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Australia travel facts
| Area (sq km): | 7,686,850 | |
| Population: | 20,434,176 | |
| Nationality: | Australian | |
| Local Name: | Australia | |
| Language: | English | |
| Time Zone: | +8 - +10 GMT | |
| Currency: | 1 dollar = 100 cents |
|
| Rate: | www.xe.com | |
| Capital: | Canberra | |
| Dialling Code: | +61 | |
| Electricity: | 230V/50Hz | |
| Internet Code: | .au | |
| Religion: | Catholic, Anglican, Other Christian |
|
| Climate: | Arid, Temperate, Tropical |
|
| Government: | Federal Parliamentary Democracy | |
| Inoculations: | None | |
| Driving: | Left | |
| Int'l License: | Not required | |
| Banking: | M-F 9.30-17.00 | |
| Major Airports: | Adelaide(ADL), Brisbane(BNE), Canberra(CBR), Darwin(DRW), Melbourne(MEL), Perth(PER), Sydney(SYD) |
Hunter Valley Australian wine
The oldest wine region in Australia is Hunter Valley wine region. The wineries in Hunter Valley continually produce the best Australian wine including robust Shiraz, Semillon and silky Chardonnay.
The Hunter Valley wine region is just one of the many gems in Australia for you to explore from Australia accommodation. The Hunter Valley wine region is conveniently located 160km north of Sydney, Australia’s capital city, off the National Highway.
The green plains are lush with wineries and olive orchards backed by the weathered Brokenback Mountain Range. Hunter Valley Wine Region is the oldest wine growing region in Australia and is home to stately wineries numbering over 100, with cellar doors open to visitors year round.
Wineries in Hunter Valley
With over 100 wineries in Hunter Valley you just cannot go wrong. Settle into Australia villas near Hunter Valley to sample the area’s best grapes, like those from Allandale Winery.
Allandale Winery is a boutique winery known for its Chardonnay, Shiraz and Semillon wines, all first-rate wines. The Semillon grape is popular in Hunter Valley. It is a dry white with herbal tones associated with the Valley.
Briar Ridge Vineyard does a fantastic Semillon that is good young, but better after being cellared for four years. Calais Estate features varietals unique to wineries Hunter Valley like Viognier and Chambourcin. Gartelmann Vineyard handpicks its grape from 30+ year old vines and also makes fine velvety olive oils. Ivanhoe Wines is well known for its big reds and Peterson House makes excellent sparkling wines in the traditional method.
Australian wine
The name now synonymous with Australian wine is Shiraz. The wine growers in Australia have created their own twist on the Syrah grape that comes from the Rhone Valley in France. They have indeed been so successful in this venture that Shiraz is Australia’s number one grape. Australian wine have taken that one step further and have begun to blend the Shiraz grape with other grapes.
To date the Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon has been the most “fruitful” pairing. Next in line for notoriety is the Chardonnay grape now the 3rd most popular in Australia. One thing that the Australians have in common with the wines in South Africa is their desire that everyone might enjoy their wines. Thus, they keep the prices low, but continue to exceed expectations in quality.