by Tom Settino, Owner, Vino100

America is just beginning to learn about Australia’s regional wine specialties. As in California or France, each region has a distinctive climate, soil and character.  When certain grape varieties are planted in just the right region, they produce characteristics and flavors that are unique, and stand out in quality above the rest. Australia has developed many grape-to-region matches since wine making began there in 1788.  The following are Aussie regions which are famous for different styles of wines and different grape varietals.

Clare Valley Riesling:  Refreshing with aromas of lemon zest, Riesling from Clare Valley is very dry and high in acid with a mineral finish, ideal with seafood or salads.

Hunter Semillon:  It’s a little-known varietal but fresh and crisp with citrus overtones and no oak influence.  Hunter, located just north of Sydney, is also great for tourism!

Yarra Valley Chardonnay:  In this cool climate on rolling hills near Melbourne, the Chardonnay tastes of white peaches and nectarines; oak is used with a light touch. 

McLaren Vale Grenache:  Concentrated ripe cherry and red currant flavors are derived from the very old vines.  Ocean breezes off the local beaches keep temperatures down.

Barossa Valley Shiraz:  The most famous grape from Australia’s best known region – you can’t go wrong here if you want a generous, rich and ripe red wine for your steak dinner!

Margaret River Cabernet:  Way out west where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet is this cool, classic region, the Cabernet is elegant with great red fruit and soft tannins.

• Chardonnay:  It is lean and elegant or rich and full, depending upon the region or the winemaker.  Fish makes a great match, grilled or broiled with fresh herbs, particularly tarragon from your summer garden.
• Discover Semillon, one of Australia’s favorite white wines, and impress your friends!  There’s never any oak on Hunter Semillon, so it’s ideal for shellfish, chicken and other white meat that is seasoned with ginger or lemon. 
• Australian Riesling is crisp, dry and citrusy. Traditional matches pair it with Chinese or Thai food because of their spiciness and some sweetness.  It works well, too, with most main dish salads dressed with lemony vinaigrette.
• Another little known grape that’s big in Australia and big on flavor is Grenache.  Full of cherry-fruit flavors, it can sometimes use some chilling, especially in the summer-time when Grenache is the perfect accompaniment to a barbecue feast.  In cooler months, try it with red meat with earthy tomato-based sauces.
• Shiraz is Australia’s most popular red wine.  It’s a full bodied, deep red wine that has a peppery aroma and spicy flavor.  Enjoy Shiraz with grilled red meats, roast lamb or specialties seasoned with spices, garlic and lots of herbs.
• Australian Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t usually as tannic as its California counterpart, or as earthy as those of France.  Generally, it has more of a berry-fruit component, a smoother finish.  This is the wine for beef, traditional stews and smoked meats.

Crispness is the result of higher acidity in a wine. Wines that have higher acidity tend to be wines that do not spend long periods of time in oak barrels or go through the bacterial fermentation (malo-lactic fermentation) that many Chardonnays go through. This malo-lactic fermentation creates a creamy texture in wines and tends to soften the acidity which limits crispness. Barrel Fermentation also reduces crispness, by adding richness and body to a wine. The ultimate crisp wines come from straight tank fermentation (stainless steel, glass or concrete).  These "tank fermented" wines are considered fruit forward and have a crisp clean character that refreshes the palate. 

Let's first talk about German Rieslings. These are often overlooked partially because many people are of the belief that these wines are too "sweet" - well if you think a tart Granny Smith Apple or a Bosch Pear are too sweet, then, in fact, Rieslings may very well be too sweet for you. For me, nothing refreshes like a good, low alcohol German Riesling on a warm summer day. Riesling also work wonderfully with all types of Chicken and other Fowl as well as Asian cuisine, Pork and certainly Fish. Two Princes Riesling stands out as a perfectly balanced Riesling, not too dry, not too sweet with just the perfect level of acidity - it's the quintessential summer wine.

Are there other wines that are crisp and refreshing for summer quaffing? You bet!  Sauvignon Blanc is a great example of a crisp summer white.  En Tiempo Sauvignon Blanc from Northern California is one I would not be without.  I love this Sauvignon because if its zing and tangerine citrus flavor.  Sauvignon Blancs are very versatile and go well many different types of foods, especially fish and fowl.

You can also reach toward Italian whites when you desire a crisp summer white. Tomaiolo's Pinot Grigio is floral and super crisp.  Domain Polier is a French white burgundy (100% Chardonnay)- it has just a "hint" of oak and is crisp, flavorful, fruity, and refreshing. Chablis from Bourgogne France (100% Chardonnay) also offer some amazingly intense wines with plenty of good crisp tart apple and pear flavors.

Are there more crisp summer whites than just the few offered in this article? Of course. So when you are browsing the wine shelves remember to avoid whites with labels that indicate the wine has large doses of oak or higher alcohol levels (13.5 percent and up for sure). Most of crisp, fresh fruit forward whites are crafted to be drunk sooner rather than later (so also avoid wines that are older than 4 or 5 years) and should be chilled to about 50 degrees, not frozen.

All of the wines mentioned in this article are available at the Vino 100 Wine Shop located at the Newburgh Waterfront (across from Front Street Marina and just a short walk from Gully's Marina). Vino 100 also has a wine chiller which can cool down any wine to the appropriate temperature in about 4 minutes.

by Tom Settino, Vino 100, Newburgh, NY