By Nikki Scott
When it comes to wine, sometimes we are forced to face the fact that we all carry around unfounded biases. Some people think they dislike Riesling because it’s always too sweet, not realizing that many are in fact bone-dry, with searing acidity that could strip paint from a wall. Others despise Chardonnay because they have only encountered heavily manipulated, mass-produced examples, sadly unaware of the incredible finesse to be found in white Burgundy or balanced new world bottlings. Today, I have to confess and confront a former bias of my own: the wines of Australia.
Throughout my wine career, I have watched my colleagues and peers turn up their noses at Aussie wines, writing them off as generally simple, jammy plonk with cute animals adorning their labels in a clever and successful marketing tactic. I have worked in shops and wine bars that carried no wines at all from Down Under, or perhaps just one or two—just the way I preferred it. But eventually, a visit to Oz turned out to be exactly what I needed to overcome my judgemental stance and open my mind to the plethora of outstanding wines made in this vast and varied landscape.
For years, I believed that Australian wines just didn’t quite jive with my palate. Those I had tasted (mostly Shiraz) were generally inexpensive, heavy “fruit bombs” with too much oak and more residual sugar than I cared for. But after sampling a diverse array of Australian wines straight from the source, I opened my eyes to a world of elegant, balanced wines in every color, style, and price point. In doing so, I learned that there are still great value wines to be found (just stay away from the critter labels) as well as higher-end premium offerings.
From the zesty, citric Rieslings of the Eden and Clare Valleys to the bold, minty Cabernets of Coonawarra, Australia truly has something to offer every wine drinker. Sure, there is plenty of big and jammy Shiraz, but the best producers are crafting a style that has more to offer than just ample alcohol. There are also Chardonnays in every imaginable style made throughout the country, excellent sparkling wines from Tasmania, richly textured Semillons in the Hunter Valley, cool-climate Pinot Noirs from the Mornington Peninsula, flavorful red Rhône-style blends from the Barossa Valley, and so much more. The beauty of the New World is the freedom to experiment, and Australia has always been ahead of the curve. This is a country that has been on the pioneering edge of many innovations in wine technology for decades, known for being one of the earliest adopters of the screw cap—even for fine wines.
If you have your own bias against Australian wine, now is the time to dismantle your preconceived notions. Even if you’re already a fan, you may have a new favorite out there just waiting to be discovered. And of course, if you have a different wine bias of your own, learn from my mistakes and expand your horizons—plane ticket optional.
Here are some of the Aussie wines we are psyched about right now:
Balnaves of Coonawarra
Leeuwin Estate
Richard Betts Wines, Sucette, Barossa Valley Grenache
Torbeck
Silkman Semillon
Kalleske Wines, Barossa Valley Shiraz
