Australian wines, bold and sassy, intense and delightful, are staging a comeback.  Their wine industry is rebounding from a rough patch over a decade ago, when Australia couldn’t catch a break, between natural disasters, bulk wine overproduction, foreign ownership of iconic brands, and the 2008 global recession.  Producers have tinkered with the once popular fruit bombs, creating a leaner, less oaky, more balanced style of wine that consumers crave, all the while defining their appellations and refining their winemaking.  Today, it’s a new frontier for Australian winemaking, reinventing classic wines and creating new wines with personality plus.  Aussie exuberance is infectious and times are looking up, as wine lovers re-discover the beauty and diversity of Australian wines, from the elegant Margaret River Chardonnays to the ripe and nuanced Barossa Shirazs.

Lenswood vineyard in the Adelaide Hills, Courtesy of Henschke

Courtesy of Wine Australia

Australia is sometimes considered the world’s largest island, yet is the smallest continent.  Wine grapes can only be grown on the outer fringes, where the climate is more moderate.  There are 65 wine regions, including Tasmania, with most clustered around the southeastern coasts, from the cool climate Adelaide Hills, to the warmer Hunter Valley.  Rich in old vines and 200 years of wine making history, Shiraz still is the signature grape, although a wide array of varietals, red and white, are grown in the different terrains, from Riesling to Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Australia Up Close roadshow, sponsored by Wine Australia, showed off the impressive range of varietals and styles that make up Australian wine.  Over 60 brands were poured at a trade tasting at Hudson Loft, reminding wine merchants, restaurateurs, and writers what is so deeply satisfying about Aussie wines. There is no denying the fierce charm that these wines display, a primal ripe bond with the earth that is woven into the tapestry of aromas and flavors.  But yet the white wines are elegant and surprising, with a freshness that is so inviting.  It seems that many Australian wines have colorful nicknames that have an uniquely Australian spin, and seemingly nothing to do with vineyards, soils, or grapes.  Between “Old Bastard”, “The Laughing Magpie” and “Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch”, wine labels are highly entertaining, including “The Old Bloke & The 3 Young Blondes”.  But most importantly, Australia is producing many fascinating wines, made from some of the oldest own-rooted vines in the world, many crafted by multi-generational wine producing families in business for over 150 years, considered “Australia’s First Families of Wine”.

Matt Lane of Torbreck Vintners

Matt Lane of Torbreck Vintners explained how extraordinary old vines are, they’re self-regulating, adapting themselves to environmental changes and conserving their energy through temperature extremes and drought.  He related that Torbreck’s focus “is to find some of the oldest genetic vineyards in the Barossa Valley, either nurture them back to health, or make wines from those vineyards where that vine has been there for over 100 years.”  With soils that range from 200-700 million years old, and some of the oldest vineyards in the world, those of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, Semillon and Riesling, along with the combination of over 180 years of winemaking history, it’s easy to see how exceptional many of these Australian wines are.

Bruce Tyrrell of Tyrell's Wines

(L-R) Kyle Meyer, Matt Kaner, Bruce Tyrrell, Fahara Zamorano, Jeff McWilliam, Jeff Burch, Mark Davidson

The exciting expansion into white wines was explored in a seminar and panel discussion, “White Wines: Unique Expressions of Australian Riesling, Semillon, and Chardonnay”, which illustrated how these wine grape varietals differ from producer and region, such as Chardonnay, ranging from lean to lavish.  The panelists included Bruce Tyrell of Tyrell’s Wines, Jeff Burch of Howard Park Wines, Matt Kaner of Bar Covell & Augustine Wine Bars in LA, Jeff McWilliam of McWilliam’s Wines, Kyle Meyer of the Wine Exchange, and Fahara Zamorano, head sommelier of Gwen which was led by moderator Mark Davidson.  Twelve wines were poured, four of each varietal, from either different producers or regions, and compared and contrasted.  For Semillon, I found that Tyrrell’s “Vat 1” Hunter Valley Semillon 2011 had great presence, with mouthwatering aromas, honeysuckle on the nose, ripe citrus and richness on the palate, a viscose yet crisp wine with a persistent finish, still a youngster according to Bruce Tyrrell, but so very impressive.  For Riesling, two slightly different styles offered what the grape is known for, the Pewsey Vale “The Contours” Eden Valley Riesling 2011 was smoky and mineral, with layers of flavor, while the Frankland Estate “Isolation Ridge” Frankland River Riesling 2015 was floral, with green apple and crisp acidity.  For Chardonnay, McWilliam’s “842” Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2013 was a well balanced and integrated wine, with intense, upfront fruit and minerality within an oak frame, a wine that has huge appeal.

