Australian viticulture tradition started in the late 18th century initiated by European settlers. Wine exports, especially to the UK, had a long tradition. The production of modern quality wine as known today however started in the 1970ies. Australia nowadays is famous for deeply coloured rich and fruit driven red wines, with Shiraz leading the way, further Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot but also a range of white varieties as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon or Riesling. In recent times the Australian wine producers love to experiment with various local European grape varieties which include Grüner Veltliner, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo or Barbera.
As it is very hot in most regions of Australia, viticulture is mainly focused on the Southern and South Western Coastal Regions. Here you can find various climate zones from cool as in Tasmania or Adelaide Hills to quite warm as in the Riverlands. These differences combined with the various soils as limestone, phylloxera-free sandy soils or unique terra rossa loam support a great range of wine styles.