Australian Wine

Shiraz

What may be the national grape of Australia is simply Syrah by another name. The variations in Australia alone make it seem like three or four different grapes.

In the hot South Australia, they make simple, sweeter Shiraz for guzzling. In the prime South Australia regions like Barossa and McLaren Vale, the wines get drier, more complex, and more expensive. Even there, they can be incredible values compared to similar wines from other parts of the world. In cooler areas like Victoria and Margaret River, the wines are generally found in a leaner style, more reminiscent of the Northern Rhone, but often still more fruit forward than the Rhone prototype.