Deep Dive into the WINES of AUSTRALIA
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 พ.ย. 2022
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I have used this glass in this Video: RIEDEL Performance Riesling.
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
2021 Grosset Springvale Riesling Clare Valley Australia - 31 US $
2021/2015 Tyrrell's Wines Semillon Hunter Valley Australia - 16 US $
2019 Patrick Sullivan Ada River Chardonnay Gippsland Australia - 48 US $
2015 Ocean Eight Aylward Reserve Pinot Noir Mornington Peninsula Australia - 40 US $
2016 Wynns The Siding Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Australia - 13 US $
2018 Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz Barossa Valley Australia - 24 US $
The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
Australia is one of the more recent additions to the wine world and has grown quickly over the last centuries. When the first European settlers arrived in Oz, there were no wild vines like there like in North America for example. The first vineyards were planted at the end of the 18th century and the industry grew steadily throughout the 19th century. Phylloxera also came to Australia in the 19th century but it did not spread widely and many vineyards and regions are still phylloxera free.
There was a period in the early 20th century when Australia focused on producing Fortified wines. Rutherglen Muscat is one of the remaining wine styles from that time but in the 1950s things changed for the industry. Cold fermentations, the use of stainless steel, the focus on better varietals, and high hygiene levels in the winery improved the quality of Australian wines and made them more reliable also compared to their Old World peers. Today Australia is well-established as a wine-making country. Most of the wine is being produced in the South East of the country, in the states of South Australia and New South Wales as well as Tasmania but you can also find great wines in Western Australia and to a lesser extent in Queensland.
If you think of Australia as hot and dry that’s not entirely true. Most of the wine growing regions are cooled down by the Pacific Ocean. Some areas are also at a higher altitude, like for example Orange a region that sits above 600 meters in Altitude. But Australia can be pretty hot too and by looking at the most widely planted grape varieties you see a mix of cool and warm climate varieties: Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc
Shiraz or Syrah is the most widely planted variety. While Australians have adopted the spelling Shiraz it is still the same grape variety as Syrah. But it has also developed into a style descriptor. Wines from another country labeled Shiraz are usually richer and more concentrated than Syrahs from the same place. But now let's get into the wines … I have a selection here of classics and some newcomers to the Australian wine scene, so this tasting should be nice.
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While I agree that the Tyrells Semillon can be underrated, the wine you actually drank was Vat 1, which retails for a lot more than $16 USD and uses fruit from the best of the old-vine, dry-grown vineyards. The oldest planting of those vines dates back to 1923, so there is a whole lot more complexity than the equivalent vintage standard "Semillon".
Nonetheless, great video, being a Victorian, i'm hopeful you can jump on the Victorian wine bandwagon, our pinot's and chard's are some of the best in the world, not to toot our own horn.
I was about to write the same thing. I actually drank a 2015 Vat 1 a few weeks ago. Amazing wine. I paid about 35€ for the bottle.
You are right. Pinned the comment to make people aware
@@KonstantinBaumMasterofWine I really liked the producers you showed in this video! The Wynn's Black label Cabernet sauvignon is a pretty solid wine for not that much more than the basic Cabernet. And I absolutely love Grosset Polish hill Riesling, it would be cool to see you try that one day. And about Glaetzer, let's just say I like all of his projects, but the Amon-Ra is what i always go back to...
Yep, 1998 vat 1 is one of the best whites I’ve ever had, up there with some of the greats.
2015 Tyrrell's Semillon Vat 1 is about AuD $85 at my local retailer.
Margaret River in Western Australia produces some spectacular cabernet sauvignon and chardonay. One of the best wine regions in the world imo
Margaret River is also producing some excellent shiraz as well!
While we're on Western Australia, the Great Southern region deserves a mention. The area around the town of Denmark produces some great wines (particularly cooler climate shiraz) and has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country!
@@Foreverlongparanoid thanks for the tip! Will have to chase some of those down
@@Foreverlongparanoid Oh jeez wouldn't agree there Shiraz out of WA has no body. SA has much better shiraz.
@@Chazdachap Can't agree with that. Just because the Shiraz isn't necessarily as full-bodied doesn't mean it's inferior.
