Australia Up Close 2019: My Wine Picks

A contingent of Australian wineries visited Vancouver recently to show off their latest releases of red and white wines.  There was, of course, many bottles of Shiraz to taste, but also cooler climate wines like Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

Did you know that there are 65 wine regions in Australia?  Many are in the southeast corner of Australia covering the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.  There is also in the far west of Australia “Western Australia” and a tiny fraction in its southwest around Perth where you will find places such as Margaret River and the Great Southern.  There is also the coolest region south of the mainland of Australia called Tasmania.  There are many sparkling wines coming from there, but unfortunately, none to taste at this tasting.

The Eden Valley north of the Barossa Valley continues to produce wonderful Riesling wines and the Barossa Valley producing Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and GSM blends.  Below are my favourite wines from this tasting.  Many are available in either BC Liquor Stores or private wine shops.  Enjoy.

White Wines

Angove Family Winemakers “Family Crest” Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2018 ($28.99++) – Bacon on the nose! Bacon on the palate, along with baked apples, toasty oak and a hint of butterscotch.  The wine is dry, soft and semi-round.

d’Arenberg “The Money Spider” McLaren Vale Roussanne 2017 ($29.99++) – Light stonefruit and citrus on the nose.  Higher acidity, lighter bodied with a semi-round mouthfeel.  You also get citrus and stonefruit on the palate.  Nice mouthfeel; a mix of roundness and acidic prickle.

Vasse Felix “Filius” Margaret River Chardonnay 2017 ($28.69++) – Light melon nose.  Medium body with a buttery mouthfeel.  Light butterscotch, tropical fruit and oak flavours.   Elegant.

Pewsey Vale Vineyard “The Contours” Eden Valley Riesling 2012 ($27++) – Light petrol and citrus on the nose and on the palate.  Slightly off-dry with a light body.

Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley Riesling 2017 ($20.99++) – Light floral and apple aromas.  Lighter body.  Citrus and tart green fruit flavours along with a touch of petrol.  Medium acidity.

Tyrrell’s Wines “HVD” Hunter Valley Victoria Semillon 2013 ($44.99++) – Very aromatic nose; petrol, beeswax, ripe citrus and apple aromas.  Medium minus body, dry with a lighter mouthfeel.  Petrol and apple flavour along with some minerality. One of my favourite wines of the tasting. –

RedHeads Wines “Blue Belle” Adelaide Hills Australia Chardonnay 2017 ($29.49++) – Vegetal and light smokiness on the nose.  The wine is dry, medium bodied and semi-round.  Light apple and mineral flavours.

Wirra Wirra “Scrubby Rise” Adelaide Sauvignon Blanc 2018 ($16.99++) – Nice green fruit nose with orange behind. Dry, medium bodied, with medium acidity.  Green fruit, ripe citrus and orange on the palate. A solid wine. –

Red Wines

Kingston Wine Estates Riverland Petit Verdot 2016 ($16.29++) – Medium garnet colour.  Really ripe raspberry and cassis fruit with some licorice on the nose.  Full body, dry with medium acidity and mouthfeel.  Cassis, ripe raspberry and black fruit flavours.  Also, you get chocolate and some pepperiness. Tasty.

Kingston Wine Estates Clare Valley Shiraz 2016 ($16.09++) – Nice nose; really plummy along with some barnyard.  Off-dry, full body, with a mix of ripe currant and cassis flavours.  Medium minus tannins and light acidity.  Tasty fruit bomb.

Angove Family Winemakers “Family Crest” McLaren Vale Shiraz 2017 ($27.99++) – Nutmeg, meaty and cassis on the nose.  Dry, fuller bodied with medium acidity and firmer tannins.  Ripe black cherries and integrated oak.

Tyrrell’s Wines “Vat 9” Hunter Valley Shiraz 2013 ($62.99++) – Deep ripe black fruit nose.  Full body with a silky mouthfeel.  Fine tannins and medium acidity.  Ripe black fruit flavour along with light vanilla and integrated oak.

Barossa Valley Wine Company “Gravel Track” Barossa Valley Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2017 ($24.95++) – Smoky raspberry nose.  Dry, lighter bodied and light mouthfeel.  Red fruits with some oak on the palate.  A fun wine to drink.

Barossa Valley Wine Company “Gravel Track” Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 ($24.95++) – Dark fruit and a hint of capsicum on the nose.  The wine is dry with a medium plus body and firmer tannins.  Ripe black fruit along with some minerality.  Good.

Barossa Valley Wine Company “Stockyard” Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016 ($39.99++) – Deep garnet in colour.  Cedar, vanilla and ripe red fruits on the nose.  The wine has a medium plus body. It’s round and off-dry.  Sweet ripe red and black fruits, along with cedar and vanilla.  Drink in 3-5 years.

Bleasdale Vineyards “The Powder Monkey” Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2015 ($42.07++) – Nice smoky nose.  Dry, fuller bodied with medium acidity and fine tannins.  Smoky, raspberry and black fruit flavours.

d’Arenberg “The Derelict Vineyard” McLaren Vale Grenache 2013 ($39.99++) – Ripe plum and red fruits on the nose.  Fuller bodied, off-dry with medium acidity and tannins.  A mix of red fruits and candied red fruits. –

RedHeads Wines “Coco Rotie” McLaren Vale South Australia Shiraz Viognier 2017 ($27.99++) – Nice allspice and ripe red fruit nose.  Medium to full-bodied, dry with medium acidity and light tannins.  Ripe red fruit and nutmeg flavours. A fun wine to drink.