Australian wines : a rising force in the global wine
arena.
The Australian wine industry took its first tentative steps on the soil of
that country when the colonists began experimenting with vinestock brought from
Europe. The period between 1788 to 1822 saw many wine lovers planting grapes in
different weathers and climes across the country, exchanging notes with each
other on the experiences gained, offering consolations when vines did not bear
as expected, and raising a toast when they did. Their efforts won the first
international recognition in 1822 when a consignment of wine bagged the Silver
Medal of the Royal Society of Arts at London. This was followed by the Gold
Ceres Medal in 1827. The Australian wine industry has not looked back since.
From a shipment of 136 litres in 1822 to an annual export of 475 million liters
to 104 countries around the world in 2001, Australian wines have well and truly
arrived. By the early 1990s, wine exports to Europe had risen sufficiently to
the extent that the country had to upgrade its laws - the Australian Wine And
Brandy Corporation Act (AWBC - 1980) - in compliance with its international
commitments to TRIPS and the European Community on Trade in Wine.
The dazzling growth achieved by the industry has motivated both the private
players and the government to be more efficient and focussed in their efforts;
and this in turn has led to the two cooperating with each other constructively
to the greatest extent possible on all issues of legislation and standards. This
has manifested itself
in the form of a special information section being set up in the AWBC, called
the AWBC Information Service, in 1997. The mandate givento this section is to
serve as a single-desk coordinating entity for providing accurate and timely
information to the Australian wine industry; in order for the latter to take
decisions effectively.
Publication of the bi-monthly newsletter The Wine Contact, compiling and
distributing the Wine Export Approval Report (WEAR), making periodic
presentations to the industry and the government on matters of importance,
maintaining in realtime industry data on the internet through its "WINEFACTS
Statistics" web pages; are a few of the various activities performed by the AWBC
Information Service.
The country has developed its reputation on the Shiraz varietals, and its
players have focused on the development of the highest quality of Shiraz.
The twin countries of Australia and New Zealand organize an annual wine
competition that aims to bring out the best among the vintners. A build up to
the competition takes place all year long, and competitors vie with each other
to get their produce to star on the occasion!
The government as well as the private producers have a high focus on research
and development in viticulture. The attempt is to keep improving the quality and
quantity of the product and the technology, as well as the manufacturing
and packing processes. Their demands for high technical standards in this
industry have been recognised the world over, to the extent that any new
innovation or invention gets launched in Australia first, before entering any
other market of the world.
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