Australia is among top 10 wine producing countries in the world. Just the south part of Australia produced 40% of the entire wine production in 2014. But this was not always the case as it was not until the 18th century that European settlers began to plant country’s first vineyards. Because Australia did not have own native grape, settlers were importing grape varieties from Europe. Soon from small plantings Australia turned into world’s finest wine producing region. Today Australia has more than 60 wine-producing regions including the most popular Barossa Valley, Yarra Valley, Coonawarra, Margaret River (all from different parts of Australia).
Australian wine is known for quality, exceptional texture, aroma and flavour. But what it is that makes these wines so unique? Why do Australian wines top online wine sales?
Climate
Climate has a lot to do with the taste and quality of a wine. It’s probably one of the most important factors. And luckily, Australia has been blessed with unique climates. Although most wines are produced in the southeast part of Australia, it does not mean that grape varieties produced in the southwest are less good. They are just different in acidity, taste and flavour. Wines produced in the southern cooler regions of Australia such as Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, feature more fruity flavours and earthy tones, whereas wines from warmer areas like Barossa, McLaren and Vale express intense fruit flavours and subtle minty or black fruit notes.
Advertising
The power of advertising has a lot to do with the growing popularity of Australian wines. Australian wines were as good in the past as they are today, just not as exposed (advertised) as they are nowadays. Thanks to advertising and the Internet, Australian wines also gained a worldwide reputation. It is the increased online wine sales that have boosted the number of exported wines to a great extent.
Labeling
When you buy wines, the first thing you read is the label, right? That’s exactly why most winemakers include easy-to-read labels to ensure customers understand the origin and content of particular wine. This applies to both offline and online shopping. With traditional shopping, label reading is obvious. Most wine lovers have hard time when browsing online wine sales. It really is very simple, though. Every reputable online wine shop provides detailed description of every wine type and brand, plus you can always enlarge the image to get needed information.
Number of Wineries
James Halliday, a popular wine expert, had an opportunity to visit over 2500 Australian wineries. Imagine how much more are left to see. Small, family-owned wineries are responsible for 2/3 of the entire wine production in Australia and are the key to the success of Australian wines. Because grape plantations are usually smaller, owners have the time and efforts to devote to producing high quality wines. Australian winemakers pay more attention on finding the right grape variety that suits specific soil and climate, rather than growing all kinds of grape varieties. They are focused on quality rather than quantity and profits.
