Kangaroo

Australia has been gaining popularity in recent years for bold, refreshing wines.

Most (70%) wine production is controlled by four very large companies: Southcorp, BRL Hardy, Orlando Wyndham, and Mildara Blass. Southcorp (owner of Penfolds, Lindemans, Wynns, and others) alone controls 30% of the nation's fine wine production.

Most wine from Australia comes from South and South Eastern Australia. Within this region are the Barossa and Clare Valley regions north of Adelaide, which are known for Shiraz, McLaren Vale immediately south, which is known for Sauvignon Blanc, Coonawarra in the south, which is known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and Hunter Valley near Sydney, which is known for Chardonnay.

Aussie Style

Many grapes are grown in Australia, but without doubt the star is Shiraz (syrah), a French Rhone Valley grape. The Aussies produce a very bold, spicy, fruit-forward wine from either straight shiraz or a two or three way blend with other strong red grapes. Since Australia has no traditions to break, their winemakers are very free to experiment with new blends, new combinations, and new winemaking techniques.

Winemaking in Australia can be described as very "scientific" and "high-tech." Production is heavily mechanized, and the wine is made in sophisticated, temperature-controlled, laboratory-sampled modern facilities. Not being bound by tradition, Australian winemakers are quick to adopt and experiment with the latest scientific techniques and advances.

Furthermore, unlike most fine wine regions, Australian wines are frequently blended across regions and varietals, instead of the single-vineyard single varietal wines that typify most fine wine. In fact, the legendary Penfolds Grange (supposedly one of Australia's finest, fetching hundreds of dollars a bottle) is a multi-region South Australia blend of primarily Shiraz with some Cabernet. The large producers of Australia control vineyards in dozens of regions, enabling them to use blends in higher end wines.

The popularity of Australian red wine is easily attributed to their young, vibrant, and bold fruity style, and the refreshing change of pace that it brings from the tired old run of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The fact that they are also extremely affordable helps. Many of the newer Australian wines on the scene, however, are made in the "fruit bomb" style that emphasizes fruitiness and chuggability over depth. Although these wines never taste bad, they aren't that interesting either. Fortunately, they are usually cheap and are easy to spot by their trendy-looking labels.

New Zealand

New Zealand is not a part of Australia, but I include it here because the wine is noteworthy. For a country that has more sheep than people, it makes amazingly good Sauvignon Blanc. The New Zealand winemakers have latched onto this as "their" grape, and their wines are some of the finest exemplars of the taste and character of Sauvignon Blanc.

God knows if they bother to make anything else.

What's Good

Australia is famous for Shiraz, and the inexpensive production from Rosemount Estates is a good baseline to judge from. The Rosemount Shiraz is available everywhere and is consistently good at a low price point. You'll also see Wolf Blass, which produces excellent wine from many varietals; their style is a bit more intense and livelier.

Lindemans is another large, well-known winemaker. Their "Bin 65" Chardonnay appears on many people's lists of decent Chardonnays at absurdly low prices.

Penfolds is one of Australia's best known high end producers, and their midrange production, while not inexpensive, are very sophisticated.

As mentioned above, New Zealand, especially the Marlborough region of South Island, is renowned for Sauvignon Blanc. Give it a try.

Wine Comments

White Penfolds, Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2002 (South Eastern Australia)
Very green apples, moderate to heavy oak, otherwise well-balanced.
$9 / bottle

White McWilliam's, "Hanwood Estate" Chardonnay 2001 (South Eastern Australia)
Fruity apple and pear flavors with a slightly floral fragrance and buttery character. Balanced oak. Livelier than most chardonnay.
$9 / bottle

White Lindemans, "Bin 65" Chardonnay 2002 (South Eastern Australia)
Very buttery and creamy texture, with good oak and vanilla flavors and slight herbal and citrus undertones. Good bargain.
$5 / bottle

White Peter Lehmann, "The Barossa" Botrytis Semillon 1999 (Barossa Valley)
Heady and overblown, with biting sweetness and petrol flavors.
$13 / 375ml

Red d'Arenberg, "The Footbolt" Shiraz 2000 (McLaren Vale)
Spicy and tannic, blood-thick, with strong leather and tobacco flavors. Dark, gothic, and rich.
$18 / bottle

Red Penfolds, "Thomas Hyland" Shiraz 2000 (South Australia)
Big, juicy dark berry and cherry fruit with heavy and lively spice. Rich coffee and leather flavors. Good value.
$13 / bottle

Red Rosemount, Orange Vineyard Shiraz 2000 (Orange / New South Wales)
Rich and dark, with berry, incense, wood, and tea. Very restrained cherry and plum fruit. Smooth tannin and a very long finish. Excellent.
$27 / bottle

Red The Little Penguin, Merlot 2003 (South Eastern Australia)
Forward fruit and plum with moderate wood. Heady but smooth.
$7 / bottle

