Australia may not be the first country that you think of when you’re considering powerhouses in the global wine industry.
And it’s true that Australia doesn’t have anywhere near the same influence as they exercised by the French or Italian wine industries. But that isn’t to say that it doesn’t have a thriving industry of its own.
And more importantly, the country produces some absolutely stellar wines.
In fact, the country exports about $2.3 billion of wine products every year. And its industry’s continually growing.
Of course, the team at Xtrawine has great respect for every country’s wine industry. That’s why we’ve made a few wonderful examples of Australian wine available on our website.
Let’s look at what four of them have to offer to those who traditionally opt for Italian wines.
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
A product of South Australia, this beautiful Australian red wine shares any qualities with the Cabernet Sauvignons that you’d find from Italy or France.
Made using only the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, the wine has a 14.5% volume and is the direct result of the increasing availability of quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Australia. Penfolds decided to take advantage of this increase in quality to create a premium wine product that stands as one of the best to emerge from Australia.
This particular wine has received acclaim from several sources, including a 92/100 rating from the Wine Spectator. The Xtrawine team was similarly impressed with the wine, granting it a 93 rating.
The 2015 vintage features some interesting notes when brought to the nose. These include the likes of tobacco, mint, dried herbs, and other earthy aromas.
To the taste, the fruitiness of the wine takes centre stage. Blackcurrant is the most easily identifiable note, though you may also spot traces of mulberry in the bouquet.
The wine has excellent longevity, as you can store it for between 10 and 15 years before it starts to lose its quality. It goes particularly well with beef thanks to the richness of its flavours. However, it’s also subtle enough to serve with game and some variety of cheeses.
You can find it on the Xtrawine site here.
Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz Mataro 2016
You may spot a trend with the wines in this list, as each and every one of them comes from the Penfolds wine company.
Interestingly, Penfolds does not limit itself when it comes to its area of operations. While its Shiraz is another wine that comes from the South Australia region, we’ll also be looking at wines that come from other areas of Australia later on in the list.
Getting back to this 2016 Shiraz, the wine is another that the Xtrawine team rate very highly. Out independent testers have granted the wine a 92/100 rating, with its intensity being one of its most notable features.
When brought to the nose, the wine offers a bouquet that includes notes of paprika, star anise, and other spices. It’s an interesting collection of aromas that soon gives way to the complex flavours that appear when you drink the wine. Intense fruits abound, though you may also spot subtle hints of dark chocolate as the wine explores your palette.
This is another Australian red wine that goes extremely well with both game and beef. It has slightly lower longevity than the Cabernet Sauvignon though, as it’s suitable for storage for between 5 and 10 years.
You can find out more about this Australian wine here.
Penfolds Coonawarra Shiraz Bin 128 2013
This is another Shiraz from Penfolds. But there’s plenty to set it apart as this particular wine comes from the Tasmania region. It’s also made from 100% Syrah, whereas the Mataro mixes Syrah with Mourvedre.
You could argue that this makes it the purer example of the Shiraz wines featured on the Xtrawine website. And our testers are quick to point to its quality, as the wine scores a 92/100 rating from the team.
The wine has a 14.5% volume and higher longevity than the other Shiraz on this list. You can feel safe in storing the wine for between 10 and 15 years.
It’s the surprising scents of chocolate and mint in the bouquet that really stands out for this wine. When combined with the earthier tones that the bouquet exhibits, they create an interesting contrast that’s sure to intrigue any wine lover.
Notes of beetroot and pomegranate make themselves known when you taste the wine. It’s also surprisingly complex and has one of the more unique flavour profiles that we’ve seen in an Australian red wine.
Best of all, it’s an affordable wine that offers immense quality.
Again, it’s best consumed with either beef or game. However, it also serves an as interesting complement to several types of cheese.
Find out more about this Australian wine here.
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2017
We round out our list with a wine that offers a perfect example of just how diverse the Penfolds selection is. This Chardonnay comes from the Barossa Valley and is a pure wine that makes use of only Chardonnay grapes.
As you can imagine from a white wine, it has lower ageing potential than the other wines on this list. We recommend keeping the wine in storage for no more than five years.
It’s also a tasty wine. The bouquet offers an array of fruity notes, with lemongrass and melon being among the most prominent. However, the introduction of spicy and almond notes adds an unexpected layer of complexity.
To the taste, the wine maintains its fruity profile and it’s refreshingly creamy on the tongue.
It’s an excellent choice as a refreshing aperitif. We also recommend it with light pasta dishes.
You can find out more about this Australian white wine here.
The Final Word
There you have it. Four stellar examples of Australian wines that we recommend you try today. Each of these wines come highly recommended by our team of testers.
And each will show you why Australia has a wine industry that deserves respect.
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