Two decades ago Australia only just registered on the wine Richter scale in the UK. Now, one in four bottles sold is Australian. They introduced the UK to the concept of a decent wine that tasted of something and cost less than a fiver - and they haven't looked back since. It's probably true to say that Australia put everyone else on warning, forcing Old World giants such as France, Spain, and Italy, to re-evaluate the way they made their wine, and the way they communicated with the consumer.
And they are still going strong. Having cornered the market in good-value, fruit-driven wines around the £5 mark, they are now planning to make us realise how well they can do above that price line, which means some fantastic wines between £6 and £10 making their way onto our shelves. These are wines that give classic regions such as Chablis, Sancerre, Bordeaux and Burgundy a real run for their money. And above £10? Well, Australia has always produced top-flight, top-of-the-range wines; it just hasn't shouted about them as much as it should do. Until now, that is.
Interestingly, what's also emerging from Australia is the concept of regionality, whereby each region has a particular style and character of its own. So, instead of looking for an Australian Chardonnay on the shelf, we're all being encouraged to work out whether we prefer a Margaret River Chardonnay, say, or a Hunter Valley Chardonnay. The idea is essentially the same as the regional divisions in France. We don't ask for a French Chardonnay: we ask for a Chablis or a white Burgundy or Provence Chardonnay. And so, it seems, we may do the same in future with Australian wines.
For the average consumer who has only just managed to get their heads round the difference between basic grape varieties. this might seem an added complexity they could do without. However, for anyone getting into their wine, it opens up a whole new world of interest and discovery. I've concentrated on the four largest wine-producing areas in Australia, to give you a head-start.
Hunter Valley,
Barossa Valley,
Adelaide Hills
Tasmania,
Yarra Valley,
Margaret River