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Australian Wine
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Globalization has benefited Australian wine growers in recent years, making their products available worldwide despite the nation's relative isolation from other well-to-do countries. Australia's ongoing drought, while causing trouble for some sectors of the economy, boosted the quality of recent Australian vintages from regions such as Coonawarra and Barossa Valley. Australia’s warm dry summers lead to higher alcohol content of these wines but have not affected flavors negatively whatsoever. During March 2008, a heat wave in Adelaide (over two weeks where temperatures broke 35 C, about 95 F, every day) led to an early harvest in the area.
Australia's wine regions span the continent. Aussies can reap the benefit of their wine regions' proximity to the large cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. From Hunter Valley near Sydney in the East, to numerous regions such as Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale along the Southern coast in Victoria and South Australia, all the way to Margaret River in Western Australia, Australian wine regions grow a variety of grapes. Australia's best known wine regions reside near Adelaide. They include Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Further east, about halfway to Melbourne, is Coonawarra. These regions produce Australia's finest red wines of the Cabernet and Shiraz varietals. Wonderful whites, including Viognier and a unique blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, are the hallmark of Margaret River and Hunter Valley. Compared to America, 
Australia tasting rooms (called cellar doors) are a laid-back, low-pressure and charming experience. Occasionally, you will meet the winery owner, a rare event in the rest of the world. Most vineyards have relatively few visitors outside peak holiday periods and offer free tastings on a regular basis. Every wine lover must visit Barossa Valley. One of Australia's largest wineries, Penfolds, offers tasting and facility tours, including an expensive but exclusive Grange tour, where guests taste Penfolds' highly-acclaimed Grange, a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet. Do not miss Peter Lehmann's cellar door, where they offer free tasting of their wide variety of wines, some available only at the cellar door. One impressive wine is the King, a 21-year-old fortified wine that retails for about AU$40. The King makes an amazing dessert wine. While in Barossa, enjoy a meal at Lou Miranda Estate's outstanding restaurant at their cellar door. Lou's wines compliment any meal at his restaurant. Margaret River's beautiful countryside accentuates any visit to the region. Best accessed as a weekend trip from Perth, Margaret River's wines are regrettably hard to find outside Australia. Visitors will not be disappointed by Margaret River's quality wines. Voyager Estates' beautiful grounds entice any visitor to stop at their cellar door. Voyager's wines are equally impressive. Guests will be hard-pressed choose just one or two bottles to take away as souvenirs of their visit. There you have it. Go check out the wines from Down Under and you will not be disappointed.Discover the Beauty of Australia
Beyond Australian wine, are you planning to explore Australia? Visit Melbourne-Australia-Maps.com and you will find a great deal of information; from exotic beaches to thriving Australian cities. Before planning that Australian trip, this site is a must see.
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