Fifteen years ago, Australian wines burst onto the international market with the speed of a supernova. It’s frankly hard today to think of a world without Yellow Tail. But, to steal a quote: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Too much of a good thing sometimes becomes not such a good thing, and by 2006 the Aussies were faced with an unparalleled glut of grapes and juice.
But think of this as survival of the fittest, vineyard-style. A lot of the cheap yet forgettable brands of the 90′s have fallen by the wayside and have made room in the American market for some fantastic yet also reasonably price wines. There’s a lot more that just big jammy Shiraz out there waiting to be sampled, so without further ado….
Rockbare Chardonnay McLaren Vale $16.99
Not that far on the heels of the Australian wine revolution came the trend towards clean, unoaked (also called unwooded) Chardonnay. Despite being known for bigger, juicier wines, the Australian public at large tends to favor cleaner styled wines, and so we have the Rockbare. When not weighed down with oak, Chardonnay has a beautiful array of crisp apple and flavors and this wine is no exception. Great on its own, it also is a natural when paired with grilled or rotisserie chicken as well as salads and seafood.
Mitolo Jester Shiraz McLaren Vale $20.99
This is a big, bold and bodacious Aussie Shiraz. But this fantastic wine gets its flavors not just from the warmer growing climate (as found in the well-known Barossa valley) but from the fact that 20% of the grapes are dried at the time of harvest and then the concentrated juice is pressed and added to the wine. It’s the same method used in Italy to make ripasso style Valpolicella. When applied to a Shiraz from the McLaren vale, the result is awesome…loads of rich ripe blackberry and blueberry flavors balanced by moderate tannins and a mouthwatering long finish.
42 Degrees South Pinot Noir Tasmania $18.99
The latitudinal area between the 38th and 42nd parallels in the Northern Hemisphere is known as the Pinot belt. Pinot Noir is a notoriously fickle grape to grow and the moderate to cooler climates found within this range, especially at around the 40 degree mark, makes this the place to plantt. It encompasses both the Willamette Valley in Oregon and Burgundy in France. So it should come as no surprise that the same would hold true for the Southern Hemisphere as well. Tasmania, New Zealand and Argentina have all recently started producing some excellent Pinots. As an island as well as the southernmost region in Australia, Tasmania has just recently begun exporting their fantastic Pinots, Chardonnays and sparklers. The 42 Degrees has lovely delicate dark fruit flavors balanced by a mineral quality seldom found in many New World regions.
Marquee Riesling Victoria $10.99
Don’t get me wrong, I love German Riesling. But this wine from Victoria is far from what most people’s conception of Riesling is. It has very little to no residual sugar and packs a wonderful whallop of tart green apple and fresh citrus. It’s been one of my favorite summer sippers for years now and pairs wonderfully with most Asian cuisines, especially sushi!
Coriole Sangiovese Shiraz McLaren Vale $15.99
And now for something completely different…a blend featuring a grape not often found in Australia, but that is quickly gaining in popularity and in area under vine. Sangiovese is a hardy grape best known for being the principal ingredient of Chianti, and is usually known for acidity rather than tannin. Shiraz is usually the opposite, which I think helps this wine work so well. It’s got the juicy exuberance of the Shiraz balance by the tart earthy acidity of the Sangiovese. It’s the perfect expression of old world grape meets new world expression.
