Guides

Articles

Media

E-Learning

Resources

Community

Explore

Australia

Contents

  1. Introduction to Australia
  2. Wine Australia: The Label Integrity Program and Geographical Indications
  3. Technology in Viticulture and Winemaking
  4. South Australia
  5. New South Wales
  6. Victoria
  7. Western Australia
  8. Tasmania
  9. Queensland

Introduction to Australia

In 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip landed the First Fleet, eleven ships whose passengcers included British soldiers, convicts, and a few free settlers, along the coastline of Botany Bay, just eight miles south of the modern-day Sydney Central Business District. Captain Phillip founded the penal colony of New South Wales and its capital, the city of Sydney—Australia’s first permanent European settlement. Prior to landfall in Australia, the First Fleet stopped for supplies—including vine cuttings—at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and the British planted vines near Sydney upon landing in 1788. This original vineyard bore fruit three years later but did not last. In its earliest days as a penal colony, Australia suffered from little winemaking expertise, and advances in viticulture were slow. Nonetheless, the vine (a non-native plant) spread from New South Wales to Tasmania in 1823, and from Tasmania to South Australia by 1837 and to Victoria in 1838. In the Swan River Colony of Western Australia, settlers planted the first vineyard in 1830. Free immigrants arrived in Australia throughout the 1830s and 1840s from all corners of Europe, and brought winemaking traditions with them. Some of today’s most famous names arose as small family-owned wineries in this period, including Lindeman’s (1843), Penfolds (1844), Orlando Wines (1847), and Yalumba (1849). In the 1850s, the promise of gold lured even greater droves of European immigrants to southeastern Australia, and interest in winemaking burgeoned.

Boom days for gold equaled boom days for wine, particularly in the gold-rich colony of Victoria, which asserted itself as Australia’s largest producer of wine by the 1870s. However,
Anonymous
  • 9 months ago in reply to Michael Markarian

    Hey Michael! We will have the guide updated shortly. Feel free to find the new classification on this compendium page. 

  • 9 months ago in reply to Brandon Anderson

    Thanks, Brandon!  It looks like they have just published the 8th edition online, and have done away with the previous three categories. The new listing now has 21 wines listed as "First Classified" (like First Growth) and 79 wines as "Classified."

  • 9 months ago in reply to Michael Markarian

    Mike, here is the Outstanding tier from Langton's VII. I'm sure things will shake up with the impending new Classification.

    BEST’S Bin No.O Great Western Shiraz, Grampians
    BALNAVES OF COONAWARRA The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
    BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE E & E Black Pepper Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    BASS PHILLIP Premium Pinot Noir, South Gippsland
    BINDI Block 5 Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges
    BINDI Original Vineyard Pinot Noir, Macedon Ranges
    BY FARR Sangreal Pinot Noir, Geelong
    CHARLES MELTON Nine Popes Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvedre, Barossa Valley
    D’ARENBERG The Dead Arm Shiraz, McLaren Vale
    DOMAINE A Cabernet Sauvignon, Coal River Valley
    FOX CREEK Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale
    GRANT BURGE Meshach Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    GREENOCK CREEK Roennfeldt Road Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    HENSCHKE Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon, Eden Valley
    HENSCHKE Keyneton Estate Euphonium Shiraz Cabernet Merlot, Barossa Valley
    HOUGHTON Jack Mann Frankland River Cabernet Blend, Great Southern
    HOWARD PARK Abercrombie, Cabernet, Margaret River-Great Southern
    JASPER HILL Emily’s Paddock Shiraz-Cabernet Franc, Heathcote
    JASPER HILL Georgia’s Paddock Shiraz, Heathcote
    KAESLER WINES Old Bastard Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    KAY BROTHERS AMERY VINEYARDS Block 6 Old Vine Shiraz, McLaren Vale
    KATNOOK ESTATE Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
    LANGMEIL WINERY The 1843 Freedom Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    LEEUWIN ESTATE Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
    MAIN RIDGE ESTATE Half Acre Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula
    MOUNT MARY Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley
    NOON Winery Reserve Shiraz, Langhorne Creek
    PENFOLDS Bin 389 Cabernet-Shiraz, South Australia
    PENFOLDS RWT Shiraz Barossa South Australia
    PENFOLDS St. Henri Shiraz, South Australia
    PENFOLDS Yattarna Chardonnay, South Australia
    PETER LEHMANN Stonewell Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    PIERRO Chardonnay, Margaret River
    ROCKFORD Sparkling Black Shiraz, Barossa Valley
    SEPPELTSFIELD Para Liqueur Port, Barossa Valley
    TAHBILK 1860 Vines Shiraz, Nagambie Lakes
    TYRRELL’S Vat 1 Semillon

  • 9 months ago in reply to Michael Markarian

    Thanks, Michael! This is all taken care of. 

  • 9 months ago

    A minor typo: I believe Best's Great Western "Thompson Family" Shiraz should be spelled "Thomson Family."

  • 9 months ago in reply to Michael Markarian

    Hey Michael! It looks like Langtomn's has removed this part of their site as they gear up to release the 8th edition of the classification. So, I wouldn't worry about the 7th edition of Outstanding or Excellent wines as they'll change shortly. 

  • 9 months ago

    The Langton's web site used to list all of the classified wines in all three tiers, but it looks like it has been taken down (https://www.langtons.com.au/classificationPage). The 22 "Exceptional" wines are listed above in this guide, but is there an existing list available of the other tiers?

  • 11 months ago in reply to Vivian Mehnert

    Hey Vivian! We will be sure to put one together and add it soon. 

  • 11 months ago

    Is there a reason Penfolds isn't included in the Producer Profiles section? 

  • over 1 year ago in reply to CJ

    Hey CJ! Both of these producers share a long and intertwined history together. That being said, the current text conflates the two producers. and the 1890 date refers to the first plantings of Metala, that were trucked over to Adelaide Hills' Stonyfell for the first couple of vintages. The text is updated to feature the planting of Metala. Thanks!

App Store Google Play
© 2023 GuildSomm

Join to continue reading.

GuildSomm members enjoy exclusive access to educational content, classes, and a robust professional network. If you're a wine professional, GuildSomm is for you! Our members represent every facet of the industry and stage of a beverage career.

Join now