@@Foreverlongparanoid tastes like Ribena or cordial. Cab sav from Margs is good. Woodlands or Mosswoods, but Shriaz from Margs is a waste of money. Maybe Franklin or singlefile is alright, but just not great value vs SA
As an Australian wine drinker-Australian wine is on the table most nights. Semillon from the HUNTER is probably best in world. The reds from most regions are generally great value. Remember Australia is the size of Europe with an enormous number of small wineries in a large number of regions.
We love the Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir's that come out of Tasmania. Tasmania being at the bottom tip of Australia, is mostly cool climate all year round and produced some incredible wines.
Tasmanian Pinot Noir is usually so great...I love 'Devil's Corner', especially.
So many better pinots than that to try ...up your game @@chadjcrase
Great tasting! Need to try that Semillon and especially that Riesling.
This is my favorite wine channel. Bumping for the algorithm. Cheers, Konstantin!
Have been waiting for this day to come! So awesome to see some home grown beauties on showcase! 🇦🇺
lived the Aussie review. As someone from Adelaide, I'm glad to see us get some love!
Great video like always
Excited to see some Greek wines as well
Niccee selection. I lived in SE Asia for six years and drank a lot of the small producers from Australia. I think it’s an incredible country wine wise and the small producers are doing amazing things. I actually prefer Aussie Pinot over Kiwi (in general). Good call on the Semillon as those examples from Hunter Valley are some of the most unique whites in the world. I’m also a hugggggge fan of Coonawarra
What a great surprise! You reviewed two regions close to me, one I previously lived in and one I live in currently, plus my favorite region Coonawarra! 🍷
Ps; try the Wynns black label 2013 cabernet sauvignon. One of my favorites!
Thank you 🙏🏽 The Bishop sounds interesting!
I've been waiting for this episode
Coming back to this video, to watch and drink together. Thank you master!
Great Aussie wines. You only just scratched the surface of with your selection today. Thanks for a show casing those varieties from some magnificent regions.
This couldn't have come at a better time. My WSET level 3 exam is this Saturday, and Australia is one of my weaknesses. Thanks!
Great to see some Aussie drops.. great video, we have been collecting Grosset for about 8-10 years.. very high quality pity you couldn’t get your hands on a Polish Hill 👌🏻🥂
As a lover of your channel and a proud South Australian i was thrilled to see you rate the Grosset so high. Its one of my favourite Australian white wines so its good to know you really enjoy it also. Cheers Paul.
After watching this video i ordered the Grosset springvale Riesling and i´m sipping it right now. Just had to write a thank you. The wine is fabulous and so is you channel. Great content that´s very wide and informative and also, very funny. You are def my no 1 wine channel to follow.
Really comprehensive! I've had some lovely Australian wines, but I was never too keen on the flavour of artificial oaking. Nice one Konstantin! 👍🌟
Stumbled upon this video and stayed to the end! Thanks for showcasing some wines from Aus! Can I suggest if you do a follow up, some NSW cold climate and high country wines. Gundagai is an emerging location that is producing some amazing varieties and products. The Canberra region is also making some exceptional and fresh wines. Tumbarumba, hill tops, Gundagai and Canberra would be my suggestions if you can pick them up where you are. Cheers!
Good video as usual! What seems missing is the high quality Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River. Also, Wynns has a lot of higher quality Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon than the one tasted (which are slightly more expensive but not extravagant). We have not even mentioned about ‘Terra Rossa’. Look forward to more interesting video (including about Australian wine).
Hey Konstantin! I come from a land Down Under and I hope that you may do a future series. I love your videos but find it hard to hunt down some of the your recommendations. Ah! The rewards of patience! My other favorite wine country near me is New Zealand and Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is sublime and has been a long term resident over the years in my cellar. I find it goes well with Duck smoked over Cherry Wood. Cheers!
Thanks for finally doing this, I have been waiting for your views on Australian win for a while. Yes the Hunter Valley Semillon is under rated even in Australia. I was really excited to see the Grosset Riesling in your line-up as this is one of my favourites, I will be having the big brother from Polish Hill this weekend. As I also live in Melbourne have tried many wines from the Mornington Peninsula including this, fair description. When it comes to the Shiraz I haven't had this particular one but I am not a big fan of The Barossa Valley as the wines are too big, personally I prefer The Grampians or The Pyrenees.
Hey Konstantin! Great to see some Aussie wines! And as a Queenslander it's good that you've even mentioned us! Yes, we do have a small wine region in the Subtropical state, but it's about 1000m ASL so it's considered a cool climate with a great diurnal range and minerally granitic soils. It's definitely worth exploring as there are so many experimental and alternative varieties from far-flung places there.
Great work with the Semillon, and it's so underrated! (And it's without the "é") The Vat 1 you pulled out is still just a baby (think it's the current vintage release) - personally I think examples around 2000 are getting in their complexity stride now.
A couple of more "Iconic" Aussie wines you need to try:
- Margaret River Chardonnay (Leeuwin Estate Art Series)
- Tasmanian Sparkling and Pinot Noir (e.g. House of Arras or Glaetzer-Dixon - Ben Glaetzer's brother!)
- Sparkling Shiraz (ideally Traditional Method - not the cheap gassed stuff - Teusner or Seppelt Show Sparkling)
- Botrytis Semillon (de Bortoli Noble One)
- Rutherglen as you mentioned (Morris, etc)!
Great video. And yep. Aussie wines are well represented in my cellar. I’m a fan of the Pinot noirs coming out of Tasmania just love the bright red fruits. And the Rieslings from Clare Valley. I have the Grosset in the cellar. I do have to say I’m a huge fan of Torbreck and Henschke and Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River. And sparkling Shiraz too! Just great with barbecue ribs. Jansen makes some pretty good fiz too.
Great selection !
Thank you Konstantin, great reviews. I'd like to add the state of Victoria to your list of wine producing states and where the chardonnay and pinot noir you've reviewed in this video are from. Also consider Tasmania; I'd like your opinion on Coal Valley produced pinot noir? All the best 🙏
I can only echo the sentiment of a lot of comments already made. Having worked in the retail side of the wine industry in Sydney decades ago, a lot of these varietals (try a 15-yr old aged Lovedale Sem or 10+ Hunter Shiraz) continue to show the breadth and depth of Aussie wines. Living in the US now, it continues to surprise me how underrated Australian wines are. Konstantin - you noted the intense lime notes from the Claire Valley Riesling; the neighbouring Eden Valley produces wines with predominantly lemon notes.
Loved the video altogether, and looking forward to when you head westward to WA and the Margaret River!
Shiraz is my new jam! Crazy to taste gamey meatiness in wine. I love it!
Once I tried Muscat from Rutherglen. It was so deep and long with so much flavour intensity in the nose and looong aftertaste. Australia is a very nice place to make wines.
And I didn’t mention Ancestor’s vines Shiraz. It’s the wine from another dimension 🛸🪐🔭
The whole point of the Aussie wine industry, in the beginning, was making stuff that could get shipped to Blighty...by sail. So that meant we were heavily focused on fortifieds. Those old shiraz vines we've still got scattered around the place were originally destined to become port.
Hell, Max Schubert, the father of Grange, was sent to Portugal to learn how to make better port in the later forties, after he got his job back after he left to fight the war (after Penfolds told him not to join the army). He took the ticket to Europe, but immediately went to Bordeaux instead.
Just found your channel and glad I did! I'm a big fan of Australian wines having visited the Hunter many times and can only agree that the Semillion is outstanding. Tyrell's and Mount Pleasant are the torch bearers with some amazing young and old wines. There are also many others like Brokenwood, Gun Dog and Saddlers Creek (amongst others) that are doing great things. My father lives in Coonawarra and I agree with the comment about the 'basic' Wynn's offering. They do much better than that. I recently visited Mudgee and what they are doing with Italian varietals is sensational. Look forward to exploring more of your videos.
Good video, nicely done!
Another great video. I lived in Melbourne for 6 years and got to explore and ultimately love Aussie wines. Great call on the Grosset Riesling, it’s a cracker, and fantastic with all the Asian food you find in Oz. Pikes is another wonderful Clare Valley Riesling producer you should seek out. If you’re looking for a funky Burgundian style Aussie Pinot try the Ferrous from Port Phillip Estate and make sure you also seek out Main Ridge Estate from the Mornington Peninsula for their stellar Chardonnay.
Writing this is making me thirsty….I think I’ll crack open a classic Aussie Shiraz and order a cheeseburger - one of the world’s great wine pairings!
Thanks for the video.
