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Australia is seen as a new name on the international wine scene, yet its winemaking heritage stretches back to the nation’s colonization. From a few small plantings more than 200 years ago, Australia’s wine industry has grown to garner respect around the globe. More and more travelers are seeking cheap travel deals that include Australia’s wine country.

But first, let’s look back to those humble beginnings. australia has no native grape varieties, so in the late 1700s the first settlers imported suitable wine making grapes from Europe. In 1791 English entrepreneur John Macarthur established the first commercial vineyard near Sydney in New South Wales. Much of the wine produced was then sent back to the United Kingdom.

The success of this first venture encouraged other Australian winemakers to establish their own vineyards. From 1820 to 1840 the local industry expanded rapidly as wineries were founded in New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, Victoria, and South Australia.

In the 1820s the first Australia wines were recognized by global critics. Explorer and winemaker Gregory Blaxland won a silver medal in London for his wines in 1822. Five years later he improved on this result, taking home the gold Ceres medal. These accolades were the first of many international medals for Australian wines.  

The gold rush of the 1850s initially stalled the Australian wine industry, but this halt in production was only temporary. Many new settlers traveled to Australia hoping to strike it rich, and local vineyards expanded their operations to meet the demand.

With the passing of the Land Selection Act in 1860 and 1872, more land was available for development. This led to the establishment of many new vineyards, and the expansion of existing wineries. In turn, Australian exports to England increased dramatically. From 1854-1863, Australian sent an average of 31, 850 liters of wine to England. In 1863-1885, this increased to 145, 600 liters.  

Trade barriers between the states were removed with Federation in 1901, further expanding the nation’s wine industry. During this period several large labels, including McWilliams, Penfolds, and Seppelt established new wineries in different parts of the country. This allowed these firms to take advantage of Australia’s varied climate and soil conditions by diversifying their wine production.

World War II was a catalyst for global change, and Australia’s wine industry was no exception. Exports to Britain virtually stopped during the war, and on its conclusion they resumed on a much smaller scale. Yet the local industry was booming. The end of the war saw an influx of European immigrants who brought with them new and exciting winemaking skills. Their influence saw Australia produce finer wines than ever before, and local consumption grew rapidly in response.  

Australia’s love affair with wine has continued to thrive. Presently there are around 60 Australian wine regions boasting major labels and boutique wineries. Just about every Australia travel guide now includes many pages about the country’s wine regions. The days of exporting to Britain alone are almost forgotten too.

Australia is a favorite destination among tourists wanting to explore and sample this variety and the Australian Wine Tours industry is booming, with Adelaide wine tours being among the most popular. Today, Australia is the fourth largest wine exporter in the world, shipping its reds and whites to more than 100 international destinations and contributing more than $5 billion to the nation’s economy.  Australia is a favorite destination for tourists wanting to explore the variety of wine regions and wines and the Wine Tour industry is booming

In fact, these days the British drink more Australian wines than French wines. And in the last five years, the amount of Australian wine shipped to the United States has increased four fold. Australian wine is also popular in neighboring New Zealand, the European centers of Germany, France, and Italy, and emerging Asian markets including Singapore, China, and South Korea.

And the australian wine industry doesn’t show any signs of slowing, with some spectators suggesting Australian exports will double in the next five years. The nation is taking steps to prepare by investing in education and scientific study. Australian students can now study viticulture at local universities committed to educating the next generation of winemakers.

But the education doesn’t stop there. Australia’s National Wine Centre and National Wine and Grape Centre are world leaders in wine research and education. These organizations are committed to developing new vine management techniques, grape varieties, and winemaking methods to ensure Australia continues to be one of the world’s finest wine producers.

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