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Sunburnt Vines & Ocean Winds: Discovering Australia

Cost: 30

Australia doesn’t present itself in a straight line. It stretches and shifts, a continent of extremes where ocean-cooled vineyards and sunbaked interiors coexist in real tension. To talk about “Australian wine” as a single style misses what makes it interesting. It’s a wide spectrum, where clarity and power, restraint and exuberance, tradition and reinvention all show up side by side.

In Clare Valley, Riesling comes through with definition: lime zest, crushed stone and bracing acidity that keeps the finish clean and long. Over in Margaret River, Chardonnay takes on a more composed shape, white peach and hazelnut with a measured touch of oak, guided by maritime influence as much as cellar choice. Cabernet Sauvignon from the region can feel Bordeaux-adjacent in structure, cassis and graphite framed by fine, persistent tannin, but with a brighter, more open profile.

Then there is Semillon, especially in the Hunter Valley, a wine that starts lean and citrus-driven, then develops over years into honeyed, toasted complexity. In Australia, age is not an afterthought. It’s part of the point.

And of course, Shiraz. It’s the grape most people reach for first, and it can go in very different directions. In riper expressions, think dark plum, blackberry and spice, pepper and clove, sometimes a smoky, savory note. In cooler sites and careful hands, it can land lifted and savory, with finer structure and more restraint than many expect.

What makes Australia exciting right now is not only the classic benchmarks, but the range. New regions are gaining attention, long-held assumptions are shifting, and winemakers are pushing into site-driven wines that emphasize balance. Skin-contact whites, lighter reds and more precise takes on familiar grapes all have a place here, not as a gimmick, but as a natural extension of the country’s diversity.

This tasting isn’t about making a case for Australia. It’s about experiencing the breadth, glass by glass, without preconception. Somewhere between the crystalline and the powerful, the familiar and the unexpected, the picture comes into focus. Australia isn’t one thing. It’s a complete story, best understood through tasting.

Wines to be tasted: 

TBA

All prices listed reflect regular retail. Significant discounts will be offered on all wines tasted. Due to the highly allocated nature of some selections, wines may change without notice.

Paint is by Kate Gradwell, Every City Needs Lungs

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