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Wine in Australia
Thanks to its many wine regions such as the Hunter Valley or Margaret River and thanks to its old wine history (the first vines were planted in 1788), Australia is becoming one of the biggest actors on the world wine market. You can discover Australia through wine tourism: many Australian wineries are offering complete wine experiences with winery tours, lunches or diners in gourmet restaurants, wine tastings and much more.
But when you are buying wine online or in a bottle shop, you may wonder which Australian wine you should choose: Shiraz, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Riesling or maybe a sparkling? This article will help you understand and appreciate the different Australian wines.
Australian red wines
The main red wines in Australia are the Shiraz, the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Merlot and the Pinot Noir. The Shiraz is the most popular of these wines, it has to be drunk young to enjoy its dark red appearance and its spicy and blackberry flavours. You will find the best Shiraz in the Hunter Valley (NSW) and in the Barossa Valley (SA).
If you want to associate your wine with food such as pasta, vegetables or roasted meat, Merlot will be the best solution: thanks to its soft nature and red fruits and floral aromas, it partners perfectly with food. Some of the best Merlot wines are produced in Victoria especially in the Yarra Valley or in South Australia (Adelaide Hills). You will often find Merlot blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Cabernet Sauvignon wines,heavier and with cassis aromas, are very good when produced in Margaret River (WA) or in Coonawarra (SA).
The Pinot Noir represent a very small amount of the Australian wine production, but it is very good.. It is a complex wine, lightly coloured, with red berry aromas when its is young and with more leathery aromas when it is aging. Because the Pinot Noir needs to be grown in cool areas, the best wines are produced in Victoria, especially in the Yarra Valley and in Geelong.
Australian white wines
Thanks to the very diverse climates and landscapes of Australia, the Australian wine industry is also producing very good white wines : Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling and Marsane. The Chardonnay wines are light wines with flavours of lemon and green apple. You will be able to find some of the best ones in Beechworth (Vic) or in the Eden Valley (SA).
The Semillon is a fresh mineral wine with lemon flavours. Young, it is a perfect match for oysters. The Hunter Valley can be considered as the best area for Semillon but you can also fine some very good ones in the Barossa Valley
If you are visiting Tasmania, you need to try their fine and delicate Riesling, which can be associated with Asian influenced dishes or chicken. South Australia is also producing quality Riesling in Clare Valley.
The Marsane represents a really small amount of the production, but it is a historic variety in Goulburn Valley (Vic). The wines produced with Marsane grapes are characterised by their honeysuckle and melon flavours.
Australian sparkling wines
In addition to its red and white wines, the Australian wine industry is producing some very good red and white sparkling wines. The fact that Moët & Chandon is producing sparkling Australian wines in its Domaine Chandon (Yarra Valley) is a good proof of the quality of this type of wines. Thanks to its cool climate, Tasmania is famous for its sparkling wines production.
If you want to choose a sparkling wine (red or white), you should give priority to the wines produced using the traditional method : there quality is much better.