The residence of early wine pioneer John MacArthur / Alamy
With its diverse microclimates and soils that allow a wide range of varieties to thrive, it’s easy to forget that Australia has almost no native grapes of its own. All the vines that yield world-renowned Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and more had to be brought from somewhere else.
The origins and growth of the Australian wine industry are tied to the colonization of the nation, first by Britain as a penal colony for convicts, and then by immigrants from around Europe.
English colonizer Captain James Cook in New South Wales / Alamy