You beauty! For part 2, 3 and 4 my votes are Canberra Riesling and Shiraz, and Great Southern Pinot, Shiraz and Riesling to see the other side of Australian wine from SA and Margaret River. Grenache from McLaren vale and Heathcote, and all the Italian wine styles out in Heathcote and the King Valley. Beechworth Chardonnay and Pinot! Sherry from rutherglen - we call it Apera and we have fino and amontillado styles, not just grandma’s cream Sherry. De Bortolli Noble One! Check out how Pinot noir changes from south to north tassie, or Riesling changes from south to north Tamar - we’ve got terroir for days mate!
Thank you konstantin 😊 I enjoy Australian wines for their verve,
Was awesome to see you tasting through an Aussie line up. Being a local I pretty much drink exclusively Australian wines, you had an interesting line up. Very hard not to throw out a heap of suggestions of wines I love 😂. (I would say if you can check out a Sparkling Red or two and definitely a Cab Shiraz blend as in addition to Semillon these feel very “Australian” to me being uncommon in the old world.
Keep up the entertaining and informative work!
M
Absolutely, sparkling red is classic Aussie as well as some of those stickies he mentioned
Dear Konstantin. Thanks again for a great video! I have some Tyrell's Semillon from 2019. How long should I wait before drinking it? ;)
Been waiting for this one for ages and really enjoyed it. Avid viewer from Oz. Please do a part 2. I watched a lot of your videos and always wondered how our wine scores from Halliday/Sam/Ray down here compare to the wine scores you give.
Some thoughts if you do a part 2: Australia is big. The climate difference of orange and Tasmania may as well be the difference between Mexico and Napa.
Pacific is one one side of the coast (the popular side), the Indian Ocean on the other (Margret River/great southern) and with most of our wines along the Southern Ocean (Barossa/ McClaren / Clare Valley etc).
The video is great and I enjoyed it and captures Oz wines well.
I think Wynn’s should get another run. I think they’re the best value winery I’ve come across for high quality Cabernet Sauvignon.
I’d love to see how Australia’s more top wines compare. Especially the Shiraz’s (someone like St Hugo’s) or Cabernet Sauvignon (Wynns).
Anyway thanks for another great video
Also If you do another Australian video please try and get hold of some Tahbilk Marsanne, it's amazing
Appreciate you showing of some of our great wares. Would be great to see a blind tasting of Australian and New Zealand sparkling and french champagne. Some beautiful sparking wines made in Tasmania - think house of Arras
Torbreck Barossa Valley Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre a wonderful wine.
Really enjoy Penfolds also.
Awesome selection. Makes me proud to be Australian. Would be good to see some Tasmanian sparkling in the mix, which I think is a very underrated region, especially outside of Australia. Great sparklings, pinots and riesling.
Love myself some tassie pinot noir
So much aussie wine is of both excellent quality and value
Was happy to see this video as an Aussie and a fan of your channel. I'm from Melbourne and hadn't heard of the two middle wines before and I travel to Victorian regions quite a bit. I think Australia can give the old world a real run for their money. And it's affordable too!
As an Australian living in Germany who has a modest wine cellar with wines from many regions this was a great review for me. Some of these wines I was familiar with and have several bottle's of the bishop in my cellar. And do enjoy a bottle occasionally. Time to revisit and open the next bottle.
I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the Wynns. Definitely a very commercial wine and not something to keep in the cellar. There are many more great Cabernet Sauvignons available from Australia.
The Australian whites have not been my favorite when looking for a white but last summer I opened a bottle (or two) from a small winery Wild Duck Creek. It changed my mind about Australian whites and as such I have now been convinced to look at some additional varieties available here in Germany and not self imported direct from the winery. Order placed for the Tyrrells.
Living here in Mittel Franken does allow me to enjoy a wide range of European wines at a reasonable price.
Konstantin keep up the great work and will be watching more of your great videos.
Coonawarra Cab Sav is the stuff to get hold of👍👍
The beauty of wine is in the eye, nose and palate of the beholder!!
I’m always looking and tasting wines from all around the world. Right now France and New Zealand are my favorites. Great value and very enjoyable wines are readily available.
Great to see you “get back into” Aussie wine 👍🏼 Here’s hoping it’s not too many months until a follow-up - maybe some State-specific deep dives (actually I’d love to see you do this for regions around the world Old or New) But my vote next time would be for some Tasmanian Sparkling or Pinot 🙏
agreed, australia has so much to offer!
Got to check out Australia's best Cabernet region- Margaret River!
Fantastic, thank you for finally getting to Australia!!
