Once the undisputed champion of popular wine, Australia’s star has been waning in recent years. But Joe Wadsack says it’s worthy of more investigation now as a new generation of winemakers are making it interesting again.
Not so long ago, I fell into conversation with a young chef, who, on discovering what my job is, lit up. He explained how he was starting to learn about wine, and how he enthusiastically picks through the supermarket shelves – working his way through the major wine regions and styles, sharing them with his friends. I assured him, that was a great place – and way – to start.
But when I mentioned that I’d just returned from a research trip to Australia’s most interesting and diverse wine state, Victoria, I was floored by his next comment. “Australia? Make good wine then do they? Not really tried any.”
It struck me for the first time that younger millennials - zennials - and Gen Zs showing their first interest in wine might well be completely unaware of what an emphatic impact Australian wine has had on our drinking culture.
We all see wine as a common and regular social drink, but as recently as 1990 it was drunk regularly in fewer than 20% of households. Despite the more recent decline, we still each drink a bottle a week in this country on average. In 1990 it was one bottle per month and in 1970 it was three to four bottles a year. What changed? From the nineties onwards, Australia changed wine perceptions.
This was achieved through phenomenally skilful PR and the creation, by the legendary Hazel Murphy, of the Australian Wine Bureau, responsible for putting fantastic larger-than-life characters such as Big Bob McLean, Peter Lehmann and Geoff Merrill in front of the trade and everyday drinkers.
Oddbins off-licence was also responsible for bringing a giant amount of great Aussie wine before supermarkets felt confident enough to do so, getting loved cricket icons on board such as Ian Botham, Alan Lamb and Mike Gatting.
Suddenly it was OK for a bloke to ask for a glass of wine in a pub. So, while Australia was the gateway for Brits exploring a new world of wines, with the likes of New Zealand, Chile, South Africa and now Argentina all gaining shelf space, it now seems to be less relevant. With a recent focus on conquering China, Australia took its eye off the ball when it came to old Blighty.
Time for re-education
Well, chickens and baskets – China recently introduced crippling tax changes that almost brought Wine Australia to its knees. Luckily the Poms responded, welcoming back Australia like an old friend. During Covid we drank roughly a third of a billion bottles of it. In 2020 we consumed on average a case of Australian wine each. So, it appears that we are on the cusp of Australia’s ‘second wind’. Those young wine enthusiasts among you, it’s time to re-educate yourselves and re-explore Wine Australia.
Victoria, the smallest state, has the most wineries – well in excess of 700. Wine wise, it is by far the most geographically and culturally diverse. It has everything. Fine sparkling, big reds, delicate reds, aromatic wines, fine Chardonnays, dessert wines, even vintage port-style wines. However, as one wise advertising executive from KPMG once said in a lecture that I attended in Melbourne 20 years ago, you cannot advertise diversity. So, it has become a state of lots of small distinct, separate players. There are 21 sub-zones of wine in the state of Victoria. Australia’s oldest wine industry icons can be found here, and the grand old estates and families all share the same story. They discovered gold, became wealthy, purchased livestock and land. Then a few generations later, they become winemakers.
Australia is known for producing world-class wine. That is established. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Cabernet (and to a lesser extent, Semillon and Riesling) have been the main food groups for Aussie wine lovers for years. Well, Victoria is changing. Dazzling wines are being made from less obvious varieties by young, enthusiastic winemakers, bored by what their parents have made for years. Go to your suppliers and search out the following varieties. Reds to look out for are Durif (Petite Syrah), Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Gamay. Whites include Marsanne, Roussanne, Albariño, Arinto, Muscat, to name but a few.
THREE TO WATCH
Stanton & Killeen Arinto 2022/23, Rutherglen (ABS Agencies, trade price around £12.00)
It is much more common to see the über trendy Albariño being planted around the globe (including here), than the rather lesser-known Arinto grape. It is deliciously sleek, with silky apple sherbet notes. Showing huge potential from these Portuguese grape specialists.
Yeringberg Roussanne Marsanne 2017/18, Yarra Valley (The Whisky Exchange, £26 ex VAT)
A stone-cold legend, made from the oldest vines in the Yarra Valley from the two most regal northern Rhône white varieties. So fine and Rhône-like. Cinder toffee and crystallised oranges. Just tingling. Beautiful. It’s a weighty price, but about a third of what you’d pay for a white burgundy anywhere near this good.
Pizzini Pietra Rossa Sangiovese 2022 King Valley (Enotria/Great Wine Company, around £11 trade price ex VAT) Mouthwatering, effortless Chianti-with-asuntan red that drinks satisfyingly on its own or is a stupendous match with a minute burger or even a Five Guys. Bloody, tomatoey, cherry infused joy.