| Australian wine has dominated the UK | | | | upper or lower valley but both areas concentrate |
| supermarket shelves and restaurant tables for at | | | | on Shiraz for their red wine. |
| least twenty years. In fact Australia is now | | | | Also in New South Wales is Mudgee and the |
| responsible for the most wines sales by volume | | | | Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. This area was |
| to the UK than any other country in the world. | | | | previously responsible for some of the cheaper |
| However despite it being a big seller when it | | | | lower quality wines but this has changed over the |
| comes to the UK it is only in the top 10 when it | | | | last few years and there are some really good |
| comes to overall wine production statistics. | | | | Shiraz wines now coming out of this region. |
| Initially Australia was known primarily for its | | | | For great Pinot Noir wines head to Victoria, The |
| Chardonnay. It was this oaky white wine which | | | | Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley are |
| really bought it to the forefront of the British | | | | both producers of some fine varieties of this type |
| market. Because of the Australian climate the | | | | of wine. In fact Victoria is singlehandedly |
| grapes tended to mature more than the same | | | | responsible for a great deal of red wines that end |
| grapes would in Europe – producing a wine | | | | up on tables across the UK with Goulburn Valley, |
| with a higher sugar and in some cases higher | | | | Great Western, Rutherglen, King valley and Milawa |
| alcohol content than its European counterpart. The | | | | all producing some fantastic wine. |
| climate has also led to Australia being able to | | | | South Australia is where many of the wines |
| produce fewer weak wines and therefore the | | | | produced for mass consumption come from. |
| wine produced is more consistent than that | | | | Coonawarra is seen as one of the finest wine |
| produced in Europe which is more at the mercy | | | | regions of the area producing rich Cabernet |
| of changeable weather. However as tastes | | | | Sauvignon and fiery Shiraz. Also notable in this |
| change and time has moved on the wine industry | | | | area is the wine region of Barossa Valley which is |
| has too and Australia now produces a wide range | | | | one of the oldest and best known places for |
| of wines. | | | | viticulture in Australia. Shiraz is what the region |
| There is a vast amount of wine produced in | | | | made its name from so it is definitely worth |
| Australia and we are now going to take a | | | | checking it out! |
| whistlestop tour around some of the wine regions | | | | For a great range of Australian red wines, or just |
| concentrating on those which produce red wine. | | | | to browse wine in general, it is a good idea to |
| In New South Wales the best known region is | | | | consult an independent online wine retailer. You |
| Hunter Valley, here you will find some excellent | | | | can browse wines in your chosen price range, and |
| Shiraz. Wines can be labelled as being form the | | | | you can research before you buy. |