Food and Beverages: Wines of Australia

Wines of Australia

Wine regions of Australia

Captain Arthur Philip, the first governor of south Wales, was the one who planted the vines in 1788. He took the knowledge of wines making from the French prisoners.

James Busby, a teacher by profession, collected 20,000 cuttings of 678 varieties of vine in 1834, and planted them in Victoria, Melbourne and South Australia.

The revolution in quality has immense knowledge and talent of the world famous wine makers.

Many of the wines are known by generic names, like; Hock, Claret, Burgundy, etc.

Grape varieties:

Ruby Roman grapes

Dry Wine; Chardonnay, Rhine Riesling, Muscat, Chenin Blanc, Sémillon, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc.

Sweet wine; Muscat, Riesling.

Red wine; Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, merlot, Shiraz, Malbec.

Australia has a warm climate therefore the grapes are high in sugar content. Heavy wines are produced by vineyards which are in warmer low altitude areas.

Fortified wines and full bodied wines of burgundy style are produced in Corawa and Albury, where summers are hot and low in rain fall. rich desert wines are produced in Victoria.

Wine Laws; PFDR, [Pure Food and Drug regulation], is the governing body for regulating the production of wines. Federal government custom officers from the exercise department maintain the vigil over wines production.

Wine regions; South Australia; produces 50% of all wine production in Australia.

Wine regions; South Australia

River land produces every day wine; Muscat and Shiraz are most popular.

Adelaide Plains; produces Australia’s most famous wines, Max Schubert’s Grange Hermitage from Penholds.

Barossa: responsible for Australia’s 25% of grape production. Good Shiraz wines are made here.

Adelaide Hills: famous for Petaluma wines and wines from Piccadilly vineyards.

Southern Wales & Langhorne Creek: famous for rich, elegant, Red Shiraz wines, Stylish wines are also made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The famous wine makers of this region are, Geoff Merrill and Greg Trott.

Clare Valley & Waterville: Produce best Rhine Rieslings, Crisp herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc.

Main producers of South Australia:

Victorian Wines of Yerra Valley

Penfold, Krondorf

Henschkle, Berri Estates,

Wilff Blass, Petaluma,

Hardy’s, Orlando.

Victoria: famous for sweet fortified wines, from Muscat and Muscadelle [Tokay] grapes.

Seppelts: produce delicious sparkling wines, using champagne grapes, i.e. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and chardonnay.

Tasmania: island near Victoria, small producer, only, Chardonnay, Rhine Riesling, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.

New South Wales: top producers, the hunter valley are the centre of quality wine production. Famous for Chardonnays, best Shirazes, and dry rich Sémillons.

W.Australia: best vineyards are Margaret and Swan rivers, superb wines of this region are, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.

Famous producers are: Broken Wood

Hungerford, Peterson,

Rosemount, Tulloch,

Wollundry.