Buying Wine Online in Australia

Australian winemakers offer virtually every type of wine in the world, but the abundant sunshine and warm weather throughout much of the country makes it a perfect locale for the types of dark, luscious, full-flavored grapes used to make the finest red wines. And one of the great things about Australia’s wine regions is that you’ll find vastly different types of wines being made in close proximity to each other, sometimes even at the same vineyard.  

When buying wine online, here are a few of the Australian red wines you can expect to find being sold widely.  
 

Shiraz 

Descended from the French Syrah vine, Shiraz is Australia’s biggest wine export, and it’s the variety that Australia is best known for to international wine consumers. It is also one of the most versatile grapes. Many of Australia’s large winemaking corporations produce moderately-priced Shiraz in abundance, which some argue has reduced the standing of Australian wine in recent years. But there are also many small winemakers producing Shirazes that are among the best Australian red wines. Shiraz is grown throughout Australia’s wine regions, from Heathcote in Victoria, to South Australia’s Clare Valley and Barossa, to Western Australia’s Margaret River region.  
 

Cabernet Sauvignon 

Second only to Shiraz in abundance and versatility, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in New South Wales’s Mudgee region, the Yarra Valley in Victoria, the MacLaren Vale in South Australia, and beyond. In Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon’s old world subtlety combines with rich, fruity, and chocolaty undertones to make wines that are both worldly and uniquely Australian. Cabernet Sauvignon is also useful as a wine that blends well with other varieties such as Shiraz and Merlot.  
 

Pinot Noir 

The delicate Pinot Noir grape can only be grown in cooler winemaking regions such as Great Southern, the Yarra Valley, the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, the Adelaide Hills, and down in Tasmania. It’s difficult to cultivate, but Australian Pinot Noirs are worth the effort. The strawberry and raspberry undertones unique to Australian Pinots are best brought out when cellared for a few years in wooden barrels.  
 

Barbera and Sangiovese 

Of the many types of Italian vine cultivated in Australia, Barbera and Sangiovese are most common and grow best in Australia’s unique climates. The Sangioveses of the MacLaren Vale are gaining an international reputation for quality, while Barbera wines continue to grow in popularity among the country’s warmer, more northerly wine regions.  
 

Mourvedre 

Originated in the Rhone regions of southern France, the Mourvedre vine entered Australia in the mid-1900s and became a staple of the fortified wine business. Since then, particularly in the Barossa Valley, Australian winemakers have been producing some of the finest Mourvedres in the world.   
 

Grenache 

Also from the south of France, the Grenache vine was first brought to Australia by James Busby in 1832. Since then, it has thrived continuously in MacLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Clare Valley. Known for its luscious flavors and spicy, subtle aroma, Australian Grenache was long a an essential element of the fortified wine industry, but its incredible versatility has recently been put to use for a variety of other uses. Mid-range Grenaches are among Australia’s bestsellers, both with in-store sales and online wine buying.