Wine Tasting: The Best Australian Wines Worth Trying

Here, Josh Picken, head sommelier at the d’Arenberg Cube, shares his top wine selects from the disparate grape-growing regions throughout the country.

BK Wines Remy Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills, SA 2015
An ex-pro snowboarder and DJ from New Zealand, Brendan Keys, or “BK”, is one of the coolest wine makers around. His wife, Kristian, picks the single best barrel of Pinot Noir to make into Remy, which bears notes of juicy bright rhubarb and strawberry.

Yalumba Virgilius Viognier Eden Valley, SA 2015
Yalumba is one of Australia’s biggest wine brands, and it’s still family-owned.The Eden Valley region is further northeast of the famous Barossa; its higher altitude adds a different flavor profile. Riesling is king, but Viognier continues to etch a name here.

Domaine Simha Cabernet Franc Tamar Valley 2014
Simha is owned and operated by renowned sommelier Louisa Radmen and her husband, winemaker Nav Singh, who has experience working at Domain Chandon. Cabernet Franc is a varietal with bright cherry blossom perfume, blackcurrant leaf, and juicy acidity, but without the weight and tannin.

Cullen Wines Kevin John Chardonnay Margaret River 2016
Cullen is at the top of the crowd of wineries in this beachside destination known for Chardonnay. Kevin John is named after Cullen’s founding father, who put a considerable amount of work into making his wine 100% biodynamic.

Eden Road Nebbiolo Canberra District 2015
Eden Road now calls this sub-region of NSW home, and it has been on the rise in the domestic wine scene for the last five years. This amazing interpretation of Nebbiolo has a tobacco nose and a gravelly palate.

Cobaw Ridge Lagrein Macedon Ranges, VIC 2005
Situated near the Cobaw State Forest, Cobaw Ridge’s standout Lagrein, an Italian grape, is a lighter, aromatic varietal that's attracted many top Australian producers. This bottle shows aged meaty characters and tobacco leaf, with stewed black fruits.   

*This story is part of our '99 Things We Love About Australia' feature in the August issue of Out.