Page 504 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

502  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

What to Drink in Australia

Australia has one of the world’s finest cuisines that there are 10,000 different Australian
and part of its enjoyment is the marriage wines on the market at any one time.
of the country’s wine with great food. Australians enjoy some of the best-value
Australians have a very relaxed attitude to wine in the world (see pp40–41) and love their
food and wine mixes, so red wine with fish beer, with a wide range of choices available,
and a cold, dry Riesling as an aperitif can including locally made craft beers. While the
easily be the order of the day. Also, many health-conscious can choose from a variety
of the restaurants in the wine regions offer of bottled waters and select-your-own,
exclusive brands or offer small-run wines, so freshly-squeezed fruit juices. Imported wines,
these are worth seeking out. It is estimated beers and spirits are also readily available.

Sparkling Wine
Australia is justly famous for its sparkling
wines, from Yalumba’s Angas Brut to
Seppelts Salinger. Most recently, Tasmania
has showed considerable promise in
producing some high quality sparkling
wines, particularly Pirie from Pipers Brook.
However, the real hidden gems are the
sparkling red wines – the best are made
using the French Méthode Champenois,
matured over a number of years and
helped by a small drop of vintage port.
The best producers of red sparkling
wines are Rockford and Seppelts. These
Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley (see p447) in sparkling wines are available throughout Angus Brut
Eastern Victoria the country from “bottle shops”. premium
White Wine
The revolution in wine making in the 1970s
firmly established dry wines made from
international grape varieties on the
Australian table. Chardonnay, Sauvignon
Blanc, and more recently Viognier and
Pinot Gris are all popular. However,
there has also been a renaissance
and growing appreciation for Riesling,
Marsanne and Semillon, which age
very gracefully. Australia’s other great
wines are their fortified and desert
wines. Australian winemakers use
botrytis cinera, or noble rot, to make
Rhine Botrytis luscious dessert wines such as Some of the vines in Australia are the
Riesling Semillon De Bortoli’s “Noble One”. oldest in the world

Grape Type Best Regions Best Producers

Chardonnay Geelong, Beechworth (VIC) Bannockburn, Giaconda, Stonier
Hunter Valley (NSW) Lakes Folly, Rosemount, Tyrrell’s
Margaret River (WA) Leeuwin Estate, Pierro, Cullen
The Barossa (SA) Penfolds, Mountadam
Semillon Hunter Valley (NSW) Brokenwood, McWilliams, Tyrrell
The Barossa (SA) Peter Lehmann, Willows, Penfolds
Margaret River (WA) Moss Wood, Voyager, Evans & Tate

Riesling Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills (SA) Grosset, Pikes, Petaluma, Mitchells

The Barossa (SA) Richmond Grove, Leo Buring, Yalumba
Tasmania (TAS) Piper’s Brook
Marsanne Goulburn Valley (VIC) Chateau Tahbilk, Mitchelton