The past decade has seen an explosion of interest in Australia for winesthat Americans like, too: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. These two types,plus Australia's red wine specialty, Shiraz, make up the bulk of Down Underexports to the United States. Riesling is big in Australia itself, whereit has long been the quaffing white wine of choice, but few brands botherto export the stuff in this direction.
Australia, like America, labels its best wines with varietal names. Therules are similar, in that varietal wines are made entirely or mostly fromthe single grape variety named on the front label. Often more than one varietyis named, by order of amount: Shiraz-Cabernet has more Shiraz in it andCabernet-Shiraz has more Cabernet.
As anywhere else, the narrower and more prestigious the geographical appellation,the higher the price of the wine. As a result, most value-oriented winescarry broad appellations such as "South Eastern Australia," whichencompasses a region nearly 600 miles wide, or simply "Australia."
Australian vineyards tend to produce grapes with prominent fruit flavorsthat bring a certain charm even to lesser wines. Aussie winemakers are alsobrilliant at blending wines from various regions and giving them judiciouscellar treatments to achieve a consistent style. Chardonnays such as LindemansBin 65 and Yalumba Oxford Landing are perennial Best Buys.
The best Chardonnays, such as Rosemount Roxburgh and Petaluma, can holdtheir own against the best from Burgundy and California. Other than Chardonnay,Sémillon is the white variety Aussies prize most, for the herbal,tobacco and lanolin flavors that sneak in around the fruit. At lower prices,however, we recommend their Sémillon blended either with SauvignonBlanc or Chardonnay. The few Rieslings that make it across the Pacific areworth trying, too.
Among the reds, top honors go to Shiraz, which is the Australian term forSyrah, the prime grape variety of the northern Rhône. Down Under versionstend to emphasize rich, mouth-filling fruit flavors in chewy, often sumptuoustextures and structures. Penfolds Grange is justly world famous, and waschosen as Wine Spectator 1995 Wine of the Year. The list of other worthyShirazes seems to double every year.
The best red wine values are often Cabernet-Shiraz blends, which tend tocost less than either varietal sold separately. Aussie Shirazes in the under-$10range tend to spill over with delicious fruit. The Cabernets edge towardsupple drinkability as well. The blends, though less distinctive, are usuallysturdy wines that should be drunk young.
Australia makes some of the best dessert wines in the world, including tawnyPorts that match up very well with Portuguese bottlings at several timestheir prices. And the fortified Muscats may not be fashionable, but theyare delicious.
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