The first vines arrived in Australia in 1788 with Captain Phillip on board one of the ships of the First Fleet. It is understood that these vines were first planted out at Farm Cove - the site of the present Sydney Botanical Gardens. Unfortunately, the vines did not bear as expected, and were soon transplanted to a new location at Parramatta. In 1791, Governor Phillip reported that he had established a three acre vineyard at Parramatta, and that a seller named Schaffer had also planted one acre of vines.

In following years, many others attempted to establish winegrape growing and wine-making ventures in various regions of the colony.  Notable amongst these were the pioneering efforts of Captain John McArthur, to whom a grant of land some thirty miles from Sydney was made, and which he named Camden Park. This property played a major part in the development of all manner of primary industries in Australia, being particularly well-known as the home of the development of the merino sheep breed.

Another important figure was Gregory Blaxland, who in 1822 shipped 136 litres of wine to London where it won the Silver Medal of the Society for Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, now known as the Royal Society of Arts. Five years later, a larger shipment of 1800 litres of Blaxland's wine won the Gold Ceres Medal.  The first export excursions of the fledgling Australian wine industry were certainly successful and showed great promise for the future.

As European settlement spread over the Australian continent, so did the planting and propagation of the vine. By the turn of this century, Australian exports to the United Kingdom had developed to the stage where annual shipments reached almost one million gallons (4.5 million litres) of mainly full-bodied, dry red wines.  By the end of World War II, Australia was producing almost 26 million gallons (117 million litres) of wine per year. It was however the rapid influx of post-war migrants from continental Europe who brought with them their well-established wine culture which pushed the Australian wine industry into the next phase of growth.

The annual production of wine for 1994-95 stood at 502 796 million litres, of which some 36% is now exported to over 77 countries throughout the World.  Winegrape growing and wine-making are now carried out in every State and Territory of Australia.  Today, Australian wines popularity stems from the perceived price to quality ratio.  Even in the upper reaches of price, you get more “bang for buck” in comparison to top French, or American wines.  As will always happen, a select group of wines emerge that become highly desirable, and or “collectable”.  The big, full-bodied Shiraz and Cabernet are the  current fashion trend setters that provide what many wine critics call “hedonistic” drinking pleasure. 

Here are some of those wines:

Rusden wines are big, ripe, and voluptuous.  In 1979 Christine and Dennis Canute purchased 40 acres of run-down vineyard in Vine Vale; white sand over red clay country in the heart of the Barossa. Grapes were not a precious commodity at the time, but the idea of a “hobby farm,” with room for the kids to run, seemed adventurous and was to become a serious labour of love.  All fruit is sourced from their own vineyard and all wine made on-site. RUSDEN is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery, determined to grow slowly and to produce only top quality hand-made wines. The $59.99, 2002 Rusden “Boundaries” Cabernet compares very favorably with top vintages of California classics like; Caymus Special Selection, Phelps Insignia, and Chateau Montelena, and at 50% less, ($59.99) it is an excellent value as well.  See all of Rusdens wines. 

Another wine with the Canute fingerprint on it is the $79.99, 2002 Troll Creek Shiraz.  Made from 40- to 100-year-old Shiraz vines, and aged in primarily old French and some new American wood, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a rich, full-bodied, layered personality with tremendous intensity.  

Torbrecks flagship wine, RunRig is a structured, muscular wine with phenomenal density, dry vintage port-like concentration, and magnificent notes of smoke, blackberries, cassis, leather and coffee.  Shiraz from old dry grown vineyards is blended with viognier, complementing the strengths and complexities of these individual parcels of fruit, while giving the resulting wine a further dimension.  The hint of viognier's sweet marmalade character comes through as the wine sits in the glass. A true 'Vin de Garde' to reward those with the patience to cellar it.  RunRig cuvee spends 30 months in 60 percent new French Oak (with the remainder being seasoned). The 3 percent estate grown Viognier is fermented and aged for 6 months in barrel and then added to the blend just prior to bottling.  Almost always rated 98 points, and above, the $219.00, 2001RunRig rated 99+ points, and the $224.99, 2002 RunRig may rate even higher.  See all of Torbrecks wines. 

Michael and Annabelle Waugh are uncompromising in their desire to produce the best possible wines.  On the western edge of the Barossa Valley, in the rolling hills between the hamlets of Greenock and Marananga, lies Greenock Creek Wines.  The winery's first release was in 1988, when it sold a 1986 Shiraz from its tiny cellar door situated beneath the Waugh's 150 year old stone cottage. Since then the winery has planted, grafted and acquired more vines, and now specializes in ultra-premium red wine production. The Waugh’s hired superstar winemaker Chris Ringland, Australia’s version of America’s Helen Turley, who also works at Rockford.  His own wine “Three Rivers”, now know only as “Chris Ringland”, is arguably Australia’s number one “cult” wine, on a par with “Screaming Eagle” from the Napa Valley.  Made from half-century old vines, the $374.99, 1999 Roennfeltd Road Shiraz is Greenock Creeks top of the line Shiraz wine.  Wine critic Robert Parker,  has compared vintages of it to the great Bordeaux classics from the 1945, 1947, 1959, 1961, and 1982 vintages.  Describing its character as: "the syrup of Shiraz, with compelling blackberry liqueur intermixed with minerals, smoke, and truffles. Huge in the mouth but not overbearing, this wine has a finish that goes on for nearly a minute. With great purity, massive extraction, and a blockbuster, multidimensional personality...one of the greatest Shiraz I have ever tasted."  Very limited with less than 400 cases produced in any year.  See all of Greenock Creeks Wines. 

