Top 5 Australian Shiraz Picks of All Time

Australia is the world’s fourth-largest producer of wine. The Australian wine industry produces more than 1.3 billion liters of wine annually, with exports to over 120 countries.

Aussie wines are produced in regions across Australia, with many vineyards located in New South Wales and Victoria. The five most popular shiraz-producing regions are Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Central Otago and McLaren Vale. Some of the best award-winning Shiraz wines comes from Australia.

Top 5 Australian Shiraz

1. Pentfold Shiraz – Pentfold G3

(4.9 / 5) 

• Region: South Australia
• ABV: 14.5%
• Texture: Dry
• Drinking Window: Now – 2037
• Food Pairings: Beef and Venison
• Tasting Notes: A deep crimson colour. Aromas of dark chocolate, ripe blackberries, dark plums, toasted walnuts, and licorice. Dense, compact, and filled with dark blackberry graphite, dark plum fruits, and a plethora of fine-plenty chalky brambly textures.
• Vanilla, mocha, and roasted nut flavours are intense, with a crisp, blended acidity. Finishes chocolatey, hard, and inky for a long time.
• Barossa Valley Penfolds Wines Penfold’s G3 (OWC if by 3 btl) serve at a temperature of 16°C.
• It will pair perfectly with the following dishes: Brochettes d’agneau aux herbes de Provence, Risotto aux cèpes, Rôti de kangourou.

2. 2008, Chris Ringland, Hoffmann Vineyard Shiraz

(4.5 / 5) 

• Region: Barossa Valley
• ABV: 17.5%
• Food pairings: Beef, Poultry, Lamb, and Game.
• Tasting Notes: A beautiful opaque scarlet red-black in color. At first, it will give you impressions of chocolate, spices, and pepper and leave you to with underpinned smoky cedar vanillin notes. You will also get a soft touch of black olive and mint on the nose.
• When it touches your palate, it will give a very gentle and structured feel to it. The flavors of dark red berries with notes of licorice, tar, and lots of chocolates. The tannins in it are balanced by the acidity and give the flavors to stay for a while on your palate.
• It will pair perfectly with meat-based dishes, mainly spiced beef, poultry, lamb, and venison, and will taste heaven with these dishes.

3. 2012, Kilikanoon, Attunga 1865 Shiraz, Clare Valley

(4.3 / 5) 

• Region: Clare Valley, South Australia
• ABV: 14.5%
• Food Pairings: Deer, beef, and Poultry
• Tasting Notes: It has a deep red color with vibrant crimson hues. It is very rich on the nose because of the complex blend of old licorice, dark plums, tarry, and toasty oak spices notes.
• It has a luxurious texture but still maintains a linear and refined palate. The primary flavors of this wine are dark plums, cherries, and licorice beautifully combined with french oak. Its structure clearly shows its maturation potential.
• It will pair perfectly with all meat-based foods like grilled bacon meatloaf burgers, braised lamb with radishes, and mint.

4. 2008, Rockford, Basket Press Shiraz

(4.5 / 5) 

• Region: South Australia
• ABV: 14.5%
• Food Pairings: Venison and Beef.
• Tasting Notes: It is a beautiful dark red color. When it comes to the aroma, it has fruity notes of chocolate and ripe plums and is underpinned with oaky notes too.
• A silky mouthfeel, this wine gives you a sweet start with blackberries and blackcurrant but then takes a turn towards savory flavors of plum and black olive. Some bite in the tannins and acid gives it a whole new touch.
• It will perfectly pair with dishes like curly-Q grilled sausages, slow-cooked roast beef, and any spicy meat-based dish.

5. 2018, Brokenwood, The Graveyard Shiraz

(4.2 / 5) 

• Region: Hunter Valley 
• ABV: 13.5% 
• Food Pairings: Osso Bucco and lamb shoulder.
• Tasting Notes: It has a bright mid-density red color with some purple hues that adds more appeal to it. It has an oaky aroma with hints of ripe plums and mints.
• It starts with a supple feel to the palate and has a very smooth flow from start to finish. The fruity flavors of cherries give you a structured profile. The importance of acidity cannot be ignored as it is underpinned and gives the wine a structure of its own. It has a subtle yet powerful mouthfeel.
• It will perfectly pair with dishes like Irish lamb stew, portobello penne pasta casserolle.

More about Australian Shiraz

History of Shiraz

Shiraz (or Syrah based on style) was among the first grape varieties to be introduced to Australia in 1832, courtesy to the introduction of James Busby and his now-famous grape type collection – and thankfully, Shiraz was quickly planted in some of Australia’s greatest vineyards. Since then, this deep red, juicy type with superb tannins has been inextricably linked to our viticultural landscape.

Shiraz, Australia’s leading grape varietal, is full-bodied with high alcohol and bright cherry and plum aromas and flavours on the nose and mouth. Shiraz came in Australia while its current cultural identity was in its infancy. Australia’s scorching summers and chilly winters provide richness and structure to the wine, making it a global favourite.

Australians had yet to try a Lamington! Shiraz’s capacity to flourish and ‘get on with the work,’ as many people did at the time, won it a position as our favoured red wine varietal. Many award-winning wineries, including Tumblong Hills’ own vineyards, may also be found in the town.

About Shiraz

Shiraz is described as strong, peppery, and with a somewhat sweet aftertaste. When drinking this variety, you will also get a silky and slightly syrupy texture with deep and earthy flavours, most notably cherry, plum, and berry fruit characteristics.

These grapes, which are genetically similar to French Syrah, moved to Australia in the nineteenth century and thrived, taking on traits of indigenous vegetation. When drinking this wine, it is not unusual to detect notes of Eucalyptus.

Shiraz, which rose to commercial popularity in the last decade of the twentieth century, is a fan favourite all over the world and a fantastic wine for consumers of all levels of expertise.

Enjoy this wine with tasty spicy meals ranging from steak to mediterranean and even latin cuisines. This wine might overshadow more delicate foods, so avoid lighter meats and unspiced fish.

Our Pick of the Best Australian Shiraz : Pentfold G3

Penfolds Winery : Makers of the Best Shiraz

Penfolds’ success has been fueled by generations of visionaries and inventors. From its inception in 1844 to the present day, the marriage of science, art, and innovation has propelled Penfolds to become one of Australia’s most renowned and regarded wineries.

Penfolds has been founded on exploration, curiosity, and uncompromising excellence since 1844. The success has been fuelled by a pedigree of forward-thinking winemakers. It all started with Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold, the visionaries who created tonics, brandies, and fortified wines from grapes and Australian sunshine. It continued with acclaimed winemaking giants Alf Vesey, Ray Beckwith, and Max Schubert, who pushed our progress to spectacular, daring new heights.

It is this pioneering attitude and curiosity that has helped them become one of the world’s most recognised wineries after nearly two centuries, and it is what has let us become one of the world’s most celebrated winemakers today.

Despite its enormous success, Penfolds never sits on its laurels. Penfolds’ most unique effort to date was the release of 12 handmade ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon in 2012.

Penfolds celebrated their 170th anniversary two years later, having just received a perfect score of 100 for the 2008 Grange from two of the world’s most prominent wine publications. Everyone at Penfolds still cherishes the ideals and stories – ‘1844 to evermore!’

Do try this wonderful Australian Shiraz!! Check these wine apps to keep yourself updated about different wines.