Wine Regions of Australia

The continent of Australia is largely arid; however, it is rich in natural resources and also has large coastal areas suitable for agricultural cultivation including the planting of vineyards. Like the United States, Australia is a nation of immigrants, some of whom brought vines and their European wine making traditions to the country in the early 1800’s.

Today, Australia is a major force in the international wine business. In the United States, Australia ranks number two just behind Italy in terms of wine imports. There are over 30 wine growing regions and over 2000 wineries in the cooler southern regions of the continent. The major ones are listed below bold type:

• State of South Australia: Clare Valley / Watervale, Adelaide Plains, Southern Vales / McLaren Vale / Langhorne Creek, Barossa Valley / Eden Valley /Adelaide Hills, Riverland, Keppoch / Padthaway and Coonawarra regions. South Australia is by far the largest wine producing state in Australia.


• States of Victoria and Tasmania: Murray Valley, Pyrenees, Geelong, Yarra Valley, North East, Great Western, Ballarat, Goulburn Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland and Tasmanian regions.


• State of Western Australia: Gingin, Wanneroo, Swan Valley, Coastal Plains, Margaret River, and Great Southern regions.


• State of New South Wales: Mudgee, Upper Hunter Valley, Lower Hunter Valley, Orange, Murrumbidgee, Cowra and Canberra regions.

Wine making in Australia is second to none! Australia’s regional climate zones, soil types, and elevations allow it to successfully grow a wide range of wine varietals including Cabinet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Shiraz, Tempranillo, Verdelho, and Viognier. However, the development of certain varietals and wine making methods are such that Australia can rightly say that it is the preeminent producer in the world of:

• Shiraz (Syrah) Australia's most planted varietal
• Red Blends
• Dry Rieslings
• Cool Climate Chardonnays
• Semillon White Blends
• Dessert Wines

As well as often being best in class, Australian wine makers are able to claim that their wines “over deliver” at all the key retail price points. A fruit forward style and consistency from vintage to vintage are also hallmarks of Australian wines and make them consistent favorites in the competitive United States marketplace. Australia’s rise within the global wine market has been driven by high industry standards and significant innovation in wine growing and wine making techniques.

The isolated and ancient continent of Australia is situated “down under” between the Indian and South Pacific Oceans and is a 14 hour plane ride from the United States West Coast. It has a land area similar in size to that of the United States but with a population of just 20 million people compared with a United States population of over 300 million. Its population is highly urbanized in five major coastal cities: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Aussies enjoys an easy going and laid back life style however, they take sport and their appreciation of wine seriously!