Three of Australia's best wines | Alistair Gibson

I am writing this week’s column on Australia Day, which is usually the date for one of the biggest and longest established wine trade tasting events in the calendar.
By Alistair Gibson
Published 28th Jan 2021, 15:11 BST
Alistair recommends three great wines.Alistair recommends three great wines.
Alistair recommends three great wines.

Sadly, of course, this year’s Australia Trade Tasting is not happening.

Australian wine is a big deal in the UK, currently accounting for a 23 per cent market share in the off-trade and while I have been fortunate to attend numerous Zoom wine tastings with Aussie winemakers, I am going to miss this annual catch up.

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So here are three great Australian wines to try this weekend.

If I had to choose one white grape from Australia it would be riesling, I just think it is so versatile and food-friendly and Jim Barry ‘Watervale’ Riesling 2019, Clare (Waitrose £9.99 on offer until February 16, Morrisons £14.99) is a lovely introduction to this style. The Clare Valley, north of Adelaide, is home to some of Australia’s finest riesling and the Barry family is one of the most highly regarded wine producers in the region. This has classic aromas of lime on the nose, along with some green apple and some orange peel, followed by more juicy lime and citrus on the palate, with bright, zesty acidity and a long just off dry finish. The hint of sweetness here makes this a great match with some Chinese dishes but it would also work with fresh seafood such as oysters or crab.

I hosted a tasting a few years ago with Kym Milne MW, winemaker at Bird In Hand winery in the Adelaide Hills and I have been a huge fan of these wines ever since. Bird in Hand Shiraz 2018, Adelaide Hills (Waitrose £16.99 on offer until February 16, The General Wine Company £19.99) was aged for 18 months in French oak, 40 per cent of which was new. It offers black fruits and blueberries along with spice and liquorice on the nose, the palate is medium to full bodied but really well balanced with more dark fruits and spice along with some silky tannins and a very persistent finish. This is very much modern Aussie shiraz and would work wonderfully with a rib of beef or some hard cheese.

I took part in a fascinating Zoom tasting before Christmas with some producers of what is probably Australia’s truly unique wine style, Rutherglen Muscat. Campbells Rutherglen Muscat (Waitrose £12.99, Hennings Wine £14.99, Majestic £14.99 or £12.49 as part of a mixed 6- 37.5cl bottle) offers a bouquet that makes you think of Christmas, with muscovado sugar, raisons, fruitcake and spices, before a rich palate with more Christmas flavours and a very long, luscious finish. Serve this with any rich desert or simply sip a small glass at the end of a meal – delicious.

Related topics:AustraliaWaitroseZoom