People who
drink wine with me and who buy wine from me know I’m not a huge fan of
Australian red wines. It’s not that they are improperly made, but for me they
are a little too fruit forward and lacking in complexity at the ten to twenty
dollar level, although some of the more expensive examples can be wonderful.
The whites,
however, are a different story. Australia has been able to assimilate grapes
from other countries and make wines from them that rival the country from which
they arrived. Chardonnay arrived in Australia in the 1920s but became popular
in the 1970s, and now it is the most widely planted varietal in the country.
Those from the warmer parts of the continent show flavors of melon, vanilla, and
peach, while those from cooler areas are citrusy with lime and grapefruit.
Yalumba’s “Y” Series Unwooded Chardonnay from South Australia is a great
bargain at $10.99, letting the vibrant apple and citrus flavors show without
any oak to mask them.
More interesting
are the Rieslings. Unlike the U.S and Germany, the Aussies make their Riesling
in a dry style. People who appreciate the food friendliness, wonderful
aromatics, and beautiful balance of bright fruit, minerality, and acidity found
in dry Riesling are often astounded when I lead them from Germany to the
Australian section, but they are not disappointed. The best come from the
Margaret River and Clare Valley regions. Leeuwin Artist Series at $19.99 rivals
any German Trocken, and Jim Berry’s Lodge Hill Dry Riesling may be the best
$16.99 dry version of this grape that money can buy.
Verdelho
(not to be confused with Spain’s Verdejo) is a grape that is grown in Portugal
and is one of the grapes used in Madeira. It has been brought to Australia, and
some wineries have done amazing things with a grape that it often unexciting
and acidic. Molly Dooker (meaning left handed), which is famous for its full
throttle reds, makes a highly extracted, mouth filling version called T
Those
familiar with French Rhone Valley wines know that Viognier, Roussanne, and
Marsanne grapes can be made into wonderful wines. Viognier, native to the
Northern Rhone Valley, is a member of the aromatic white group of grapes, and
the wines are very floral on the nose. The wines are rarely oaked, yet are
medium to full bodied with vibrant fresh citrus and tropical fruits. Although
tricky to grow, the grape does well in Eden Valley and McLaren Vale areas of
South Australia. Yalumba does several versions, with its “Y Series” entry level
being very good at $10.99. The bottling from Eden Valley, however is
outstanding for $19.99 and is especially good with seafood that has big texture
and flavor, like scallops or shrimp.
Marsanne
produces wines that have aromatics and flavors of dry honey and stone fruit.
The acidity tends to be low, so this grape is often blended with other grapes
to give it a little more acidity and backbone. D’Arenberg’s The Hermit Crab, at
$16.99, is a blend of Viognier and Marsanne that is reminiscent of the southern
Rhone with flowers and stone fruit on the nose and tropical fruit and mineral
flavors that make it wonderful both with food and on its own.
Finally,
Roussanne is a notoriously difficult grape to grow, originating in the Rhone
Valley. It does rather well in the Eden Valley, and although it is often
blended with Marsanne, it can stand on its own. Yalumba again comes through
with a beautiful version, the Roussanne Eden Valley, at $20.99. Full bodied,
creamy, and complex with aromas of flowers, blood orange, and biscotti and
flavors of pear and citrus with a touch of honey. This wine stands up to food
very well and is quite interesting by the glass on the back deck.
If you are
making a meal that is calling for white wines, or if you just enjoy a
refreshing glass now and then, do not forget Australia. You will definitely be
glad you tried them.
Cheers!
