The booming Australian wine industry has given rise to more Australian wine makers than we can count. Over 60 wine regions spread across the country offer an all-encompassing range of wine possibilities that seem only to expand and become more complex as the years pass. Australian wine making businesses of all sizes and traditions combine to support a healthy wine tourism industry, a growing share of the international wine business, and robust domestic wine sales.
Today, wine lovers in Australia and abroad are lucky that buying wine online gives access to brands and varieties of wine that we can’t easily find in our local wine shops. For Australian wine lovers in particular, buying wine online is a great way to sample the broad diversity of innovative and traditional wines that the country has to offer.
To cover all of the best Australian wines would require years of research and extensive volumes of prose, but here are just a few of the top Australian wines that are available for visitors to Australia’s wine regions or though the many sites that offer online wine sales.
Australian Red Wines
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet/Shiraz: From the Barossa Valley wine-producing region of South Australia, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from the venerable wine-makers at Yalumba has a dark, brooding taste, and a subtly fruity aroma with a powerful and smoky finish.
D’Arenberg d’Arrys Original Shiraz / Grenache: Operating out of the McLaren Valley in South Australia, the d’Arenberg winemakers have crafted this special blend in honor of their founder Frances d’Arenberg. With a bold, bright-red color, this luscious wine carries cinnamon and plum-like overtones with an herbal aroma and hints of caramel and coffee that give a strong finish. Descended from a successful d’Arrys Burgundy, this blend makes a strong case for becoming an Australian wine classic.
Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet/Merlot: This popular blend of cabernet and merlot from Western Australia wine maker Cullen has a tawny-red hue with a leathery nose and a powerful, complex flavor that only grows more subtle and rewarding with time. Store it in the cellar and give it a year or two to mature to its full potential, and then experience what many wine critics have hailed as one of the top wine vintages in Australia.
Chambers Rutherglen Muscat: For an affordable red wine, the Chambers Rutherglen Muscat is of an astonishingly high quality. With an inviting, dark hue, raisin-like aromas, and a clean flavor that goes down easily in the cooler months of the year, this Muscat is a fine offering from one of the oldest wineries in Victoria.
Australian White Wines
Grossett Polish Hill Riesling: Located in South Australia’s Clare Valley region, one of the oldest wine regions in the country, the Grossett winery produces this flavorful, fruity Riesling that emulates its German ancestors with a distinctly Australian jolt. Keep an eye out for the 2002, 2005, and 2007 vintages.
Giaconda RK Chardonnay: From the Beechworth region of northwestern Victoria, critically acclaimed Australian wine-makers Giaconda produce this classic-style Chardonnay with a sharp, fruity flavor and nutty, butterscotch-like aroma twisted with a slight bitterness. A little pricey, but give it a try on a special occasion.
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Sémillon: From the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Tyrell brings us this French-style classic that blends Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to make a light, sweet mixture whose warm, easy flavor is as memorable as its spicy, cinnamon aftertastes. The 1992 vintage is particularly memorable to wine connoisseurs, but Tyrrell continues to create a world-class Sémillon on a yearly basis.
Other Australian Wines
De Bortoli Noble One: The world famous Noble One from the one of Australia’s top wine makers De Bortoli is an award winning dessert wine with a complex, orange-like, creamy flavor and a sweet, nectary aroma that truly earns this wine its reputation. Try it with a nutty dessert or fruit pie. De Bortoli is also one of the top Australian wine makers for buying wine online.
Yarrabank Brut Cuvée: Made of white grapes from the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, this balanced and complex brut champagne is straw-gold in color with a fruity scent and floral palate. The famous 2004 vintage is understated, classy, and perfect for any occasion.
Charles Melton Rose of Virginia Rosé: Operating in the Barossa Valley, a popular region for wine tourism, the Charles Melton wine makers bring all their expertise into reinvigorating the long-neglected Rosé. With a cool pink coloring, a lively aroma, and a crisp, balanced, rich Rosé sweetness, Rose of Virginia is a great introduction to the innovation and adventurousness of Australian wine