Australian Wines
Australian wine comes in an amazing array of styles and origins, from such classics as Eden Valley Riesling to Hunter Valley Semillon and Barossa Shiraz to Rutherglen Muscat. Our Australian wine guide divides Australian wine regions into four clusters: South Eastern Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia and Other Australia. Each of these includes numerous individual Geographic Indications, such as Barossa Valley, Margaret River and Hunter Valley, among others.
You’ll find thousands of Australian wine ratings and Australian wine reviews in Wine Enthusiast’s Australian wine guide, all of which you can sort by region, grape variety, vintage, producer or price.
Chambers Rosewood Vineyards NV Rare Muscadelle (Rutherglen)
- Cellar Selection
- $300
Incredibly concentrated and intense, this dark coffee-colored wine coats the glass and the palate with waves of luxuriously sweet, raisiny flavors. Layers of complexity follow in the form of rancio, dried fig and molasses, with a citrusy edge providing life and freshness to the nearly endless finish.
— J.C.
(2/1/2011)
Campbells NV Merchant Prince Rare Muscat (Rutherglen)
- Cellar Selection
- $97
A deep mahogany in color, the Merchant Prince Rare Muscat boasts dense date, fudge and molasses components balanced by rancio, citrusy accents and even some floral notes. Despite being incredibly sweet and sticky, there’s a freshness to it that keeps it from being overwhelming.
— J.C.
(2/1/2011)
Penfolds 1994 Grange Shiraz
- $163
This wine, Australia’s most famous, is literally black. Aroma of sweet charred American oak dominates, with associated vanilla. Underneath is pepper, tobacco, spice and blackberry; complex and beautiful. Tremendous extract, marvelously thick like fruit purée, enormous and bone dry. The finish lasts forever. A huge, effusive wine that needs 15 years to settle down…
— S.H.
(10/1/1999)
Penfolds 1996 Grange Shiraz
- Cellar Selection
- $185
As unevolved as they are, the dense and multilayered aromas and flavors are truly impressive here. Black currant, herb, tea, oak, vanilla, maple, anise, blueberries and more--it could be an excercise in overkill, if all the parts weren't in such fine harmony. Really big, but with excellent balance, this reveals much less now than the RWT. It is everything a…
— W.E.
(3/1/2001)
Henschke 1999 Hill of Grace Shiraz (Eden Valley)
- Cellar Selection
- $350
On the nose, the first aromas are of wheat bread, and a stably-animal character; after a few minutes in the glass, sweet plum and a little caramel steps in. I can’t use the descriptors “subtle,” “lovely, chalky tannins” and “gorgeous, juicy fruit” enough. Finishes long and juicy, with those lovely, chalky tannins, plus caramel, mocha and mint flavors.
— D.T.
(5/1/2004)
Clarendon Hills 2004 Hickinbotham Syrah (Clarendon)
- Cellar Selection
- $100
One of the more obviously ageworthy offerings from Clarendon Hills, the 2004 Hickinbotham Syrah boasts a wonderfully perfumed bouquet of flowers, minerals and spice. Then it backs up those captivating aromatics with rich blueberry fruit shaded with mint and cracked pepper and a long, firmly tannic and minerally finish. Drink 2010–2020.
— J.C.
(12/15/2006)
John Duval Wines 2005 Eligo Shiraz (Barossa Valley)
- Cellar Selection
- $100
Underneath a slightly smoky, toasty exterior lies an explosion of cherry, raspberry and black cherry fruit that’s wonderfully pure without being simple. The texture is creamy and lush without being unstructured or jammy, while the finish goes on and on. Drink now–2020.
— J.C.
(11/1/2007)
Henschke 2002 Hill of Grace Vineyard Shiraz (Eden Valley)
- Cellar Selection
- $550
This is a bold, full-flavored, authoritative example of Eden Valley Shiraz. Cool-climate notes of cracked pepper elegantly frame waves of blackberry fruit that are fresh and zingy, not cooked or confected. This is firmly structured and built for the cellar, yet the tannins are ripe, forming a silky web that supports the fruit on the prolonged finish. Drink 2012–2035.
— J.C.
(11/1/2007)
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