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It wasn't so long ago that Aussie and Shiraz were inseparable, at least on our local wine shelves.
And while shiraz still led the 2016 red crush by tonnage at 46%, it was down slightly from 2015, while the second place cabernet sauvignon was up by 20%, making up 27% of the total red crush. Merlot lagged along, rounding out the podium, with a rise only 3% and a decrease to 12% of the total red crush overall. Building on Australia’s cool climate hopes, pinot noir rose by 9%, a trend we welcome, especially from Adelaide Hills, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania.
All told, the red grape crush increased in volume by 10% in 2016, while the white crush increased by only 2%. Clearly, Aussie still rules red. And thankfully, the sun-leaden, overripe reds of the past are being replaced by lighter, fresher, earlier-harvested styles. Altitude has made a big difference, as is a lower reliance on the impact of wood and a collective shift towards wines that reflect vineyard, rather than vintner. On smart wine lists and shelves today you’ll see peppery and brisk syrah, finessed and elegant pinot noir, and chuggable herbal grenache, as well as a smattering of blends (thankfully GSM’s still abound, albeit in a slimmer frame).
In advance of Australia Day, January 26, here are our Top Ten Australia Reds tasted over the past year at GismondiOnWine. And for our special birthday gift to Oz lovers everywhere, we bumped this list up to a sweet Top Seventeen.
- TR
