The 101 Australian Wines You Must Drink Are Profiled In This New Book
There is no greater ambassador of Australian Wine than Mark Davidson. He wears it on his sleeve, in his accent, and in his life’s work. Since 2008, Mark has been Head of Education Development for Wine Australia in North America, which is how we first met. I attended a series of seminars Mark was leading for Wine Australia in Los Angeles back in 2011, and it turned out I was selected to travel to Australia on a two week immersive wine trip, covering the regions of New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria. Seeing Australia through Mark Davidson’s educational mind helped me understand the depth of work being done down under, and I know reading this book he’s been working on for years will have the same effect on you and anyone you gift it to.
Buy the paperback or eBook version from Barnes & Noble
Buy the paperback or Kindle version from Amazon
Buy the paperback from Classic Wine Library (if you're based in the UK)
Courtesy of The Classic Wine Library
Australia has been exporting wine for over 150 years. For much of that time, the wines produced were fortified styles modelled on Port and Sherry. But towards the end of the twentieth century Australian table wine really took off, introducing new generations of drinkers to vibrant and affordable wines. However, this success also presented Australian wine with something of an image problem, and if you picture Australian vineyards as swathes of Shiraz destined for processing in industrial-scale wineries before being shipped across the world in tanks then you are probably not alone. So be prepared to have your eyes opened to another, more interesting side to Australian wine. Yes, there are boutique producers, renowned premium wines, sustainable production and a notable natural wine movement. There is much innovation in Australian wine today and it is an exciting world for a wine drinker.
Courtesy of Mark Davidson
In The Wines Of Australia, the latest book from The Classic Wine Library, sommelier Mark Davidson helps readers charter a path through the complex and varied world of Australian wine. He is keen to ensure that readers do not miss out on the vinous treasures available, saying “The changes over the last 15 years are astonishing. Styles have shifted, new varieties and blends are available and the presentation of classic wines and varieties has evolved ... If you can get access to the full range of Australian wines being made today, it is impossible to be bored.”
The book begins with an outline of Australian history, covering the introduction of vine growing by eighteenth- century European settlers but also paying particular attention to the impact on First Nations peoples and how the current wine industry is building bridges with these groups and involving First Nations peoples in wine production. Chapters on landscape, climate, wine regulations and grape varieties are followed by a fascinating chapter on old vines in Australia, since the country is home to some of the oldest wines in the world. The largest part of the book is taken up with the six chapters exploring the country’s wine regions (all in the south). Producers are profiled here, and Davidson recommends some of his favourite wines. One particularly useful appendix is the listing of ‘101 wines that illuminate Australian wine today’. Presenting the best examples of each style and variety, Davidson offers readers the perfect starting point for their exploration of Australia’s wines, providing them with, as he notes, “a very good chance of grasping fully the character, complexity and quality of Australian wine today”.
I asked Mark to share a few labels from the 101 wines that illuminate Australian wine today, and here are his highlights:
Sparkling & White Wines
Jansz Vintage Brut Rosé from Tasmania
Grosset Polish Hill Riesling from Clare Valley, South Australia
Tolpuddle Chardonnay from Coal River Valley, Tasmania
Tyrrell’s “Vat 1” Semillon from Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Delinquente “Screaming Betty” Vermentino from Riverland, South Australia
Red Wines
Bindi “Block 5” Pinot Noir from Macedon Ranges, Victoria
Ochota Barrels “Fugazi” Grenache from McLaren Vale, South Australia
Wynns “Black Label” Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra, South Australia
Henschke “Mount Edelstone” Shiraz from Eden Valley, South Australia
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier from Canberra, New South Wales
Hither and Yon Nero d’Avola from McLaren Vale, South Australia
