the past century, the expansion of the wine industry in Australia has been a dramatic one. As of the mid 1910s, Australia was producing about four and a half million gallons, or seventeen million liters of wine every year. Sixty years later, that figure rose to closer to ninety-five million gallons, or three hundred and sixty million liters – an impressive increase fueled by more worldwide demand for Australian 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.
There’s a lot of clay and limestone in Australian soils, but the specifics vary just as much as temperature and rainfall. This means that winemakers can choose the type of grape that best fits their local soil, to get the best quality grape and the best yield for that variety.
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.
As the fourth biggest exporter of wine in the world, Australia can offer a lot, and it sells to some of the world’s biggest wine producing countries. In fact, this country has been called the most powerful influence in wine, and is well known for GSM blends made from Mourvedre, Shiraz and Grenache, well balanced wines that stand up well against the competition. Australian wine shouldn’t be overlooked.
If you’ll be taking a holiday to Australia, you shouldn’t forget to look at some of its great wine regions, or just try some local vintages. Even if you can’t make it to this country, try an Australian wine next time you buy for your table. Some of the options out there are really incredible – all you have to do is 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