And yes, you did try Australia's best white wine: Vat 1. I recently opened a bottle of the 2017 and it was magnificent (2015 is actually considered an off vintage). I think Australian producers in general are valuing balance more than concentration of flavour, which I think is brilliant.
I can't help but wish you tried the Wynn's Black Label instead of The Siding, it's definitely worth the extra money and is one of the most important wines in Australia. But please if you do do another Australian tasting, please include a Margaret River Cabernet. Preferably Cullen, who in my opinion is Australia's finest producer.
Thanks again, and thank you so much for the content, I really value your work!!
Agreed regarding MR!
Very excited to see this one posted! I am surprised House Of Arras was not included in the line-up? It's Australia's most highly awarded Sparkling wine, and the most recent award:
Ed Carr’s House of Arras 2001 Museum Release Blanc de Blancs snared a gold medal and the trophy in the “library vintage” class at Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships in London last week.
It’s the first time in the history of the show that French champagne did not win the class.
Well written. I'm certainly glad you didn't copy and paste your post from online articles.
@@dampaul13 😀
I love your channel. Originally from the Bergstrasse in Germany with the Pfalz and Baden at the doorstep, now in Australia. Big fan of Tasmanian and Victorian Pinots.
Respect Konstantin! The Tyrrells Vat 1 semillion is the greatest most unique white produced in this country but needs a ton of bottle age to show its best and the Grossett Rieslings are not far behind. I'm struggling to think of any Aussie reds that excite me more,. I had a 1994 Vat 1 (cork) in 2015. Fully mature, complex, at its zenith. It was hands down the best Australian wine I've had.
The wines from Ben Glazer are really nice. I have 5 Amon-Ra 2018 from Ben Glazer in my wine fridge at home (were 6 but as usual, i comitted some wine-infanticide on the first bottle directly after delivery). I wonder how long I should wait on those.
can i suggest the hidden gem Rylestone near Mudgee, Gorgeous limestone chalk soils and a cool climate with beautiful sun exposure and cool breeze's. fantastic sparkling and chardonnay, also solid pinot noir and red blends
Love the Riesling. I think it's one of the best value grapes here in the US due to lower popularity. I've loved Pikes traditionale in the past, just picked up some Jim Barry this past week. Will keep a look out for the one you featured.
Pikes and Jim Barry are some of the best Australian Rieslings you can get, both for taste and value. The Grosset Rieslings are nearly double the price - or at least, they are here in Australia.
The Pikes traditional is great value, if your able to get Jim Barry's the Florida it's probably in the same class. The riesling he's featured here sells out every year
Grosset is small batch only. Cellar door (in Clare Valley) opens first day of spring. Has often sold out and closed before christmas.
Thank you for doing the Coonawara. I’ve been on the hunt for a minty wine since an earlier video, and this is the one someone on Reddit mentioned
Riddoch is also minty to me the reserve Cabernet 2018 (which I can't find any more) was like an after dinner mint! Full of chocolate and minty menthol.
Hollicks, Majella, brands are good Coonawarra minties. Don't overlook Langhorne Creek either underrated and good value... bremerton, Kim Bolton, Ben potts, heartland, bleasdale and Lake breeze all very good
Love to see such love for Aussie wines here. I live in the Henty region in the state of Victoria and work in a restaurant in the neighbouring Grampians region (which was actually not effected by phylloxera when it arrived to Australia).
Those who love wine and know their cellars have probably put two and two together and made the assumption that I work at the royal mail hotel Dunkeld, which is true and I'm incredibly lucky to work with such an extensive cellar.
Hope to see some of you wine lovers I you ever make it to the region.
Been waiting for this video since I started watching your channel! Love that you've given some proper representation of good Australian wines and regions. As a South Australian, I'd love to see you do a deep dive on all of the regions, their specialties, and iconic producers.
- Barossa Valley Shiraz (Rockford)
- Clare Valley Riesling (Grosset)
- Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir (Ashton Hills)
- McLaren Vale Grenache (Yangarra)
- Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (Wynns)
I'm sure myself and many other subscribers would be happy to help you source wines locally.
Great list and these are all good area's to explore. I am heading to McLaren Vale in January and will hopefully be doing some exploration of the many great Grenache wines. As well as the beaches.
@@shaunashton9744 enjoy! Aldinga or Sellicks are great as you can drive your car onto the beach but Pt Willunga is the absolute gem.
