Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
What to Drink in Sydney
Australia has one of
the world's finest
cuisines and part of
its enjoyment is the
marriage of the
country's wine with
great food. Australians
have a very relaxed
attitude to food and wine mixes, so red
wine with fish and a cold, dry Riesling
as an aperitif can easily be the order of
the day. Also, many of the restaurants in
the wine regions offer exclusive brands,
or offer rare wines so these are worth
seeking out. Australians also enjoy some
of the best good-value wine in the world.
It is estimated that there are 10,000 differ-
ent Australian wines on the market at
any one time. Australians do love their
beer, and it remains a popular drink,
with a wide range of choices available.
While the health-conscious can choose
from a variety of bottled waters and
select-your-own, freshly-squeezed fruit
juices. Imported wines, beers and spirits
are also readily available.
Semillon Chardonnay
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 sparkling
wines are available throughout Sydney
from “bottle shops”, which sell alcohol.
Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley
produces high-quality sparkling wines
Angus Brut
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, in recent years 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 dessert wines. Australian
winemakers use
botrytis cinera,
or
noble rot, to make luscious dessert
wines such as De Bortoli's “Noble One”.
Some of the vines in Australia are
the oldest in the world.
Australian
Riesling
Botrytis
Semillon
GRAPE TYPE STATE
BEST REGIONS
BEST PRODUCERS
Chardonnay
VIC
Geelong, Beechworth
Bannockburn, Giaconda, Stoniers
NSW
Hunter Valley
Lakes Folly, Rosemount, Tyrrell's
WA
Margaret River
Leeuwin Estate, Pierro, Cullen
SA
Barossa Valley, Eden Valley
Penfolds, Mountadam
Semillon
NSW
Hunter Valley
Brokenwood, McWilliams, Tyrrell
SA
Barossa Valley
Peter Lehmann, Willows, Penfolds
WA
Margaret River
Moss Wood, Voyager, Evans & Tate
Riesling
SA
Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills
Grosset, Pikes, Petaluma, Mitchells
SA
Barossa Valley
Richmond Grove, Leo Buring, Yalumba
TAS
Tasmania
Piper's Brook
Marsanne
VIC
Goulburn Valley
Chateau Tahbilk, Mitchelton