Red Lindemans, Reserve Merlot 2001 (South Australia)
Very abundant plummy fruit and heavy wood with touches of cherries, stems, and spice.
$9 / bottle

Red Piping Shrike, Shiraz 2002 (Barossa Valley)
Big, plummy fruit over potpourri and wood. Tannic and heady.
$14 / bottle

Red Rosemount Estate, Pinot Noir 2001 (South Eastern Australia)
Big, bold cherry lipstick fruit over leafy tea. Moderate tannin.
$9.50 / bottle

Red Penfolds, "Koonunga Hill" Shiraz Cabernet 2002 (South Eastern Australia)
Deep plum and blackcurrant, with very mellow tannins. Smooth.
$10 / bottle

Red Black Swan, Shiraz Merlot (75/25) 2003 (South Eastern Australia)
Big juicy plum and grape, a bit biting. Simple.
$6 / bottle

Red Australian Domaine Wines, "Alliance" Shiraz 1999 (South Australia)
Rich hickory smoked flavor backed by very forward jammy fruit. Medium to full body. Excellent.
$17 / bottle

Red Penfolds, "Kalimna Bin 28" Shiraz 1997 (South Australia)
Big and monstrous, powerful jammy fruit with earthy and chocolate tones. Very dry, extremely rich. Moderate oak and light spice. A powerful but contemplative wine.
$23 / bottle

Red Penfolds, "Rawson's Retreat" Merlot 2003 (South Eastern Australia)
Big, plump, and extremely extravagant "fruit bomb" style. Very soft. Minimal oak. Quaffable but rather simplistic.
$7 / bottle

Red Rosemount Estate, Shiraz 2000 (Australia)
Very strong jammy fruit impression, with a spicy chocolate flavor. Hints of wood and earthy plum flavors.
$12 / bottle

Red Yellow Tail, Shiraz 2003 (South Eastern Australia)
Spiced fruity jam with vanilla, with a very slight touch of tobacco and plum. Simple but smooth.
$7 / bottle

Red Black Opal, Shiraz Cabernet 53/47 2001 (South Eastern Australia)
Plump and spicy, with a very strong grape skin flavor. Round plums and moderately heavy oak.
$11 / bottle

Red Penfolds, "Bin 2" Shiraz Mourvedre 60/40 2001 (South Eastern Australia)
Heavy mixed dark fruits and plum, with leather, tar, and licorice. More sharp than soft. Medium body.
$10 / bottle

Red Wolf Blass, Shiraz 2001 (South Australia)
Very forward date and prune fruit, with a zesty spice that dances on the tongue. Pleasant smoke and oak flavors. A good benchmark shiraz.
$14 / bottle

Red Wolf Blass, "Red Label" Shiraz (62%) Cabernet Sauvignon (38%) 2001 (South Australia)
Deep date and raisin flavor, rich and lush mouth feel. Light oak, very fruit forward.
$13 / bottle

Red Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Cabernet-Shiraz-Merlot 1998 (Coonawarra)
Deep opaque red color, medium body, very dry, very spicy peppery flavors and rich taste, with floral and berry background flavors over jammy fruit. Good.
$12 / bottle

Red Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Shiraz 2003 (Coonawarra)
Deep, spicy wood over dry grape and heady berry. Very astringent
$13 / bottle

White Omaka Springs, Sauvignon Blanc 2001 (Marlborough, New Zealand)
Medium body, grassy citrus and pineapple flavors, smooth, medium finish. Good, balanced Sauvignon Blanc.
$18 / bottle

White Seresin, Sauvignon Blanc 2001 (Marlborough, New Zealand)
Crisp kiwi and starfruit with moderate oak. Light green pepper and grass flavors complement grapefruit citrus. Sophisticated but enjoyable. Very good.
$22 / bottle

White Trinity Hill, Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (Shepherd's Croft / Hawkes Bay, New Zealand)
Crisp and sharp, with balanced starfruit and passionfruit with grass and celery. High acid.
$16 / bottle

White Matua Valley, Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (Marlborough)
Soft and smooth texture, powerful tropical fruit flavors, vibrant kiwi and starfruit. Slightly spicy.
$11 / bottle

White Nobilo, "Regional Collection" Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (Marlborough, New Zealand)
Smooth plump fruit, very sharp grassy attack, starfruit and citrus flavors. Mellow finish.
$9 / bottle

White Villa Maria, "Private Bin First Release" Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (Marlborough, New Zealand)
Tangerine and starfruit flavors over a leafy, vegetal base, backed up by kiwi, passionfruit, and lime. Very tropical nose. Very young and slightly pungent. Exeuberantly overenthusiastic.
$14 / bottle

White Wairau River, Sauvignon Blanc 1997 (Marlborough, New Zealand)
Very rich and deep, overripe fruit. Slight grassiness and tropical flavors. Extremely restrained. Very Bordeaux style.
$19 / bottle