@@beeeech you perfectly described my holiday but don't think that I will be driving the 8 seater carnival on the beach.
Needs atleast Wynn's black label. It's going to be challenging for him to find a basket press hahahaha. Maybe a rod and spur or a rifle range from Rockford.
Given that he mentioned rutherglen...and then didn't acknowledge vic as a wine producing state. Boggles the mind. I'll come back when he has done his research.
Another well made video about Aussie wine. I have heard many good things about Hunter Valley Semillon, but haven't gotten chance to taste it yet. I generally tend to prefer the newer style Aussie wines with greater freshness, higher acidity and more balance. I never got into or was able to appreciate the big bold and fruity Aussie Shiraz style, though I am sure there quality iterations of them. As a Riesling fan, Eden & Clare Valley are regions that are great and I've had 1 or 2, but they don't show up in Asia very often.
I have been particularly impressed with wines coming from Adelaide Hills & McLaren Vale, using Italian cultivars and mixing in some CS or Merlot. Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon has a unique and savory mouthfeel and taste, quite different from other CS in Australia or other places. Hopefully more cool climate region Aussie wines will become more available globally in the future.
You should really check out some of the Canberra District wines. There are some great producers, making really nice cool climate shiraz, pinot and chardonnay. I also happen to think that the best Australian riesling comes from Canberra.
Yes! Ravensworth and Clonakilla make fantastic wines
@@NeutralMjolkHotel Definitely! I really liked the wines of Eden Road and Helm too.
Strong agree on riesling
Drinking Clonakilla while watching this video :)
@@gpn962 Nice, which one?
We here down under also have a famous, iconic, and super-expensive wine, namely Penfold's Grange! I'd love to hear your review, perhaps in a vertical tasting or against some other super premium wines. Parker was a fan of it.
Great video! I enjoy cab sauv and Shiraz from Aussie every now and then, particularly from Barossa valley or McLaren vale, mostly for their power and concentration.
And, these screw caps, they seem to only allow slight change of flavours even with years of aging, unlike cork? What do you think?
I made a whole video on closures. I think they generally develop slower under screwcap
I would definitely recommend looking at some more wines from the Margaret River region, in the south-west of Australia. Their Chardonnays are Cabernet Sauvignons are truly world-class, especially Cullen Wines' 'Diana Madeline,' Leeuwin Estate's 'Art Series' and Vasse Felix's 'Tom Cullity.'
Great video I’ve drank so much of that Semilion it’s ridiculous lol
Great vid
👍👍
And, I'll put in a push right here for a broader tasting of Australian Riesling! 😄 And, Pinot Noir!
It's interesting what he says about the Petrol aromas
@@minka8047 yes, I don't remember that in other Aussie Rieslings, and I'm pretty sensitive to it.
It sometimes comes across in ripe (hot) vintages; he's picked the guy that's arguably the best Riesling maker in the country ( I'd say Jeff's partner Stephanie O Toole , Neil Pike (ex Pikes),Rob Dilette (Dukes Magpie Hill and Castle Rock) compare)
@ Konstantin Baum the episode I've been waiting for, the semillon , the riesling and the Shiraz were picked from the right region/producer/ bottle to represent. I would have gone to Tasmania or the Yarra Valley for a Pinot Noir (Oakridge/ By Farr /Giant Steps/Tolpuddle/Dalrymple); Margaret River now makes the best Chardonnay (the gin gin clone does really well there) so any of the houses there would have done well to represent; Wynn's black label used to be their entry level and did a great job in recent times I would have gone to Western Australia ( Piero,Cullen, Vasse Felix,Moss Wood,Xanadu, Deep woods etc ) the Yarra (Yerringburg,Mt Mary) , Tasmania (Domaine A) or a slightly more expensive bottle of Wynn's. There's also Victorian Shiraz which is a more elegant representation (Giaconda, Best,Castagna) and some great Shiraz vignonier blends ( Clonokilla from the ACT) which tells the world that we do more than the big fleshier Barossans
While I absolutely agree with you on the standard of wineries you're going for it's difficult to find most of these labels in Australia for a reasonable price point and I would imagine even more difficult to find them in Europe which I'd imagine would bring them in at an even bigger price point.
