Chardonnay. The clear favourite white for Australians is Chardonnay. It even outsells Shiraz. Australia is one of the world's largest growers of Chardonnay grapes, which are grown in many different regions of the country.
Australia's most famous wine is Penfolds Grange. The great 1955 vintage was submitted to competitions beginning in 1962 and over the years has won more than 50 gold medals. The vintage of 1971 won first prize in Syrah/Shiraz at the Wine Olympics in Paris.
A $26 bottle of Clare Valley chardonnay has been named the best Australian white wine. The prestigious Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Awards included 7,500 wines from around the globe. South Australian wineries won a total 43 awards at the event.
A $10 riesling has been named one of Australia's best wines. Tolley riesling from the Clare Valley in South Australia was crowned the best white wine under $20 at Dan Murphy's annual Decoded Wine Awards.
In Australia, only three vineyards were named in the Top 50, with all three located in South Australia. Penfolds Magill Estate was the top Australian vineyard named, at number 24, closely followed by Henschke at 25, who were named in the awards for the first time. d'Arenberg made the list at a respectable 35.
Full-bodied white wines have a higher alcohol content, generally 13.5% or more, and have more complex flavors. Examples include oaked Chardonnay, Viognier, and Muscat. These wines pair well with rich, buttery foods, like lobster, as well as smoky flavors and pungent cheeses.
In 2021, wine exports from Australia to the United States amounted to over 454 million Australian dollars, making it the leading export destination for Australian wine.
South Australia is home to some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world, so it's no surprise that its regions are regarded as some of the country's best.
One of the primary reasons Australia has some of the best wines is that most of their vineyards are in suitable locations, with the right climate. Some vineyards grow their grapes and make wine in their specific regions for generations.
The most famous drink in Australia is vino. The most consumed drink in this country is red wine.
Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc are the most frequently consumed wines in Australia. Organic wine and vegan wine is seeing strong growth. Australian people are increasingly health conscious and younger Australians are drinking less.
Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and dry sparkling wines are especially good choices.
If you can't live without white wine, consider a Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Viognier, as they are among the healthiest white wines with just under two grams of sugar per liter.
Sauvignon Blanc is most famously produced in Marlborough, New Zealand and France, where (in the former) its telltale gooseberry and grapefruit notes shine most brightly. It also does well in Australia, particularly Margaret River in the far west of the country, in addition to the Adelaide Hills.
The most enthusiastic wine drinkers are traditional wine-producing countries. France and Italy are high up on the list of drinking the most wine per person. But the number one spot, drinking most wine per person, is taken by Portugal, with 52 litres of wine per person and year.
Pinot Noir is rated as the healthiest wine because of the high levels of resveratrol. It is made of grapes with thin skin, has low sugar, fewer calories, and low alcohol content. Sagrantino made in Italy contains the highest concentration of antioxidants and is packed with tannins.
In addition to Cabernet, the region has also found some success with its Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon and Shiraz. The Mount Benson wine region is located in the southeastern part of the state near the Robe wine region, west of Coonawarra.
The region is well known for its warmer climate reds, most notably shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, but has also mastered varietals such as sangiovese, roussanne and tempranillo.
Australian Swan Vintage, the Chinese-owned Australian winery and creator of Auswan, was Australia's third largest wine exporter to China behind Treasury Wine Estates and Casella Family Wines. Since 2021, it has diversified and pivoted its business away from selling Australia-made wines to China.