The wines of Australia | Mark Davidson

Australia does not have unique or indigenous grape varieties and while grape growing practices and wine making techniques are fluid and innovative, they are inextricably tied to traditions that originated elsewhere. But the Australian wine industry is big. In 2017 Australia was the world’s fourth largest exporter of wine, with sales of approximately $2.1 billion. Wine is produced in every state, with more than 60 designated wine regions totalling approximately 160,000 hectares (although Australia’s most celebrated wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country). With such a variety to choose from, how does the wine professional or serious consumer go about selecting the most delectable and interesting Australian wine?

The way that Australia was settled and subsequently populated has informed the national character – a healthy respect for tradition combined with a ‘have a go’ mentality. This Australian attitude in combination with the uniqueness of the ancient geology, complex soils, quality of light and flora and fauna has had a dramatic influence on how the very best wines of Australia taste and feel.

The primary goal of Mark Davidson’s book is to capture the essence of Australian wine today, the factors that have shaped and continue to evolve the character and quality of the wines. He begins with an overview, including the history of the vine in Australia, its geology, topography, soils and climate, the major (and emerging) grape varieties, the history and evolution of viticulture and winemaking in Australia and labelling laws, before covering the wine regions by state. Each section contains an overview of the wine zones in each state followed by a detailed look at the major regions, including the people who are shaping the future of Australian wine.