Australia

Wine Guide / Countries / All Countries / Australia

Think New World and Australia is invariably top of mind. This far flung continent country plonked way down in the Southern Hemisphere has literally driven the wine world to new discoveries. The Aussies have never had it easy and don’t do easy either. The modern avatar of the Syrah the Aussies call Shiraz, the reimagining of Cabernet into a bold and smoky red and championing the screw cap revolution – Australia has muscled through so many vinous revolutions and continues to.

Vast stretches of vineyards in South Australia produce a multitude of winning styles of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Eden Valley’s Riesling style continues to evolve, Yarra Valley in Victoria regarded as Australia’s parallel to Burgundy produces stunningly good Pinot Noir as does the remote and perennially cool island of Tasmania and to the far west in Margaret River, premium batches of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vintages consistently impress critics. Australia’s most notable recent trend has been a gradual departure from the huge and overripe red quaff that was popular 10 years ago towards elegance and fruit concentration that make them more food friendly.

key regions

Barossa Valley – Barossa Valley is Australia’s Bordeaux – the standard for Aussie reds, and perhaps New World reds. South Australia’s top wine region, Barossa Valley rosé to serious prominence with its Shiraz style in the late 20th century thanks to oenologists who knew they were sitting on a patch of soil capable of greatness

The next few decades saw the emergence of wineries that would go on to bottle and redefine Shiraz for the world to admire and savour. The bold and big Shiraz that ends long with unapologetic tannins defines this picturesque region as does the homegrown blend of Shiraz and Cabernet and Southern Rhone style blends, GSM (Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre).

Mclaren Vale – South Australia is the veritable Champions League of wine regions, containing the likes of Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and Coonawarra. Even so, McLaren Vale holds its own with a reputation for making superbly balanced wines.

Situated close to the coast, the windswept region plants a range of grapes like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz Mclaren Vale is gifted with mountain cover that protect the vines from climate shocks while the continual ocean breeze cool the grapes down, creating an ideal growing environment.

Hunter Valley – While South Australia boasts nearly all of Australian wine regions, New South Wales can proudly lay claim to having the oldest. Hunter Valley is where, as the Aussies put it, “It all began”. Hunter Valley is steeped in history and old vines that yield fabulous Semillon wines.

Semillon is a white grape, rarely spoken of outside of Bordeaux but here in Hunter, it rules, making wines that taste of citrus, grass and twang of acidity. The region, just two hours outside of Sydney also makes hearty warm weather Chardonnay and Shiraz that ripen nicely under NSW’s perpetually sunny skies.

Yarra Valley – Yarra Valley is Victoria’s pride and joy and best known for making New World Pinot and Chardonnay that can rival Burgundy. Australia’s coolest region began its wine odyssey in 1838 and today enjoys a proven track record of producing high quality still and sparkling wines, thanks largely to a rich diversity of soils and microclimates.

Nowhere in the world apart from Napa does Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon thrive in the same region given how different the two grapes are. The Chardonnays are just superlative, bursting with stone fruit and acid and turning rich and savoury under oak.

key Varietals

Shiraz is more than just a New World name for Syrah, it’s an entirely different style created by the Australian in the Barossa. This red wine doesn’t hold back on ripe fruit, alcohol and tannins, stretching its legs to the fullest and capturing the essence of everything a full bodied red wine can be.

Cabernet Sauvignon illustrates Australia’s capacity to fashion a number of styles from a single grape though there’s one style that can only be found in just one South Australian region. The big and smokey Coonawarra ‘Cab’ is a stunner of a wine for those who love their reds. This warm climate weighty Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t pull its punches and can never be lost from memory once sipped.

Pinot Noir was always going to be a challenge in a largely warm country but pockets were successfully found and planted with vines, especially Adelaide Hills and Yarra Valley that make elegant yet fuller styles of Pinot that shine with food.

Chardonnay is commonly referred to as a blank canvass and Aussie winemakers have splashed ample shades on to this international grape, making approachable fruity versions and richly oaked styles that rival Burgundy.

Sauvignon Blanc is a constant source of sparring between Australia and New Zealand though both agree the grape has been a source of plenty success for them both. Adelaide Hills and Mclaren Vale are just two of a bunch of Aussie regions that make pleasingly fruity Sauvignon Blanc that pair perfectly with the country’s bounty of sea food.

Riesling is Australia’s most underrated success story. No other New World maker can claim to have created and mastered a modern, dry style for this Franco German grape like the Aussies have in Clare and Eden Valley that are hailed as some of the world’s best.