Your guide to Australian wine

Australian wine doesn’t elicit the best associations. For most, it brings to mind cheap wine with marsupials on the label. And New Zealand? Sauvignon blanc you can smell from a mile away. Vino from these two countries, once wine rack darlings for their approachability and quality, are now relegated to a bottom shelf. With similar winemaking traditions and practices to the U.S., wine producers in New Zealand and Australia should be more popular. Fortunately, both countries are in the midst of change. Most winemakers are pushing away from blatant fruit-bomb wines of the 1990s and 2000s and coming back to the purity of fruit that is their hallmark. It’s time to get reacquainted with wines from Down Under.

Wine facts from A to (N) Z

RANGE LIKE HUGH JACKMAN
Australia is the same size as the continental U.S. Every grape and style of wine you could think of has a potential home here. Aside from a huge variety of traditional still wines, Aussies also make white, pink and red sparkling wines at every sweetness level. They are no slouches when it comes to fortified and dessert wines, either – these are what Australia was famous for until the 1980s. 

OLDEST VINES EVER 
As vines get older, they produce less fruit. The resulting juice is more concentrated and richer in flavor. Australia is home to some of the oldest continuously producing cabernet sauvignon, syrah and grenache vines in the world. It is typical for wine to be made from vines planted in the 1800s.

OLD WORLD DOWN UNDER 
The same practices used in Old World winemaking are being used in Australia, producing earthier wines. If you are a fan of stem inclusion for tannins, using old barrels for less wood notes or smaller production wines from dedicated parcels, Australia does that, too. 

LAND IS CHEAP 
Land in rural Australia is remarkably inexpensive. It’s the reason Yellow Tail can travel halfway around the world and still be sold for $8. The same holds true of higher quality, boutique wines. You can get phenomenal cabernet from Coonawarra or grenache from McLaren Vale at a fraction of the cost of a wine produced in California. In the U.S., you often pay more for the cost of the land and tasting room than the quality of the juice.

SUSTAINABLE & ORGANIC 
New Zealand wineries are almost all sustainably farmed. In 2007, New Zealand Winegrowers agreed to this common practice and now 94 percent of all New Zealand vineyards are certified sustainable by rigorous independent environmental audits.

VINES & CLIMES
New Zealand’s abundance of sunlight and cool temperatures produce wines with a purity of fruit that cannot be replicated in warmer climates. The Kiwis excel at making wines perfect for warmer weather. Crisp, refreshing sauvignon blanc, dry riesling, pinot gris and pinot noir are their strong suit.

VINTAGES TO REMEMBER 
Both countries are coming off two of the best vintages in their history – 2013 in New Zealand is simply the best in its 40 years of winemaking, while 2012 in Australia is the best vintage since 2000. 

BOUTIQUE PRODUCERS 
There is a clear focus on less is more. The most exciting wines coming from both countries are being made in a boutique style that focuses on single vineyards and small production. 

SHOW-ME CHAMBOURCIN
Chambourcin has as strong a foothold Down Under as it does in Missouri. D’Arenberg makes a great one that is sparkling, red and dry.

Zalto Glassware

Wine glasses were the first thing I saw when I walked into Charlie Bird, a little Italian-inspired New York restaurant. On display everywhere like mini sculptures was Zalto glassware – elegant, mouth-blown glass from Austria. When I took my first sip of wine, I was surprised at how light and balanced the glass was. The stem, slight but strong, became an extension of my hand. It was so beautiful I didn’t want to put it down. 

–Meera Nagarajan

$60 per glass. Zalto Denk’Art Universal Glass, winemonger.com

Buy It

Sparkling: 

2013 d’Arenberg Peppermint Paddock
A sparkling, dry red chambourcin made in the same way as Champagne, the surprising Peppermint Paddock is perfect for a cookout and is a great pairing to beet salad. $30. Reeds American Table, 7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.899.9822, reedsamericantable.com

Kim Crawford Fizz Methode Traditionnelle
A blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, this high-quality New Zealand sparkler is reminiscent of Champagne. $30. The Wine Merchant, 7817 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.863.6282, winemerchantltd.com

White:

2013 Brokenwood Sémillon  
Crisp, rocky and super dry, it even has a hint of bubbles. Sémillon is one of the most popular wines in Australia today. If you like Spanish Txakoli, you’ve got to try this. $17. The Wine Merchant, 7817 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.863.6282, winemerchantltd.com

2013 Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run  
Aussies love dry wines, and this riesling fits the bill. Remember, riesling is a grape, not a style, and it’s actually a very tart grape by nature. Smelling like rocks and lime juice, it’s the perfect pairing for ceviche. $18. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com

Red:

2012 Terra Sancta Mysterious Diggings
Somewhere between Oregon and Burgundy, this New Zealand steal of a pinot noir balances minerality with bright cherry fruit. $26. Vom Fass, 7314 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.932.5262, vomfassusa.com

2012 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard
The Sexton Vineyard is a rich Australian pinot noir with great balance, vibrant fruit and a kiss of oak. $45. Reeds American Table, 7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.899.9822, reedsamericantable.com

2012 Penley Estate Gryphon
Rich, juicy and velvety, the Gryphon merlot is an absolute crowd-pleaser. Not Grandma’s “Murr-Low,” either – just a great raspberry, plum and rosemary flavor profile. $17. The Wine Merchant, 7817 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.863.6282, winemerchantltd.com

2013 Yangarra Old Vine Grenache
By “Old Vine,” this Australian winery means nearly 70 years. This is a dense yet warm red raspberry- and herb-driven grenache that’s perfect with lamb chops. $24. The Wine & Cheese Place, 7435 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.727.8788, wineandcheeseplace.com 

2012 Torbreck Cuvée Juveniles
Rich and dense, the Australian Cuvée Juveniles is a blend of grenache, syrah and mataro reminiscent of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in France for about half the price. $24. Bottle Cellars, 6039 Telegraph Road, St. Louis, 314.846.5100, bottlecellars.com/i> 

2012 John Duval Entity
From the man who has made some of Australia’s most expensive wine, this lush, rich, jammy, spicy, hedonistic wine is the pinnacle of shiraz for less than $50. $36. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com

2003 Charles Cimicky Trumps  
Older is better. Reminiscent of a warmer rustic northern Rhone syrah, Trumps is an Australian shiraz with meaty, smoky notes floating around a blackberry and black pepper core. $25. Reeds American Table, 7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.899.9822, reedsamericantable.com

2010 Penley Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
If you want to impress your Napa collector friends without breaking the bank, the Australian Penley Estate’s Reserve cabernet sauvignon will do it. Bold and spicy – a mouthful of intensity – it’s a great example of paying less for high quality from Down Under. $50. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com