Looking at the reds in the list, I’m reminded not just of the fabulous quality, but of the breadth and depth across so many varietals and also of the new regions, which in a short period have started making truly outstanding wines. Very complex, and drinking well at six years old. I saw it as terrifically textural with a rich core of peach and nougat, fine mousse and mouthfeel. I was very impressed with the 2016 Stonier Chardonnay Pinot Noir, which picked up a Trophy at the prestigious Mornington Peninsula wine show – vindicated by our Panel just a few months later. While Tasmania has clearly proven in the last 10 years its number one status as the home of Australia’s finest fizz, the cooler regions of Adelaide Hills and King Valley are making great wines, including the often underrated Prosecco. The best Australian Sparkling wines rate a very close second to the great wines of Champagne. But frankly, there lies a plethora of choice in these hitherto unknown varietals, with Fiano, Arneis and Vermentino all showing how well winemakers are working with these exciting wines. Similarly, the Viognier from Soumah was varietally perfect with none of the cloying texture which so often affects the more famous (and expensive) wines of the Northern Rhône.
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The 2010 Box Grove Roussanne from the Goulburn Valley defies its age and shows how this variety gets better with a few years in the bottle. Marvellous!Įlsewhere we are witnessing great strides with the alternative white varieties and we were quite taken with the indigenous French varieties. Made by the inimitable Canadian Jeff Byrne, this wine has great tension and freshness with tightly wound acidity and a light seasoning of oak. If it’s still available, consider purchasing the 2019 Byrne Family Chardonnay, which is shining a light on this up-and-coming region and displaying classical grapefruit, white peach, apple, and vanilla.
Previously the domain of iconic regions like Margaret River and Yarra Valley, with some good examples in less notable parts, Chardonnay has now proven it does well in many regions, producing gloriously complex (and again very different) wines from Adelaide Hills, Beechworth, Tasmania and, even Orange. If Shiraz is king, Chardonnay must be our queen and what an enormous way we have come with it over the last 25 years. Both wines are a treat for different reasons and go some way to explaining why this variety is king in these regions. The cool climate elegance of the Tumblong Hills from Gundagai seemingly at odds with the robust and voluptuous Pertaringa Yeoman Shiraz from McLaren Vale. This explains why we have four Shiraz in our Top 50, all coming from very distinct geographical regions. Importantly, both can be, and often are, great wines that we all love. We continue to see terroir playing an important role in shaping the subtle differences with these varieties but sometimes these differences are significant too, with Shiraz from the Barossa being a world away from the Hunter in terms of varietal aromas and flavours. Australia does these varieties really well and it helps that they grow wonderfully in almost all regions across the country. So what were the highlights of 2021? How does a wine find itself in the Top 50? What impressed the Panel and why?Ĭertainly, the mainstream varieties still lead the way, with Chardonnay and Shiraz dominating. The Top 50 wines, therefore, simply represent the very best wines tasted in the last 12 months. It’s is a very successful model and explains why the business confidently offers its customers a 100% money back guarantee – very few wines are sent back. It is rigorous and all wines are scrutinised to the same high standards.
#Best wines 2021 professional#
The process is professional and is based on the capital city wine show judging system.
In 2021, Wine Selectors assessed over 3000 submissions and our Tasting Panel, ably led by Co-Chairs PJ Charteris and Adam Walls, review all wines blind and independently. Rest assured, our winemakers are crafting their best wines ever, with more choice and value than ever before. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating that the quality and diversity of Australian wine is world class and this is despite the enormous adversity producers have struggled with over the last two years. It’s a great pleasure to once again be giving you my overview of the Top 50 wines of the year. Wine Selectors’ Head of Wine, Matt White, wraps up the highlights of 2021, including favourites and new finds.
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