Australia

We’ll Never Get Over the Wines from Down Under

Australian wine is often discussed in terms of its most famous style: Big, fruit-forward reds that pair perfectly with any kind of meat on the grill. But the Land Down Under is an entire continent, and the range of wines that are produced there is far greater and more varied than it often gets credit for. Let’s take a look.

What is the most popular wine in Australia?

Within Australia, many people tend to drink the wines from the region that they’re located in, whether it’s the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Margaret River, and beyond. Overall, the wines of Barossa tend to be the most widely enjoyed, with McLaren Vale close behind. Outside of the Land Down Under, both Australian red wine and Australian white wine are wildly popular and beloved. And because wine from Australia is produced in many different styles, and by countless Australian wine brands, there is always something to appeal to wine lovers, no matter what they’re in the mood for. Australian Shiraz is perhaps the most familiar around the world, both because it’s easy to find a fantastic one without having to spend all that much money, and because the quintessentially Australian style of Shiraz—ripe, generous, fruit-forward, and rich—is so uniquely decadent. Australian Chardonnay is justifiably famous, too, as are Riesling and Australian Sauvignon Blanc (which in general tends to be a bit less grapefruit- and gooseberry-forward as the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand). No matter where you’re talking about, the wine country Australia boasts is some of the best in the world.

What wine is Australia known for?

Australian grapes run the same gamut as any other major wine-producing country, from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to Chardonnay, Riesling, and seemingly everything in between. Shiraz is the country’s current calling card. Still, Grenache is also a standout, especially in McLaren Vale, as well as Riesling in the Clare and Eden Valleys, and Cabernet and Chardonnay in Margaret River.

What are the wine-growing regions in Australia?

Most of Australia’s main wine-growing regions are located in New South Wales (Murray Darling, Riverina, Mudgee, and Hunter Valley among the most well-known) and South Australia (Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra, Padthaway, Adelaide Hills, and Clare Valley, among others). Though Margaret River, about a three-hour drive south of Perth in far Western Australia, is one of the most exciting places in the world right now for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

What are popular brands of Australian wine?

With so many great producers spread throughout the country, there are countless great brands to look for. Among the most popular are:

• 19 Crimes
• Davey Family Estate
• Jacob’s Creek
• Lindemans
• Mallee Point
• Martin’s Pick Up
• Mollydooker / The Boxer
• Peter Lehmann
• Penfolds
• Two Hands
• Yellow Tail

What is the most popular red wine in Australia?

In general, Australians tend to drink the wines that are produced in the regions they live in, but overall, Barossa Shiraz and McLaren Vale Grenache are very popular in restaurants and wine shops around the country. The same can be seen in the United States, too.

Which Australian red wine is easiest to drink?

This depends on the type of wine you prefer and whether you’ll be pairing it with food. But in general, Barossa Shiraz and McLaren Vale Grenache both offer the kind of generous fruit and appealing tannic structure that makes them delicious on their own and remarkably easy to pair with a wide range of foods.

Which Australian red wine is the smoothest?

There are many to choose from, but as a rule, moderately priced Barossa Shiraz tends to boast a velvety texture that makes it incredibly smooth on the palate.

Browse our full selection of Australian wine online or check out our selection of highly-rated Australian wine for a great new Australian wine to try this week!

Want to learn more about Australian wine?

Visit our Guide to Australian wine to learn more about Australian wine.