Australia
Since Australian wine has risen to prominence only in the last 20 years, it’s easy to assume it’s the ‘new kid on the block.’ In fact, grapevines arrived in Australia aboard the First Fleet back in 1788. Successive waves of European immigrants — Germans in the mid-19th century and Italians and Yugoslavs in the 20th century — did much to consolidate growth of the Australian wine industry.
For a long time, grape variety was the most important distinguishing feature of Australian wines. They built their reputation on Shiraz, Chardonnay, Semillon and Riesling and so on. Today, you will find nearly all of the world’s major grapes grown in Australia and the new buzz word is ‘regionality.’ Just as the French make great play of ‘terroir’ by way of the appellation system (Bordeaux , Burgundy, Champagne and so on), the Australians are placing more and more emphasis on their own geographically delimited wine regions.
Everyone is aware of the dramatic rise in popularity for Australian Shiraz over the last five years, but Australian wine is about much more than just Shiraz. Since our first trips “Down Under” we’ve been forging direct links with some of Australia’s finest producers to bring you a regular supply of the country’s most enjoyable wines.
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