Italy takes its wine seriously: combine a long history of wine-making (all the way back to Greek colonization) with an ideal climate and over a million vineyards, and you can see why Italy takes the top spot as the world's wine producer.
For many wine lovers, France is the world's greatest wine country. However, it's now in second place in two key categories. First, it has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, second to Spain.
Australian wine ranks among the world's best. More than 100 grape varieties are grown here, and the diversity of Australia's winemakers means you're sure to find something to surprise you – in the very best way.
The traditional wine-making countries of France and Spain had eight Best in Show medals each. The top Champagne was a non-vintage Blanc De Blancs Brut Grand Cru while the top Bordeaux came from Château Fayat and Château De Rochemorin.
Italy and France are two of the world's finest wine producing countries, for both quality and quantity. Italy has made wines longer and is a larger producer of wine, but France is more renowned for its creation of premium wines.
A $26 bottle of Australian chardonnay is voted the best wine in the world at prestigious award show. An Australian wine took home the top prize after more than 7,500 wines from around the world were tasted by a panel of judges.
Australia makes soft fruity wines from well-known varieties that newcomers tend to enjoy, but also more refined styles that appeal to aficionados. It has a free trade deal with China. And a good reputation for food safety. It attracts waves of students and tourists from China who get a taste of the local wines.
Generally, the accepted characterization is that wines from the New World (such as Australia) tend to be more ripe, fruit-forward and round than wines from the Old World (such as France), which might show more structure and non-fruit notes of flint, spice and earth, but there are plenty of exceptions.
Pinot Noir is rated as the healthiest wine because of the high levels of resveratrol. It is made of grapes with thin skin, has low sugar, fewer calories, and low alcohol content.
“In a sample of more than 6,000 blind tastings, we find that the correlation between price and overall rating is small and negative, suggesting that individuals [without wine training] on average enjoy more expensive wines slightly less.
Georgia is generally considered the 'cradle of wine', as archaeologists have traced the world's first known wine creation back to the people of the South Caucasus in 6,000BC. These early Georgians discovered grape juice could be turned into wine by burying it underground for the winter.
France - The sweetest red wine
France has often proved to be the top wine country, and while its production of wine has reduced due to several recent bouts of bad weather, France is still a primary contender.
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France. The most expensive French wine is also the most expensive wine in the whole world.
Our old vines
It might come as a surprise to learn that Australia is home to some of the oldest vines in the world, many over 150 years old! You've got to be truly special to survive that long, lovingly tended by six or more generations to make remarkable wines that are uniquely Australian.
In 2021, wine exports from Australia to the United States amounted to over 454 million Australian dollars, making it the leading export destination for Australian wine.
Australia is the 7th largest wine-producing country in the world with 170 000 hectares of vineyards that stretches across four main Australian wine regions: Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Each region offers a diversity of wines and wine tourism experiences.
Australia is mainly known for its Shiraz, or Aussiefied Syrah, and Chardonnay varietals. In fact, these two varieties alone account for 44% of its total wine production!
Semillon (pronounced seh-mee-yon) is one of Australia's most unique wines. Fresh, light and citrusy, young Semillon is a delicate drop that pairs beautifully with food. Unlike most white wines, some Australian Semillons also have the potential to age gracefully for years and even decades.
Australia is home to the world's oldest productive Cabernet Sauvignon vines, which were planted in the northern Barossa Valley in 1886. Cabernet Sauvignon can be found across Australia, but two regions stand out as top producers: Coonawarra and Margaret River.
Which type of red wine is the smoothest? Varieties such as Merlot, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Grenache are typically low in tannin, and as such, are regarded as smooth.
It is said that Italians drink at least a glass of wine per day, and we're sure that's true. While the rest of the world may consider drinking 'wine' as a luxury, in Italy, it is treated as an everyday custom. Lunch, dinner or dessert – Italians love to pair their meals with a hearty glass of vino.
People in France drink more wine than anywhere else and they're notably healthier than Americans – a phenomenon that has been called the French Paradox. While it's true that moderate amounts of red wine have been linked to longevity and a host of other health benefits, there seems to be something more at play.