← Back to guides Country guide · 8 min read

Australia

From some of the world's oldest vines to cool-climate sparkling wine, Australia is far more varied than its reputation suggests.

Overview and history

Grapevines first came to Australia in 1788 with British colonists. Captain Arthur Philip and the First Fleet picked up vines in South Africa on their way. Early winemaking struggled because of the harsh climate and the settlers' lack of experience.

In the 1800s, vines arrived from Spain and France, along with new technology and know-how. This helped establish the country's oldest wine regions, the Barossa Valley and the Hunter Valley. Producers made still wines but put special emphasis on fortified wines, which travelled well.

In the late 1800s, both economic depression and phylloxera, the vine-killing louse, reached Australia. Strict measures, enacted quickly, confined phylloxera to Victoria and the area around Sydney. These measures boosted the wine industry of South Australia, which today has some of the oldest vine root systems in the world.

The late 20th century brought a boom in industrial wine production. Quantity-driven producers made vast amounts of characterless wine for export worldwide (think Yellow Tail). These wines came to define Australia in the US market, and quality-minded producers have been working ever since to change that perception.

Good to know: Australia is divided into very large wine zones that don't necessarily match the styles of wine produced in them. That's why the wine world usually talks about the smaller regions and sub-regions instead.

Climate

Australia is vast. It has some river valleys, but most of the country is flat, arid desert or tropical rainforest. The dry climate of the wine-growing regions means there is less threat of vine disease. Because most of the continent is flat, cooling ocean winds can reach vineyards far inland.

The biggest climate concern is wildfire, which hurts wine production nearly every year. Australia also struggles with drought, with water sources drying up in hot summers. As summers get hotter, some producers have planted vineyards at higher elevations in the mountain ranges, in regions such as Orange, Macedon and the Grampians.

Grapes to know

Shiraz

Also known as Syrah

In warm climates like Australia's, Shiraz shows riper, jammy fruit and softer tannins. Many examples have a characteristic black pepper aroma.

Mataro

Also known as Mourvèdre

Mataro thrives in dry climates and makes wines with high tannins, dark fruit and floral aromas.

Semillon

Originally from Bordeaux

Semillon arrived in Australia in the 1800s. It can be used for dessert wine, but its still wines show citrus and orchard fruit and age beautifully.

Other grapes grown

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Grenache
  • Chardonnay
  • Riesling
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Marsanne
  • Roussanne

Regions and wines

Barossa Valley

South Australia

The Barossa Valley lies about sixty miles inland from Adelaide and has a warm Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters. It's a flat valley protected on all sides by low hills. One of the country's oldest and best-known regions, the Barossa built and has kept its reputation on quality Shiraz.

The region is fairly dry, so irrigation is often needed. The upside is low disease pressure, which means less spraying of pesticides and fungicides.

Grapes grown

  • Shiraz
  • Grenache
  • Mataro

Clare Valley

South Australia

Home to Australia's best Riesling, the Clare Valley sits 80 miles north of Adelaide. It has an important diurnal shift: warm days and cooler nights, which let the grapes keep their acidity as they ripen.

The valley is narrow, with steep ridges that give plenty of vineyard sites at altitude. The result is a wide mix of microclimates and wines that tend to be more restrained in style.

Grapes grown

  • Riesling
  • Shiraz
  • Cabernet Sauvignon

McLaren Vale

South Australia

Just south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is another of the country's oldest regions. It's generally warm, but ocean breezes cool it down and help lower disease pressure. The region is large. Some sites are close to the cool ocean or at higher elevations, though most vines are planted on warm, gentle slopes.

McLaren Vale is known for Shiraz with riper fruit aromas and soft tannins.

Grapes grown

  • Shiraz
  • Grenache
  • Cabernet Sauvignon

Margaret River

Western Australia

Margaret River sits on a south-western peninsula between the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean, with ocean on three sides. The warmer ocean waters moderate temperatures throughout the year, and the climate is sometimes compared to Bordeaux's. This lets the grapes develop riper characteristics than in the surrounding regions. Gentle rolling hills run throughout the region.

Grapes grown

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Chardonnay
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Semillon

Tasmania

Island state

Tasmania is an island off Australia's southern coast and makes less than 1% of the country's wine. Its climate is cool, mostly because it's farther from the equator. That makes it ideal for high-quality sparkling wine, which is what it's best known for. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the two most popular grapes, used for both sparkling and still wines.

Grapes grown

  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Riesling
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pinot Gris
Test yourself More guides