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In the decades following the devastation caused by phylloxera until the late 1970s, Australian wine production consisted largely, but not exclusively, of Sweet and Fortified Wine s. This was true of much New World Wine until the historic Paris Wine Tasting Of 1976 and subsequent Wine Competitions demonstrated that wines of the very highest quality could be produced in diverse regions of the world. Since then, Australia has rapidly become a world leader in both the quantity and quality of wines it produces. For example, Australian wine exports to the US rose from 578,000 cases in 1990 to 20,000,000 cases in 2004 and in 2000 it exported more wine to the UK than France for the first time in history. Australia has become a formidable competitor to both Old and New World producers around the world. Major Grape Varieties are Shiraz , Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , Sauvignon Blanc , Sémillon , and Riesling . The country has no native grapes, and '' Vitis Vinifera '' varieties were introcuced from Europe and South Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although Syrah was originally called Shiraz in Australia and Syrah elsewhere, its dramatic commercial success has led many Syrah producers around the world to label their wine "Shiraz". Australian winemaking "results have been impressive and it has established benchmarks for a number of varietals, such as chardonnay and shiraz. Moreover, Australians have innovated in canopy management and other viticultural techniques and in wine-making, and they have a general attitude toward their work that sets them apart from producers in Europe. Australian wine-makers travel the wine world as highly skilled seasonal workers, relocating to the northern hemisphere during the off-season at home." They are an important resource in the Globalization Of Wine . MAJOR WINE REGIONS See Also: List of wine producing regions#Australia South Australia Victoria New South Wales Western Australia Australia's most famous wine is Penfolds Grange . The great 1955 vintage was submitted to competitions beginning in 1962 and over the years has won more than 50 gold medals. The vintage of 1971 won first prize in Syrah/Shiraz at the Wine Olympics in Paris, just three years after the Paris tasting showed that New World wines could beat France's best in blind tastings. The 1990 vintage was named 'Red Wine of the Year' by the '' Wine Spectator '' magazine in 1995, which later rated the 1998 vintage 99 points out of a possible 100. Wine critic Hugh Johnson has called Grange the only First Growth of the Southern Hemisphere. Other red wines to garner international attention include Henschke Hill of Grace, Clarendon Hills Astralis, D'Arenberg Dead Arm, Torbreck Run Rig and other high-end Penfolds wines such as St Henri shiraz. SEE ALSO
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