Taking in Australia's Wine Country

Taking in Australia's Wine Country
by: Josh Cheak

The Enchantment of Australia's Wine Country

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Australia is usually not the wine. However, Australia has some beautiful wine country with five distinct regions in the state of South Australia. The wine is delicious, and the scenery spectacular. And, in typical Australian fashion, there is no reason to hurry through any of it.

In Adelaide Hills, you can enjoy the comforts and pace of the country, yet be close enough to one of Australia's major cities, Adelaide, with all of its attractions. The attractions of Adelaide Hills include plenty of vineyards to tour and wine to taste. It is close to the state of Victoria and you can even see some beautiful Victorian countryside.

Barossa. One of Australia's best wine producing regions, this valley is an absolute treat. Known throughout the world as a premier wine producer, Barossa's beauty and wine producing capabilities have attracted many European influences. Many of Barossa's villages resemble those found in Germany or England in terms of their architecture, tone and tradition. You can relax and enjoy an afternoon sipping local wine along with European specialties.

Clare Valley. Clare Valley boasts Australia's Reisling Trail. The trail is 27 kilometers long, and is considered a very fine bike ride. Most of the areas 40 cellars are on the route, and so you can stop and sample the local fare. There are also plenty of restaurants and hostels along the way, allowing you to complete the trail as quickly or as slowly as you would like.

Fleurieu Peninsula. Stretching from just south of Adelaide this peninsula continues down to Cape Jarvis. As you can make out from its name, this peninsula has some French influences, fine wines included. The highlight of the peninsula is a beautiful wine-producing district called the McLaren Vale with close to 60 cellars. The proprietors of these cellars are known for encouraging tasting and treating guests to their exemplary hospitality.

Limestone Coast bears the name because of the limestone that forms this part of the Australian coast. The wine produced in this region is of superior quality because of the rich limestone foundation. Limestone causes the soil to decay and it in turn breaks down into nutrients. The decaying process also creates natural aeration, which is ideal for growing vineyards. Limestone Coast is listed as a World Heritage Site because of some of the world's most acclaimed wines, and its system of unique underground caves.

There are many ways to enjoy any or all of Australia's beautiful wine country. You can choose to travel by bike, car, or even hot air balloon. Hot air balloons allow you to get a bird's eye view of the countryside. Many cellars allow you to land in their vineyards and welcome you with a glass of wine.

It is also enjoyable to bike ride through wine country. Clare Valley is not the only bicycle friendly place. You will find bike trails wherever you go. There is no doubt that wine country in Australia has as much style as it has substance.

About The Author

Josh Cheak runs a very interesting website at FRM Australia, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus why not sign up for the free Australia newsletter. If you want to read more Australia articles go to: www.frmaustralia.com/articles.

Australian Wines

Australian Wines
by: Chris Burd

Australia’s wine industry has boomed in the past ten years. Employers have had to triple their staff numbers to cope with the demand for Aussie wine. Considering the lower average national population of Australia, compared to say the United States or even South Africa, 30,000 (2001) workers is pretty high.

One of the main reasons for the demand on this skillful industry is that it has won an international reputation for quality and value. Australian wines have won many highly sought after international awards and labels and many innovative Australian winemakers are sought internationally for their wine making expertise.

Wine regions throughout Australia have continually had high ratings especially over the past four years. Most of these regions and especially the East and South coasts (New South Wales and Victoria) are averaging 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. Second to the brilliant winemakers, and a close second, is the great climates / weather that certain regions have for cultivating vines.

Wine is very much a part of the Australian way of life, closely associated with both business and leisure. Wine consumption is often linked to the country's outdoor-oriented lifestyle as well as to the cosmopolitan urban way of life of the bulk of the Australian population.

Australia exports more wine than that that is sold domestically. Out of a total of approximately 919 million litres bottled, 516.5 million litres is exported. The largest export market has been the United Kingdom and second has been the United States.

Researchers from the University College London have come up with a few very interesting facts. They found that drinking alcohol (including wine), even in small amounts, might be associated with higher cognitive ability, especially for women. You would be silly not to have a drop every night! I think Aussie are reasonably bright, it must be all the great wine they produce.

About The Author

Chris Burd

Website: Wineography

(c) 2004 Wineography.com