Australia is proving that its wines have quality and diversity in abundance. With a land mass of more than 7.5 million sq km, you could fit England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland into Australia 30 times, and still have a bit left over. It's not surprising therefore that climates and topography are varied. The best wine-producing regions are located on the southern side of the country.

The climate of individual regions has the greatest influence on wine style, and so the key to unlocking the potential of Australia's wines is understanding the geographical distinction of its vineyards. The five most important wine states in Australia are: Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania.