This blog is based on the Spirits of New Mexico radio show that aired on March 6, 2021. We do on-air tasting of one or two wines to illustrate what is available in a particular wine region, or as a contrast of what influence a wine region has on a grape or blend. We use suitable glasses for the type of wine and do a double-decant of red wines to insure they have opened sufficiently for accurate judging.
I’m mentioned before that Australia is a continent of wine, but in reality only the southern portion of Australia qualifies for vine planting. So the areas of interest are the southeastern, central southern and southwestern part of the country. Our focus further will be on Australia’s most planted grape, Shiraz, which is also known as Syrah.
Major wine regions
In Australia there are only six major wine regions, but many important sub-regions to explore. One could easily say that the south coast and the southeast extension of the country is where it’s at.
- Western Australia: The wine growing area around Perth and the Margaret River excel at un-oaked Chardonnay and Bordeaux blends.
- South Australia around Adelaide is known for their excellent Shiraz and mineral-driven Riesling.
- Victoria around Melbourne is the southernmost part of Australia and makes fruity Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in its cooler regions. Loved the Yarra Valley when I was there.
- New South Wales above Victoria produces lean, mineral Shiraz and Semillon from Hunter’s Valley
- Queensland above Brisbane is a tiny region known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
- The island of Tasmania produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Australia’s coolest climate and home to an ill-tempered Devil. Feed it some wine, it’ll calm down.
Wine production
Australia has 334,000 acres of vines under cultivation as of 2015.
- South Australia accounts for half the acreage
- New South Wales has about one quarter
- Western Australia covers about 18% and Victoria another 10%
High-Tech wines
Australia embraced the leading wine technologies and has some of the most sophisticated wineries.
- Dominated by medium-size wineries and four major producers
- The majors: Southcorp Wines, BRL Hardy, Orlando Wyndham and Mildara Blass
- Under Southcorp are Penfolds, Lindemans, Rosemount and Wynns
Australian Wine Laws
- Grape varietal must be 85% (75% in US with exceptions)
- Regional wines named must be 85%
- Blends of below 85%, each named in descending order: Cab-Shiraz or Shiraz-Cab
- Blended wines list percentage of each grape
Australian Grapes
- Whites: Chardonnay, Riesling and Semillon (pronounced Sem-eh-Lawn in Aussie-lese),
- Fortified whites: Muscat, Tokay
- Reds: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Pinot Noir
- Significant blends: Cab-Shiraz, Cab-Merlot, GSM Rhone-style, Chardonnay-Semillon
- Rhone Syrah versus Shiraz. Shiraz more intense, more fruit-driven, but same grape
Terroir: Who needs it?
Unlike European winemakers, Australia is committed to blending wines from widely different regions.
- Grapes are made in separate lots by quality level and then blended
- Provides a consistent “style” of wine, little changed from year-to-year
- Leading the way: Screw caps on virtually all Riesling and many Shiraz wines
- Penfolds” Grange: Sourced from within a 300 mile range; no climats here as in Burgundy
Blends and Bins
The focus on blends can lead to some longish names since a single varietal must be 85%.
- Clancy’s Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc-Merlot, also the order by percentage
- Percentages can be on front or back label
- Example: If last week’s Wente Sandstone Merlot was made in Australia it would be called Wente Merlot-Petite Sirah-Malbec-Petit Verdot, phew!
- And you don’t even want to know what a thirteen grape blend of Chateauneuf-du-Pape would look like, but it’d need a really big wraparound label.
- Bin Numbers identify the quality of a wine
- Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon: Bin 407 least expensive, Bin 707 most
- Lindemans Chardonnay Bin 65, very popular low-end wine millions of cases produced
- Practice begun in the 1930s, possibly to track wines from aging thru blending
South Australia Region
Our featured wines are from this region with 18 sub-regions and wine production of over 50% of total in Australia.
- Barossa Valley is synonymous with great Shiraz. A warm-growing region 38 miles north of Adelaide, it does offer cooler-climate grapes such as Riesling at higher elevations.
- Adelaide Hills, below Barossa Valley and above the city has a cooler climate and Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are a primary focus.
- McLaren Vale is the third interconnected sub region around Adelaide that has achieved worldwide fame. Shiraz ripens perfectly in its Mediterranean climate, which also favors great Bordeaux blends.
- Clare Valley, north of Barossa and further inland with vines planted at 1300 to 1600 ft elevation insuring cooler nights for their signature Riesling wines. Cab and Shiraz are also important grapes.
- Langhorne Creek is below McLaren Vale and forms its own peninsula jutting out toward Kangaroo Island. It is also known for its Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- The last two significant subregions are Coonawarra located far south next to Victoria and Riverland located above Adelaide and on New South Wales border.
Map courtesy of Vineyards.com
McLaren Vale is home to some of the oldest vines in the country, dating as far back as 1850. The Mediterranean climate, huge array of soil types and proximity to the ocean with the resultant cooling sea breezes make it an idyllic location for wine grape growing.
Best known for Shiraz, McLaren Vale also excels in the production of premium Grenache and Cabernet. Mediterranean red varieties such as, Tempranillo, and Sangiovese are also very well suited climatically, as well as the whites; Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino and Viognier.
Over one third of the 70 cellar doors offer local produce as part of the tasting experience. From high-end, starred restaurants to casual platters, there is a wine and food combination to suit any taste. Cellar door is an Aussie term for winery.
What we are tasting: Angove Shiraz Family Crest 2015 14.5% ABV, $20-22
The Angove family company, Angove’s Pty. Ltd., ranks among Australia’s largest privately owned wine companies incorporating distilling as well as grape growing and winemaking.
Dr. Angove’s early experimentation with vines, winemaking and distilling, led to the establishment of the family business. Initial plantings were at Tea Tree Gully in the Adelaide foothills. This became one of the largest vineyards in the southern hemisphere; Nanya Vineyard at Renmark in Murray Valley.
The Renmark facility, near the border with Victoria, is a major winemaking and distilling enterprise, with storage capacity for more than15 million liters of wine and spirit. In 1947, Thomas William Carlyon Angove, grandson of the founder, took the helm as Managing Director. In 1983, the fourth generation took control, when John Carlyon Angove succeeded his father as Managing Director of the company. Dr. Angove was originally from Cornwall, England.
Tasting notes: Deep intense red with inky hues. Upfront pepper on the nose, plus red cherry and black chocolate with allspice following. Dark chocolate and licorice notes on the palate. Red cherry/raspberry notes with mouth-filling presence and soft lingering tannins and finely integrated oak.
What we are tasting: D’Arenberg Laughing Magpie 2010 Shiraz 13.9% ABV, $24.99 at Total Wine
Since 1912 the Osborn family have grown grapes and made wine in the picturesque surrounds of McLaren Vale. Today, fourth generation family member Chester Osborn is at the winemaking helm, making distinctive wines using traditional methods in the winery and the vineyard.
Winemaker Notes: 2010 is touted by many as an absolute classic McLaren Vale vintage for Shiraz. The wine has an enticing mix of primary fruit characters entwined with the first hints of moreish secondary nuances. There is an enormous concentration of blackberry and blackcurrant on the nose and palate, a whiff of flowers, ginger and stone fruit that we can attribute to the Viognier and depth is built through more savory notes of fennel, fresh leather and cedar. Moreish is Aussie for “more of.”
Trevor Sabourin – Certified Sommelier rated 91 points: The nose is a contrast of sweet, rich black cherry and plums, with fresher elements of spearmint, lavender, and a touch of cocoa. The palate shows fresher red and black berries and a touch of white pepper. The body is medium-full, with integrated tannins and fresh acidity. Lovely balance with a long finish.
Australian Snippets
- Many vineyards use high barbed wire fences to keep out the kangaroos that have a particular love of grapes. That must make them hopping mad.
- Boxed wines represent 60% of all locally-sold wines
- Stickies are sweet wines made with Tokay late-harvest using Muscadelle or Muscat grapes
- “At the 1873 Vienna Exhibition French judges, tasting blind, praised some wines from Victoria, but withdrew in protest when the provenance of the wine was revealed, on the grounds that wines of that quality must clearly be French.” Shades of the 1976 Judgment of Paris!
Analysis
Both wines performed well. The D’Arenberg 2010 did show a bit of brownish highlights, but flavors were still vibrant and it should have 2 to 3 more years left, but don’t wait long, this one is ready and it was my preference of the two.
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