@@ianhumphreys759 I agree some of the wines I mentioned are by allocation only and some are expensive. But some of the wines opened on this channel make my list seem cheap. As far as sourcing them an MW with a circa 100k following would have no trouble ..... He does a great job and is very entertaining
You should have added a sparkling shiraz, which is one of the most unique Australian wine styles. Besides that an interesting tasting. Might have to try the Semillion somedays...
Thanks. Yes, spk Shiraz is interesting!
The small town of Great Western in the Grampians makes my favourite sparkling shiraz; bests and Grampians' estate
Wow Pat Sullivan.. wasn't expecting that!!
Hey, great video! What causes those green notes in the new world cabs?
I liked cool climate style wines? for example, from Mornington Peninsula or Yarra Valley, and very unusual, but I tested from the Mayer Nebbiolo growing there and it was fabulous!
I met Timo Mayer at a wine tasting evening in London. Great guy, I bought the Cabernet and Pinot.
Tyrells is a large winery but is still family owned - it may be the largest family owned winery left in Australia and is one of my favourites. Their semillon in particular is outstanding. Their wine is great and their customer service even better! I remember trying many varieties of their semillon when I visited the cellar door a few years ago and they were able to guide me through the impact that terrain has on the wine. They had semillon from sandy, clayey and sandy clay soils and the intensity in them varied considerably. The clay one was my favourite. I joined the Private Bin club that day after their magnificent tour accompanied by generous tastings and I was with them for many years until my cellar started to burst at the seams and I had to largely stop buying wine. I still buy their cheaper Vat wines which was initially shown in your picture when they go on special and often get them for about $90AUD per dozen! You won't find a cheaper, tastier everyday quaffer!
Wynns is also one of my favourite wineries and Coonawarra is my favourite wine region in Australia. The Cabarnets in particular are outstanding in that region. The siding which you tried here as seen by the price is their commercial every day drinking wine. The black label wines which you can pick up for about twice the price are outstanding, especially with some age. I recently drank one from 20 years ago and it was still drinking wonderfully well. As were others I got on that same trip from wineries like Hollicks, Bowen and Redman.
Konstantin, have you tried wines from Standish yet? I am a novice when it comes to wines and "The Relic 2019" was the first wine that blew me away.
I actually work at a Cellar Door in the Clare Valley and know Jeffrey Grosset so it feels quite surreal to see one of his wines on this channel. I really enjoy the wines in the Clare Valley and absolutely recommend you visit some time, I would be more than happy to host you at cellar door!
10/10 Thumbnail 😂👏🏻
Never tasted aussie wine, interesting tasting Konstantin 🤗
Konstantins hat position is a symbol that this episode is about a place on the southern hemisphere! ☺️
We are lucky here in the UK to get a fantastic range of Australian wines available to us, from £6 supermarket shiraz's, to £500+ truly top-end wines. Whilst I wouldn't generally buy Aussie Riesling, I agree with you about Hunter Valley semillons, and you can get decent Chardonnay from nearly every region. For the reds, I usually go to Barossa, or anywhere in the Adelaide Hills, and of course, Margaret River wines are now making a huge impact. A good tasting, Konstantin, and as has already been said, you can find good examples of most grape varieties from virtually all the Australian regions. So I look forward to your next Down Under Day! Thanks.
McLaren Vale is another spectacular south Australian red region. It’s a hard life living in Adelaide, 90kms of coastline to the west, and wine regions a short drive all other directions
That's funny I either drink Riesling or Shiraz from down under. Maybe for the exact reasons you've pointed out in this video. I'll have Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from New Zealand, haven't yet found great expressions of these grape varieties in Australia. But then I have to admit I'm not seeking them out.
Another really good tasting and I agree Australia have evolved to produce more complex wines.
Wine from Mudgee NSW, beautiful!
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Nice to see my local vineyards (Margaret River) getting some love.
Can you please try Aosta Valley i wines in North west Italy ? There are some interesting wines this year. Petite arvine aged on granite crates then bottled and stored in old mines at 2600 MT in italian alps or the 2020 chaud de lune from "cave mont blanc" sweet white wine hand picked at 1200 MT of altitude in the night in the Winter seasons so while grape fruits are Frozen. Even some great natural pinot noir.
poor Victoria misses out in the intro ;-) But seriously, have a go at Yarra Yering - non-irrigated and some of the finest winemaking in the Yarra Valley. At least to my palate!
