Wines to try in Sydney

Wines

Now, which wines and other drinks should you particularly look out for while you are in Sydney? Obviously wine appreciation is very personal, but we will tell you about the wines we like and why we like them and then you be the judge.

We have to admit up front however that we are not great fans of huge wines matched with food. Our bias is towards Burgundy rather than Bordeaux. Within Burgundy our bias is towards the delicate Chambolle-Musigny wines rather than the some of the more recent Burgundies that are being produced to appeal to the forward palates of the United States. Having said all that, all wine lovers should take home with them at least one bottle of the famous Penfold's Grange to see what a massive shiraz is really like. It truly deserves its place among the world's great wines. Also in this category is the luscious Henschke Hill of Grace. If you can't afford either of these then their cheaper siblings might be worth a try. The Penfolds Bin 389 and the Henschke Mount Edelstone are both worthy wines in their own right. Once you have put that carefully out of the way, explore some of our Pinot Noir examples. Try the Bass Phillip from Victoria for a fine Burgundian-style wine, the rich Bannockburn Pinot (even better, seek out the Serre) from Geelong or the classically elegant Mount Mary Pinot from the wonderful Yarra Valley. For even cooler climate examples you might try a Tasmanian pinot such as the clinically pure Domaine A, the gutsy Freycinet, the organic Frogmore Creek or the elegant Rotherhythe.

While we are on the topic of reds let's explore one of Australia's real treasures - the bold and assertive shiraz. There are wonderful examples from many regions, but the McLaren Vale produces some of the finest. For a quintessentially Australian example, you can't go past the Coriole Shiraz produced from exceptionally old vines. This is a wonderful wine at an amazingly reasonable price. For a slightly more upmarket example from the same manufacturer, the Lloyd Reserve Shiraz is a refined, gracious wine that ages into a charming companion. We have always been great fans of the underrated Great Western region of Victoria. To see what we mean, seek out a bottle of the Bests Great Western Shiraz (particularly if you can find the 1994 or 1995). Another Victorian worth a try is the Wendouree. If you are on an economy drive because your Olympic tickets drained your finances then try the lovely Wynns Shiraz. At little over $AU10 it is one of the great wine bargains of the world.

We have already admitted that Cabernet does not always excite us. We have tried too many unripe examples. However, there are some that are worth a look. Try the Lindemann's St George, the Lakes Folly from the Hunter Valley or the Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coonawarra region. But if you don't mind a blended wine there is an absolute knock-out example from West Australia. The first sip we had of the Cullens 1995 Cabernet Merlot was a life changing experience. This is a wine that turns you into a grubby collector willing to go to any lengths including trampling over the weak to source a bottle of this precious booty. If your taste leans to chardonnay then there are four that define the range of Australian offerings. Giaconda from Victoria, Petaluma Tiers from South Australia, Penfolds Yattarna (also from South Australia) and Leeuwin Estate Art Series from the Margaret River in West Australia are all expensive and stunning. Our preference, however, is for the delicate Giaconda.

If you think that Germany or the Alsace region are the only ones who can produce a decent Riesling then try some of our piercingly flinty, dry, full-fruit offerings, particularly those from the Clare Valley in South Australia. You won't find better than the Grosset Polish Hill or some of the old Leo Buring rieslings. There are good examples produced in other regions including the Howard Park from West Australia and Pipers Brook from Tasmania. For something very different swing your gaze to the dry Hunter Valley in New South Wales and savor a Semillon. The Tyrells Vat 1 Semillon is a fascinating wine of great character and charm. If you want a bargain, then the McWilliams Mount Pleasant Semillon is a wine of great complexity that is severely underpriced given the quality. To finish your meal there are some great sticky wines but our preference runs to the luscious tokays and muscats from the Rutherglen region. Most people will recommend the De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon as the best sweet white available. While we acknowledge the technical excellence with which it is made we would prefer a wine that showed more balance. So try the Chambers Rosewood Rare Muscat from Rutherglen instead and you will be drinking liquid gold!