The explosive growth of wine production in Australia is one of the phenomena that have defined the last twenty years in the wine industry. Steve Charters MW notes that today there are approximately 1,500 wineries in Australia, and just over 350,000 acres under vine.
In 2002, Australia crushed 1.65 million tons to produce over 125 million cases of wine. This amount has increased by 160% in the past ten years. Approximately 80% of all this wine, however, is produced by four large companies - Southcorp, BRL Hardy Orlando Wyndham and Beringer Blass.
Exports have increased sevenfold in the same period, and exports to the U.S. increased 64% in 2002, according to the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation.
Australian wine law is less strict than some. If a varietal, region or vintage is claimed on the label 85% must be the varietal, region or vintage stated, and if more than one is listed, then they are to appear in descending order.
Geographical Indications (G.I.) include South Eastern Australia, the names of the states, and smaller regions within these states. The most broad is South Eastern Australia, and this includes anything produced in the three largest wine-producing states, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Wine is also produced in Western Australia, an area that is growing in importance, and Tasmania. Comparatively little is produced in Queensland.
Australian wine is quite varied, and it is a mistake to see it as overly homogeneous. It is sometimes thought of as a ripe, fruit-driven, alcoholic style with full body and low acid. This can be true, but it is far from universally the case. The diversity of styles within Australia is striking, and the one factor that serves more than anything to unify them is value for money.
Australians have based their success in export markets on the concept of value. Part of value is consistency, and Australian winemakers will sometimes improve their odds of consistency by using inter-regional blending widely to reduce vintage variation.
The wines are also often produced in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks under very hygienic conditions, where controlled fermentations are initiated by cultured yeast after careful cleaning of the must. In order to help ensure stability, fining and filtration are the general rule, and acid adjustment is very common.
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Wine Regions of the World
