Information about Appellation

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Australia Australia trade

History of wine in Australia
Wine has been produced in Australia since the 19th century. The industry was dominated by the production of fortified wines, and it was only in the 1950s that the transition began to table wines. One of the first successes was the production of the Barossa Pearl brand of sparkling wine. But it was only in 1970 that production of table wine exceeded production of fortified wine. In the 2001 vintage in Australia, production of red wine passed production of white wine for the first time. During the nineties there was steady growth of the three leading varietals, all of which have increased about 3× in plantings over the decade. Chardonnay was the largest crop, just ahead of Shiraz, until year 2000; in 2005 Chardonnay dipped and Cabernet Sauvignon moved clearly into second place.

Climate in Australia
The climate varies enormously over the continent, but it is generally dry (Australia is the driest land continent) and irrigation is usually necessary for viticulture - in fact this is a theme for agriculture in general. However, pressure on sources for irrigation has been increased runs of dry spells over the past 30 years, perhaps a reflection of global warming, with particular reductions in rainfall in Western Australia and Victoria. In 2007, water prices increased from A$300 per megaliter to A$1000, putting financial pressure on growers, with p[ossibly as many 15% forced to abandon viticulture. Terroir is not usually an issue, the notable exception being Coonawarra, which is considered to have exceptional soil in the form of its Terra Rossa.

Regulations in Australia
The view in Australia is that their system has a flexible legal system supporting a consumer-driven industry. Wine law is based on the Label Integrity Program (LIP) introduced in 1990 and regulations promulgated in 1994 as the result of a bilateral agreement with the EU. The LIP, as amended by the agreement with the E.U., imposes the 85% rule for both varietal content and vintage. Wineries must keep detailed records that can be audited by the AWBC. The LIP requires record keeping to substantiate claims for vintage, variety, or geographical origin, and there must be an audit trail from the vineyard to the bottle. Regulations concern data marking, allowed additives, levels of sulfur dioxide, volatile acidity, etc. The AWBC (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation is a federal body controlling exports, and writes regulations governing wine labeling and enological practices. It issues export licenses, tastes all wine prior to export, and approves each shipment. The main exceptions to E.U. law are that up to 5 varietals can be named on a label, that late harvest and botrytized wines can have alcohol levels >15%, and the extent to which acidity can be raised. Australia no longer permits generic labeling that would conflict with E.U. law (e.g. the use of terms such as "Chablis" is banned). The AWBC plays an active role in assisting exporters: for example, it maintains an updated "export market grid" summarizing regulations for the import of wine into all of the export markets.

Viticulture in Australia
Viticultural practices are extremely advanced, especially in handling cool climates. (This also has been helpful in New Zealand, where some areas might not have been cultivated but for the developments in Australia.) In fact, Australia has reached the stage of exporting its expertise in the form of "flying winemakers" who advise European vineyards. There is extensive cooperation between winemakers, who regard the production of good wine as something of a community effort. This is supported by a strong system of shows at which wines are exposed to criticism from fellow winemakers. There is also strong government support for the industry, which views it as an important part of the export drive.

Wine classification in Australia
Wine producing regions are divided hierarchically into states, zones, regions, and subregions. There are 28 zones and about 60 regions ~60 zones. Some are very broad and of little practical interest; some are more restricted. In particular, the major regions of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales have been delineated as individual regions, including the well known areas of Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, etc. Blending across regions is permitted, the only consequence being that the label can state only the lowest common denominator as the region. There are no limits on yields or wine styles.

Wine regulations in Australia and New Zealand
Food safety (including wine) is regulated by ANZFA (Australia New Zealand Food Authority). New wine legislation requires wineries to establish and register wine standards management plans (WSMPs) which are based on the HACCP system. Labeling requirements require the Label to show a lot number, name and address of the supplier, alcohol content within 1.5%, a statement of the number of standard drinks. Requirements have been strengthened with regards to allergens: all wine bottled after 2003 must declare on the label any derivatives of fish, milk, and nuts. Basically this applies to residual fining agents, but the standard does not require labeling where the manufacturer determines that processing aids were used in the manufacturing process and cannot be detected in the final wine.