Just as the temperatures heat up, you probably start looking for something to help you cool down. Luckily, we’ve got just the thing for you.
Now, we know everybody loves a good, locally-made Kansas wine (check out ours!).
But here in the US, when summer is in full swing, if you’re looking for cooler breezes, look south. Like, all the way south. We’re talking Down Under, in Australia.
Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, that means when it’s summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s winter down there. The reverse is also true; as a result, Christmas is a summer holiday there!
When you’re trying to get comfortable in the hot, sticky Kansas and Missouri summer, remember some of this Australian wine trivia to help you picture a cooler time and place.
Australian Winter is from June to August
Think you can’t experience a winter wonderland down under? It’s true!
In fact, the further south you go in Australia, you can experience the Australian Alps, a mountain range that is even home to ski slopes!
There are warmer places where you can enjoy less frigid temperatures and cooler evenings while taking in natural landscapes and even go whale watching.
Some Australian Wine Regions Are Cooler than Old World Ones
In wine lingo, “Old World” usually refers to places in Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East, since those are the places wine originated from.
What you might find surprising is that there are 25 vineyard areas in Australia that are actually colder than France’s Bordeaux region. Queensland’s Granite Belt region is home to the country’s coolest and highest vineyards.
An Australian Winery Regularly Produces Really Old Wine
Adelaide’s Barossa Valley is home to Seppeltsfield winery, which is the only one in the entire world that annually releases a 100-year-old vintage wine. At Seppeltsfield, you can taste wines from your birth year!
Barossa Valley is also the site of Langmeil Freedom vineyard, the oldest vineyard in Australia, founded in 1843.
It’s not surprising, since Australia has some of the planet’s oldest soils.
How Much Australian Wine Does the World Drink?
More than 30,000 glasses–every day.
As for the Aussies, an Australian drinks around 7 gallons of wine a year. They prefer whites, but red wine is a close second!
When Were the First Grape Vines Planted in Australia?
The very first grape vines planted in Australia were in Farm Cove, Sydney. Brought over in Captain Arthur Phillip’s First Fleet, they were planted in 1788.
That’s not all the First Fleet brought over, however.
Comprised of 11 ships, the First Fleet left England in 1787, bringing around 1,500 convicts (men, women, and children) to form penal colonies made up of prisoners. They had to, since they could no longer transport them to the 13 colonies in the United States!
What Are Some of the Most Popular Varietals in Australia?
According to Estate Wines, an Australian wine distributor, the most popular Australian wines are:
- Shiraz
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chardonnay
- Merlot
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Noir
- Semillon
- Riesling
- Viognier
- Pino Gris/Grigio
- Grenache
- Verdejo
- Cabernet Franc
- Tempranillo
Last, But Not Least…
We couldn’t do something on Australian trivia and leave out the thing people are most curious about: what’s it like to have Christmas in the summer?
Even though it’s not technically wine trivia, here are some fun facts about holiday traditions in Australia you might enjoy!
- They often grill outside and enjoy other beach fun: swimming, surfing, and more!
- Australians decorate their homes with ferns and palm leaves, as well as the evergreens we consider traditional. They also put up colorful summer flowers called Christmas bush and Christmas bellflower.
- A popular dish to grill (or “throw on the barbie,” as they say) on Christmas is prawns.
- Street parties are a popular way to celebrate the holiday, since everyone is outside anyway!
Feeling Cooled Off? We Hope So!
If you were reading this at the height of the Midwest summer, we hope you’ve been transported by fantasies of surfing Santas, cool wine regions, and skiing the Australian Alps.
Maybe Australia isn’t on your travel itinerary anytime soon, but not to worry. Find out more about holidays in Kansas and what kinds of activity each season brings.
And that’s not all. You can always come by and see us for a tasting to sample the best local Kansas produce and grapes in our Twisted Wines. You can even cool off with a cold glass of Country Lemonade wine or a crisp, refreshing wine slushie. We can’t promise you Vegimite or a kangaroo sighting, but they’re definitely the next-best thing.
Whatever the time of year, there is almost always something to do at our vineyard in Lawrence, winery in Leavenworth, or at any number of the community events we support! SEE OUR EVENTS CALENDAR