Australia has many delights to offer by way of tourism. Mountains, beaches, wildlife and national parks are abundant. But if it’s Australian wineries your looking for – the continent island is a veritable playground.
The history of Australian wineries is almost as old as European settlement itself, dating back to 1788. Although the first settlers failed in their early viticultural endeavours, Australian wine was commercial by the 1820s and being exported not long after.
After early scepticism of Australian wine, particularly in European circles, the antipodean tipple is now a world force in both quantity and quality, vying with Argentina yearly as the largest producer in the southern hemisphere.
Production has tripled since 1990, with 800 million litres exported to the world market annually and 500 million litres consumed in Australia itself. The two most dominant varietals are Shiraz and Chardonnay, making up a whopping 44% of all wine produced in the country.
Today, the Australian wine industry is represented by 65 official GI (Graphical Indication) regions, 14 sub-regions and 28 wine zones. However, many wineries fall outside of this designation that warrants visiting. The largest wine zone by far is South Eastern Australia, which takes in the whole of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and those sections of Queensland and South Australia in which grapes are grown, which equates to around 135,000 hectares of vine, putting this into perspective, as of 2018 there were 146,000 hectares of vines in the whole of Australia.
So whether you are partial to big busty Shiraz, a delicate cool climate Riesling or a winter warming fortified, there is an Australian region just waiting to be explored.
Click here to search for Australian wineries, or use the Watt Wines map below to zoom in and explore over 65 unique regions.
New South Wales may be home to some of the most iconic regions in Australia, but there are a number of lesser-known wine regions demonstrating they have so much to offer in both wine and charm.
South Australia is a most significant wine-producing state responsible for almost 55% of Australia’s annual production. It is also home to some of the most famous regions, historic estates and the oldest vines in the country.
Victoria has a great diversity of regional climates which allows for the production of virtually every wine style from fine sparkling, high quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, savoury Shiraz and the fortified wines of historic Rutherglen.
Eight stunning wine regions are on offer in this picturesque state, all within a day’s drive or a short scenic charter flight from Perth. You can also head to the Swan Valley by boat, the only Australian wine region you can cruise to from the capital city.
Tasmania is home to seven sub-regions from the northern Tamar Valley, down the beautiful East Coast, stretching from Bicheno to the Tasman Peninsula, on to the most southerly wine region in Australia in the Huon Valley.
Queensland is one of the best kept secrets in the wine world and has grown significantly to cover approx 1500 hectares. The region offers stunning cellar doors, many with accommodation, making it easy to try what the region has to offer.
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