| Have you ever wondered how wine appreciation has | | | | variants which affect the quality of the wine (or |
| become more wide spread around the globe? Wine | | | | beer) being made. |
| has been around for centuries. It was made in China | | | | Characteristics of different wine types depend on |
| 2000BC and it became very familiar by the Greeks | | | | the grape variety or varieties that are used. It can |
| by 1000BC. The Greeks seem to have developed the | | | | also depend on the soil in which the vines were |
| art of making wine from the Egyptians, in turn the | | | | grown and regional climate when the grapes were |
| Greeks then passed it onto the Romans from there | | | | growing, then there's the method used to make the |
| it went to Gaul (France) and to the banks of the | | | | particular wine type. Regulations of wine making will |
| Rhine River. Christian missionaries took wine making | | | | determine the labelling requirements and minimum |
| even further because it was needed for the mass. | | | | alcoholic strength. |
| Europe wine-making spread with European settlement | | | | Here are some of the wine districts of Australia: |
| to America, both North and South to South Africa | | | | * New South Wales - Hunter Valley, Murrumbidgee |
| and to Australia and New Zealand. Today wine is | | | | Irrigation Area |
| made anywhere that the vines will adapt to the | | | | * South Australia - Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, |
| climatic conditions. | | | | Adelaide Hills |
| Wine came to Australia with the First Fleet. Vine | | | | * Victoria - Yarra Valley, Great Western, Goulburn |
| cuttings were introduced by the Fleet from Brazil | | | | Valley |
| then planted in 1788 at Farm Cove now called | | | | * Western Australia - Swan Valley, Margaret River, |
| 'Sydney Botanical Gardens', followed by more vines in | | | | Franklin River- Mt. Barker |
| Parramatta. The Hunter Valley was first grown by | | | | * Queensland - Roma, 'Granite Belt' South West of |
| cuttings brought over from Europe in 1832. Vines | | | | Brisbane |
| were planted in South Australia, Victoria and Western | | | | * Tasmania - Tamar Valley near Launceston |
| Australia within a year or two of settlement. This | | | | * Northern Territory - Chateau Hornsby south of |
| then became the foundation of the Australian Wine | | | | Alice Springs |
| Industry. | | | | The character of Australian wines is much less |
| Australian wines are now just as equal to any others | | | | associated with the particular district of where they |
| made around the world. Having spent a lot of time in | | | | come from in comparison to the traditional wine |
| the hospitality industry, I know how important it is to | | | | regions of Europe. Some of the big wine-producing |
| have an understanding of wine, how it's made and | | | | companies like Orlando, Penfolds and BRL Hardy have |
| the characteristics of the many different varieties | | | | wineries at a lot of different places. Many excellent |
| available. | | | | Australian wines are blends of grapes grown in |
| A way of briefly defining wine is that it is a | | | | different regions and their wines are not necessarily |
| fermented (or part-fermented) juice of fresh grapes | | | | associated with any particular district. The grape |
| in the form of an alcoholic drink. | | | | variety used or generic wine type results in a better |
| The basic process of the production of wine and | | | | guide as to what an Australian wine will be like, rather |
| beer and the first stage of the making of spirits is | | | | than the region in which it is from. |
| the fermentation, which occurs naturally with many | | | | |