I live in Lovedale(the Hunter Valley), and aged Semillon is something I’m really proud of as a local. So much complexity and quality in the Hunter that usually gets lost under the shadow of the Barossa valley
The old winemaker of Lovedale, said the vineyard is so sparse for vegetation "even the rabbits bring a lunch box"
Konstantin, have you had wines from the Margaret River region, if so what do you think of them?
Yes, I have and I loved the fruit/tobacco/spice flavors of the Cabernets
Just had an Australian Shiraz, it was of quality but didn't really fit with the food I was having. Some site recommended shiraz with cheese pizza and I didn't really find coffee/chocolate/tobacco taste fitting with quattro formaggi ^^
On occasion I do like Australian Wines, especially the red ones. Is it my imagination or are corks these days being made from a finely granulated composite materials instead of just cork? I was looking at the results from a Sherry from Spain, a reserve Merlot from California and a Pinot Noir from France. The Sherry had a genuine cork and other two wines had this granular composite mater used. I have seen some wine closures definitely use a polymer material.
Are cork trees under stress these days?
I've actually got some Tyrrell's Chardonnay's in the mail at the moment. They make fantastic wines. I love their Old Hut Shiraz. Grosset Polish Hill riesling is also great.
You must do a deep dive into Argentina. We have a very wide variety. I'm looking forward to your notes on our wines.
Would be great to see you taste some more premium Australian wines as these are far from the best of Australia. Perhaps some Standish Shiraz, Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay, Mount Mary Quintet, Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Cullen Diana Madeline, Giaconda Chardonnay… to name a few!
My mother in law is related to the Glaetzers from what I understand. I think Ben's mother maiden name is Bishop?? Great wine. It's my favourite.
When you were talking about Rutherglen fortified wine I was reminded of a sign in Rutherglen:
"Sydney may have a nice harbour, but Rutherglen has a great Port"
Re the screwtops that's happened in the last 2 decades or so. Basically somebody did some market research and discovered very few people cellar their wine in Australia (I forget the exact numbers, but it's something like 90% of wine is drunk within a fortnight of purchase) - although that being said, experts claim screwtops still age fine.
The Clare (and Barossa) Valley has a strong German influence/heritage - I guess that influence is part of the reason they grow Riesling in the Clare valley.
The other main reason (and i'd argue the primary) why screwtops got changed over was money. Australian wineries were sometimes paying over a dollar per cork and still getting the product the French and Spanish were quite literally throwing away, since we can't grow cork trees here. Wineries were sick of the huge expenditure and massive product wastage so they switched over.
On the cellaring side the tops used to be a lot worse, but these days they're actually far superior to the cork. Cork is a natural product so each one is slightly different, lets different amounts of air in and generally affects the wine differently. The screwtop is specifically engineered to let through a very specific amount of air into the bottle and makes the cellaring process much more predictable.
Anyone clinging to corks are just romanticists at this point
Merlot has become popular in Victoria as a dinner wine, and I've found it to add a wonderful depth to slow-cooked beef or lamb.
Cabernet Sauvignon at that price range from the Coonawarra is one of the most distinct wines in the world for me. Big cassis, fruit forward, and usually enjoyable for the price.
You just made all our New Zealand friends jealous - good on ya ;)
Growing up in South Australia, and living in Adelaide, I have mainly drank local wines. McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek are also great regions. There has been a surge in Italian varietals in the area which are great. Varieties like Fiano, Vermentino, Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese and Montepulciano. McLaren Vale Grenache is also awesome and underrated.
Could Langhorne Creek be the most underrated Aussie region?
Scam post....
Being a south Australian, I rarely drink anything not from the state. We have arguably the best and most famous wine regions in the country, why drink something from NSW when I can be at a mclaren vale cellar door in less than 20 minutes
Nice showcase of aussie wines! I think this deserves a few sequels given the rise of alternative varieties and styles. I think you would enjoy a conversation with Dr. Cath Kidman, viticulturalist at Wynns. I really admire her work as grapegrower, researcher and educator at the same time. Coonawarra Cab sauv is being affected by climate change (maybe that is why you didn't quite like it) She is experimenting with new varieties that suit the future conditions on the region
Thanks for doing a video on Australian wine. Our wines are fantastic, which this video generally confirmed. My only minor gripe is you didn’t mention the state of Victoria, which produces wonderful wines. You did at least have a Victorian wine in the video.
Drinking them and also collecting 19 crimes series :))) want to try sparkling Shiraz a lot