Since Australian wine has risen to prominence only in the last 20 years, it's easy to assume it's the 'new kid on the block'. In fact, grape vines arrived in Australia aboard the First Fleet in 1788. Successive waves of European immigrants - Germans in the mid 19th century and Italians and Yugoslavs in the 20th century. Read more

Since Australian wine has risen to prominence only in the last 20 years, it's easy to assume it's the 'new kid on the block'. In fact, grape vines arrived in Australia aboard the First Fleet in 1788. Successive waves of European immigrants - Germans in the mid 19th century and Italians and Yugoslavs in the 20th century - did much to consolidate growth of the Australian wine industry.