Australia Day, marked on 26 January each year, commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia in 1788, and the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Captain Arthur Phillip. This official national day is an opportunity to acknowledge the country’s complex history – and for wine lovers it’s a chance to drink Australian.
The current crop of Aussie bottles on the supermarket shelves delivers plenty of choice and great quality.
As you might expect, classic Australian styles and regions are well represented. For example, you can find great Clare Valley Rieslings at Sainsbury’s and Tesco that are ‘fantastic value for money’.
Sainsbury’s also has a pair of new Australian Chardonnays that are worth seeking out: a stylish Margaret River bottling with sea-breeze freshness from Vasse Felix and Wakefield’s South Australian Chardonnay, packed with ripe golden apple and peach (both available in-store only).
Classic reds for winter drinking
If you prefer reds, head to Waitrose. The own-label Waitrose No1 Seven Generations Shiraz is made by respected family producer Langmeil and is a ‘poised and polished’ Barossa Shiraz at a very decent price (£14).
There are more big names at Sainsbury’s, where you can buy Penfolds Bin 8, a deeply flavoured red from one of the masters of that truly original Aussie style: the Shiraz-Cabernet blend. It’s ideal for chilly winter evenings.
There’s plenty more for Cabernet Sauvignon fans to enjoy, with appealing bottles from Western Australia. Top Margaret River winery Xanadu has its Point Break Cab on sale at Tesco and also makes the M&S own-label Yarri-Karri Cabernet that’s available in-store or online via Ocado.
Discover something new
Some retailers have also done a great job of tapping into the current trends in Australian wine and adding bottles to their shelves that might not be what you expect from Australia.
At Tesco you can find Nepenthe’s Dolcetto, a gluggable berry-and-cherry take on the native Italian grape. It’s just one example of how Italian varieties are finding a new home Down Under, with grapes such as Fiano and Sangiovese finding new expression in the southern hemisphere.
Austria’s Grüner Veltliner also makes an appearance in the Aussie selection at Tesco. While ‘The Best’ range at Morrison’s includes a delicious Botrytis Semillon, made by De Bortoli in Riverina, New South Wales.
Whatever you choose to buy, enjoy your taste of Australia this January.
