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Kosher Kitchens -->
Kosher Wines --> Australian Kosher Wines |
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 Australian
Wines: The Australian wine industry is the
fourth-largest exporter in the world, exporting over
400 million litres a year to a large international
export market that includes "old world"
wine-producing countries such as France, Italy and
Spain. There is also a significant domestic market
for Australian wines, with Australians consuming
over 400 million litres of wine per year. The wine
industry is a significant contributor to the
Australian economy through production, employment,
export and tourism.
History
Vine cuttings from the Cape of Good Hope were
brought to the penal colony of New South Wales by
Governor Phillip on the First Fleet (1788). An
attempt at wine making from these first vines
failed, but with perseverance, other settlers
managed to successfully cultivate vines for
winemaking, and Australian made wine was available
for sale domestically by the 1820s.[5] In 1822
Gregory Blaxland became the first person to export
Australian wine, and was the first winemaker to win
an overseas award. In 1830 vineyards were
established in the Hunter Valley. In 1833 James
Busby returned from France and Spain with a serious
selection of grape varieties including most classic
French grapes and a good selection of grapes for
fortified wine production.[4] Wine from the Adelaide
Hills was sent to Queen Victoria in 1844, but there
is no evidence that she placed an order as a result.
The production and quality of Australian wine was
much improved by the arrival of free settlers from
various parts of Europe, who used their skills and
knowledge to establish some of Australia's premier
wine regions. For example, emigrants from Prussia in
the mid 1850s were important in establishing South
Australia's Barossa Valley as a winemaking region.
Early Australian winemakers faced many difficulties,
particularly due to the unfamiliar Australian
climate. However they eventually achieved
considerable success. "At the 1873 Vienna Exhibition
the French judges, tasting blind, praised some wines
from Victoria, but withdrew in protest when the
provenance of the wine was revealed, on the grounds
that wines of that quality must clearly be French."
Australian wines continued to win high honors in
French competitions. A Victorian Syrah (also called
Shiraz) competing in the 1878 Paris Exhibition was
likened to Château Margaux and "its taste completed
its trinity of perfection." One Australian wine won
a gold medal "first class" at the 1882 Bordeaux
International Exhibition and another won a gold
medal "against the world" at the 1889 Paris
International Exhibition. That was all before the
destructive effects on the industry of the
phylloxera epidemic.
In the decades following the devastation caused by
phylloxera until the late 1970s, Australian wine
production consisted largely, but not exclusively,
of sweet and fortified wines. Since then, Australia
has rapidly become a world leader in both the
quantity and quality of wines it produces. For
example, Australian wine exports to the US rose from
578,000 cases in 1990 to 20,000,000 cases in 2004
and in 2000 it exported more wine than France to the
UK for the first time in history. |
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The industry has
also suffered hard times in the last 20 years. In the late
1980s, governments sponsored growers to pull out their vines to
overcome a glut of winegrapes. Low grape prices in 2005 and 2006
have led to calls for another sponsored vine pull.[7] Cleanskin
wines were introduced into Australia during the 1960s as a means
to combat oversupply and poor sales.
In recent years organic and biodynamic wines have been
increasing in popularity, following a worldwide trend. In 2004
Australia hosted the First International Biodynamic Wine Forum
in Beechworth, Victoria which brought together biodynamic wine
producers from around the globe. Despite the overproduction of
grapes many organic and biodynamic growers have enjoyed
continuing demand thanks to the premium prices winemakers can
charge for their organic and biodynamic products, particularly
in the European market.
[edit] Grape varieties
Major grape varieties are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon,[8] Merlot,
Chardonnay,[8] Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Riesling. The
country has no native grapes, and Vitis vinifera varieties were
introduced from Europe and South Africa in the late 18th and
early 19th centuries. Some varieties have been bred by
Australian viticulturalists, for example Cienna and Tarrango.
Although Syrah was originally called Shiraz in Australia and
Syrah elsewhere, its dramatic commercial success has led many
Syrah producers around the world to label their wine "Shiraz".
About 130 different grape varieties are used by commercial
winemakers in Australia. Over recent years many winemakers have
begun exploring so called "alternative varieties" other than
those listed above. Many varieties from France, Italy and Spain
for example Petit Verdot, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Tempranillo
and Viognier are becoming more common. Wines from many other
varieties are being produced.
Australian winemaking results have been impressive and it has
established benchmarks for a number of varietals, such as
Chardonnay[citation needed] and Shiraz. Moreover, Australians
have innovated in canopy management and other viticultural
techniques and in wine-making, and they have a general attitude
toward their work that sets them apart from producers in Europe.
Australian wine-makers travel the wine world as highly skilled
seasonal workers, relocating to the northern hemisphere during
the off-season at home." They are an important resource in the
globalisation of wine and wine critic Matt Kramer notes that
"the most powerful influence in wine today" comes from Australia
(Kramer). |
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