(L-R) Managing Director Dylan Fairweather and Export Director Justin Fairweather of Alpha Box & Dice wines

Highlights from the general tasting include these wines:

The smooth and intense red wines of Yarra Yering: 
    Yarra Yering “Dry Red No. 1” Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot/Malbec 2010
    Yarra Yering “Dry Red No. 2” Yarra Valley Shiraz/Viognier/Marsanne 2010

Kaesler “Old Bastard” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2013 - smooth and intense, the finish goes on forever

Langmeil “Orphan Bank” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2014 - made from fruit of an average of 95 year old vines
​Langmeil “The Freedom” 1843 Shiraz 2015 - The Freedom vineyard, planted in 1843, is the oldest Shiraz vineyard in the world

Alpha Box & Dice craft contemporary styled wines, fresh and delicious, outside the box experimental blends and styles representing each letter of the alphabet: 
    Alpha Box & Dice “Zaptung” South Australia Glera NV
    Alpha Box & Dice “Golden Mullet Fury” McLaren Vale Semillon Viognier 2015 - cofermented, incredible aromas and flavors
    Alpha Box & Dice “Tarot” McLaren Vale Grenache 2016 - Death Card stands for rejuvenation, fresh wine with a long finish
    Alpha Box & Dice “Blood of Jupiter” Barossa McLaren Vale Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 - pretty, lip-smacking good

Torbreck Vintners is dedicated to Rhône style red and white wines, producing deeply flavored Shiraz wines from the Barossa Valley:
    Torbreck Vintners “The Struie” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2014 - aromatic and dense, with dark fruit and spice, lavender floral
     notes, and olive.
    Torbreck Vintners “The Factor” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2009 - rich and textured, dark fruit and pepper are interwoven with savory  
    notes of olive, leather, and minerals
    Torbreck Vintners “Runrig”  Barossa Valley Shiraz Viognier 2013 - powerful, rich and robust, fragrant and structured in the
    tradition of France’s Côte Rôtie, their signature wine

Penfolds may be best known for their legendary Grange wine, but their wines are made to a style, succulent and subtle, bright and structured:
    Penfolds “Bin 28” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2014 - bright and balanced, with good acidity and structure 
    Penfolds “RWT” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2013 - opulent, stylish and alluring, an incredible wine

From Australia’s First Families of Wine, twelve families whose iconic brands have distinguished Australian wine:

Brown Brothers, best of the best are the “Patricia” wines, named for their grandmother, and not made every year, since they better be “bloody good”, from Sparkling Brut to Noble Riesling, and the flagship unusual red blend:
    Brown Brothers “Patricia” King Valley Sparkling Brut 2010
    Brown Brothers “Patricia” Tasmania Chardonnay 2012
    Brown Brothers King Valley Shiraz Mondeuse Cabernet Franc 2008

Susie Campbell of Campbells of Rutherglen wines

Campbells of Rutherglen, known for their “stickies” or sweet wines, two standouts that have enough acidity to balance out the sweetness, plus one dry red wine:
    Campbells Rutherglen Muscat NV - very different in that it’s from the red Muscat Petits Grains grape, round and yummy
    Campbells “Merchant Prince Rare” Rutherglen Muscat NV - average age 20 years old, incredible
    Campbells Rutherglen Durif 2013 - youthful, but elegant and balanced dry red wine

d’Arenberg is perhaps the best known winery, producing over 66 wines with its distinctive diagonal red stripe across the label, organic/biodynamic certified, small batch winemaking, basket press of grapes, and foot tread during fermentation:
    d’Arenberg “The Old Bloke & The 3 Young Blondes” McLaren Vale Shiraz Roussanne Viognier Marsanne 2011 - the name
    refers to the grape varietals, Old Bloke is the Shiraz from 100-year-old vines, the 3 young blondes refer to the three white Rhône
    varietals (Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne), an exotic and fragrant wine, with earth and spice notes, layered and complex

Henschke are sixth generation winemakers, producing noteworthy red and white wines from iconic vineyards in Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, and Barossa Valley:
    Henschke “Keyneton Euphonium” Barossa Valley Eden Valley Red Blend 2013 - smooth and delicious
    Henschke “Henry’s Seven” Barossa Shiraz Grenache Viognier 2015 - aromatic and bright

Jim Barry Wines, a pioneer of Australian table wine, family owned and operated, with a focus on high quality estate fruit from Clare Valley:
    Jim Barry “McRae Wood” Clare Valley Shiraz 2012 - intense with depth of flavor, vibrant acidity, and fine tannins
    Jim Barry “The Armagh” Clare Valley Shiraz 2012 - a big ageworthy wine, powerful and concentrated, a grand expression of dark
    fruit, espresso, licorice, dried herbs, and toasty mocha notes

These premium Australian wines are stunning in their depth and complexity, well integrated in their alcohol and acidity.  Shiraz is unlike any other Syrah wine in the world, brooding beauties that haunt your palate with a forever finish.  Although many of the powerful single vineyard wines are more expensive, their unique expression makes them worth every dollar.  The mid-priced wines are quite distinct, and the evolution of white wines and a lighter touch in winemaking is making this an exciting time to rediscover the wines of Australia.