Top 10 : Aussie Reds

And a welcome one at that. After the heights of Aussie reds, followed by the crash, the red wines of Australia have settled in a very happy place, focusing on place and drinkability rather than brands and power. Regionality is top of mind in the Aussie red discussion. Whereas the previous conversation was overrun by Barossa shiraz, today's discourse is likely to include Mornington pinot noir, Margaret River cabernet, or McLaren Vale grenache, and the exciting wines being made with barbera, malbec, mouvedre, tempranillo, montepulciano and others. In the year ended March 2018, Australian wine exports increased by 16 percent to $2.65 billion, the highest value in a decade, according to Wine Australia’s Export Report. There was more good news for Australia in this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) and International Wine Challenge (IWC), the two largest and most respected international wine competitions. In DWWA, Australia picked up 977 medals including 64 golds, and in the IWC Australia achieved 769 medals, second only to France. In both competitions, shiraz was Australia’s star performer. 

With the sun at its peak, and grills fired up, I thought it a perfect time to revisit some of the top Aussie reds we've tasted recently. If you haven't picked up an Australian red of late, any on the below list will remind you of what you're missing out on.

88/100Alpha Box & Dice Rebel Rebel Montepulciano 2016Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Australia

89/100Yalumba Old Bush Vine Grenache 2016Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia

91/100West Cape Howe Book Ends Cabernet Sauvignon 2015Mt. Barker, Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia

90/100Wakefield St Andrews Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia

92/100Wallace by Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache 2016Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia

91/100Heartland Directors' Cut Shiraz 2014Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Australia

89/100Ashton Hills Pinot Noir 2016Piccadilly Valley, Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Ranges, Australia

93/100Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon 2015McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia

92/100BK Wines Gower Pinot Noir 2016Lenswood, Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

92/100Ochota Barrels The Green Room Grenache Syrah 2014McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia

91/100Yangarra PF Shiraz 2016McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia

92/100Luke Lambert Yarra Valley Nebbiolo 2015Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia