SHIRAZ. Bright, bold and full of personality, Shiraz is Australia's most popular variety. It grows in almost every wine region of Australia, accounts for one-quarter of total wine production and is our most exported wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon (the third most-planted grape variety in Aus) and Grenache muscle their way in across Hunter Valley, Coonawarra and Barossa, while Margaret River is known for its rich, Bordeaux-style wines. And if you head to Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, you'll find light and fresh Pinot Noir.
Wine is produced in every state, with more than 60 designated wine regions totalling approximately 160,000 hectares; however Australia's wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country, with vineyards located in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland.
The best wine regions in Australia are concentrated around the city of Adelaide, including Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Clare Valley and McLaren Vale. There are also aspiring regions in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales – while even the small island of Tasmania has made an impression.
Berri Estates is the largest winery in the Southern Hemisphere.
The total vineyard area in Australia in 2022 is estimated to be 146,244 ha, of which South Australia accounted for 52%, New South Wales 24% and Victoria 15%.
The Riverland is Australia's largest wine producing region. The main grape varieties grown in the Riverland are chardonnay, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, viogner and grenache.
Hunter Valley – Australia's oldest wine region | Wine Australia.
The top 4 major wine regions of the world are France, Italy, U.S.A., and Spain. They produce just over half of all the wine in the world.
But its most longstanding star is the mighty Shiraz (a.k.a., in other parts of the world, Syrah), which has been growing in Australia for over 200 years; it's the most popular red in the country. Shiraz was one of the first grape varieties brought to Australia by James Busby.
White wine: Tasmania's elegant Chardonnay, complex Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris are among the best wines made in the country. Red wine: The Tasmanian reds include full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc.
Pinot Noir is considered the healthiest red wine you can drink. Unlike many of the reds on this list, Pinot grapes have a thin skin, so Pinot Noir has low tannins but high levels of resveratrol.
One of the primary reasons Australia has some of the best wines is that most of their vineyards are in suitable locations, with the right climate. Some vineyards grow their grapes and make wine in their specific regions for generations.
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.
One of Australia's favourite white wine varieties, the success of Sauvignon Blanc can no doubt be attributed to its dramatic aromatic presence and its fresh, vibrant and easy-to-drink nature.
Yarra Yerring was awarded Winery of the Year in 2021, other winners include Wine By Farr (Geelong) and Cullen (Margaret River). Congratulations to Chief Winemaker David Bicknell, Senior Viticulturist Steve Faulkner, the winery and vineyard teams for yet another outstanding achievement.
In 1849 Smith and his son Sidney planted Yalumba's first vineyards, beginning the Yalumba dynasty. Today Yalumba is Australia's oldest family-owned winery.
In 1820 John MacArthur founded Australia's first commercial vineyard on his return and had twenty acres under vine at Penrith. By 1827 his vineyard was producing around 20,000 gallons, or ten thousand cases of wine in modern terms.
Where is Australian Wine Country? The largest wine production region by far is South Australia. One major city in South Australia is home to the Australian Wine Research Institute (awri). AWRI is responsible for much of the world's research on dry farming techniques and commercial wine operations.
The most enthusiastic wine drinkers are traditional wine-producing countries. France and Italy are high up on the list of drinking the most wine per person. But the number one spot, drinking most wine per person, is taken by Portugal, with 52 litres of wine per person and year.
41 Australian vineyards owned by Chinese firms.
Known as the wine capital of Australia, Adelaide is surrounded by some of the best wine regions in the country, many of which are just a short drive from the city.
Californian wine regions such as Napa Valley or Sonoma are one of the best and most popular wine regions. However, there are many more that are worth the mention such as Walla Walla Valley in Washington wine Country or the Finger Lakes in New York.