Henry's Drive is situated in the Padthaway district of South Australia, around 180 miles south east of Adelaide. It is naturally cooler than the more northerly Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale but warmer and more consistent than Coonawarra, some 50 miles south, with which it shares a similar, former sea-bed, geology. The property is owned by the Longbottom family, who have been farmers in Padthaway since the 1940s. Their first vintage was in 1998.  The $54.99, 2003 Shiraz Reserve is a selection of the finest barrels that has been aged in 100% new American oak for 13 months.   See all of Henry’s Drive wines. 

When Njal (Sparky) Marquis, (pronounced MAR-Kwiss), who at age twenty four was an award winning scientific photographer, volunteered to go and do a winemaking course so that he could help his parents with their Tasmanian vineyard and winery, he embarked on a life changing journey. In his three years at Roseworthy, he won every award, prize and trophy, and most treasured of all, the David Bradley Memorial Prize for the Student Most Likely to Contribute to the Wine Industry.  See all of Marquis Philips wines.

Gibson's BarossaVale Wines is a small family owned winery nestled at the northern end of the Barossa Valley in South Australia. A specialist producer of limited quantities of premium table wines, it is fast garnering a reputation as a reliable producer of richly flavored and complex wine.  The $44.99, 2002 Gibson Shiraz is a stunning wine.    Owned by Rob Gibson and wife Anne, the tiny operation produces a mere 4000 cases of wine. Fruit is sourced from predominantly estate grown fruit with a small amount coming from contracted grower fruit for added diversity come blending time.   From pruning through to budburst, flowering, fruit-set, veraison, harvest, fermentation, pressing, barrel aging, blending to bottling, the whole 'winegrowing' process is carefully tended by Rob Gibson. His university education in both oenology and viticulture, combined with his 23 years experience at the prestigious Penfolds Wines and a natural curiosity of all things, have led to an intimate understanding of the many factors that can influence the creation of wine. The wines crafted at his small 'BarossaVale' estate are a reflection of this accumulated knowledge, experience and natural curiosity 

Being voted Quantas Winemaker of the Year 2004, a very prestigious award, Ben Glaetzer has been hugely successful in winning awards and rave reviews with his Glaetzer and Mitolo wines.  Glaetzer is a famous name in the Barossa: both father Colin and Uncle John (recently retired chief red winemaker for Wolf Blass) can properly be described as Barossa legends. Ben has freshened up the more traditional Barossa style that Glaetzer was famous for before, utilizing parcels of great fruit they get from mature vineyards from the best districts of the Barossa. The wines have more texture, primary fruit and finesse than before.  The $69.99, 2002 Mitolo G.A.M is produced from 26-year old vines and aged in French oak (80% new), and reveals tremendous fruit purity, with aromas of ink, camphor, graphite, blackberries, and blueberries. This is a stunning Shiraz and potential superstars.  The $35.99, 2002 Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz (100% Shiraz from 40- to 80-year-old vines) was aged 16 months in primarily old American hogsheads (300-500 liter barrels). This is a superb example of Barossa Shiraz, combining power and concentration with a sense of balance and symmetry. Dense purple-colored with a gorgeous nose of sweet cassis intertwined with new saddle leather, spice box, and licorice, this full-bodied, unctuously-textured effort boasts tremendous intensity, good tannic structure, decent acidity, and a long, heady finish.

The Henschke family is one of the longest-established names in the Barossa. Johann Christian Henschke purchased land for a farm at Keyneton in 1861, after fleeing religious persecution in Kutschlau, Silesia (Germany). He planted a small vineyard and an orchard, and after initially making wine for family consumption produced his first commercial vintage in 1868, believed to be principally riesling and shiraz. His son, Paul Gottard, continued farming and winemaking and planted more vines to increase wine production. Upon his father's death in 1914, third-generation Paul Alfred took over the property and as demand for fortified wines grew, winemaking assumed greater significance.

Each generation built upon the reputation for quality, but it was fourth-generation Cyril Alfred Henschke who in 1958 created the wine that has most captured the red wine world's imagination - Hill of Grace. His first vintage of this shiraz was produced in 1958. Today, fifth-generation Stephen Henschke and his wife Prue uphold the family name and reputation, as winemaker and viticulturist respectively. Hill of Grace is a unique delineated single historic vineyard. This revered and much sought-after Shiraz, is the pinnacle of Henschkes red wines. The famous century-old Hill of Grace vines were planted around the 1860s by an ancestor, Nicolaus Stanitzki, in rich alluvial soil in a shallow fertile valley just north-west of the winery. The vineyard lies opposite a beautiful old Lutheran Church, built of local field stone, which was euphoniously named Gnadenberg, meaning ‘Hill of Grace’. 1995 Hill of Grace, and 1997 Hill of Grace.

Australian Wine Regions

New South Wales

Canberra

Hunter Valley

Mudgee

Riverina

Victoria

Central Victoria

Geelong

Goulburn Valley

Macedon Ranges

Mornington Peninsula

Northeast Victoria

Northwest Victoria

Pyrenees

Yarra Valley

South Australia

Adelaide Hills

Barossa Valley

Clare

Coonawarra

Eden Valley

Langhorne Creek

McLaren Vale

Riverland

Western Australia

Great Southern

Margaret River

Pemberton