Australia’s wine history is a short yet fascinating one. Unlike the rest of the new world, vines weren’t planted in Australia until the late 1700s (approximately 100 years after other new world countries; such as the USA and South Africa). They were planted by early English colonists in what is now modern-day Sydney (where the first penal colonies were). However, the land was incredibly humid and hot, meaning that the grapes suffered from terrible rot and the vines ultimately withered and died. 

By the mid 19th century, viticulturists from all over Europe began arriving on Australian shores, bringing their advanced winemaking practices with them. Australian wine began to develop and grow, with plantings moving inland; towards the southern coastal regions, like Hunter Valley.

While Australia wasn’t struck as badly as Europe with the Phylloxera disease; it was still discovered in Victoria in 1877. It destroyed some crops entirely, especially in Victoria and the neighbouring regions. 

By the late 1960s, the wine industry in Australia really began to boom. Evolving globalisation and Australia’s growing economy meant that wine production was ramped up. By 2010, Australia was exporting 134 million cases of wine (up from 1 million in 1960). 

To this day, Australia remains one of the leaders of wine exporting, with more than 60 per cent of its wine exported. In fact, Australia produces so much wine that it often fails to sell it all; with it often overproducing. This led to serious problems in the late 00s when it had nearly 40 million excess cases of wine unsold – meaning several areas of vine plantings had to be destroyed to make up for the economic impact.