Australian Wine Successes

Recognition of the quality of Australian wines began with praises offered at the 1873 Vienna Exhibition for Victorian "Hermitage" and was later followed by many National and International trophies and medals.

U.S. super-critic Robert M. Parker, who is the wine world's single most influential person, reviewed many Australian wines over several years and published his findings in editions of his private newsletter; The Wine Advocate.

There are too many wines listed therein to reprint them here, however here is just a sample of his recent observations of Australian wines:

D'Arenberg 1998 The Dead Arm Shiraz 96 points
Greenock Creek 1995 Roennfeldt Road Cab Sauvignon 99 points
Greenock Creek 1998 Creek Block Shiraz 98 points
Greenock Creek 1995 Roennfeldt Road Shiraz 100 points
Kay Brothers 1998 Block 6 Amery Vineyard Shiraz 98 points
Noon 1999 Reserve Shiraz 96 points
Three Rivers 1996 Shiraz 100 points
Torbreck 1998 Run Rig Shiraz 99 points
Veritas 1998 Hanisch Shiraz 99 points
Veritas 1998 Heysen Shiraz 96 points

The 96 points or better rating denotes: "An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this calibre are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume".

About the 1995 Astralis, Parker says: "The 1995 Astralis is a candidate for a perfect score. It is a winemaking tour de force, and unquestionably one of the greatest young red wines I have tasted".

Of the 1994 Astralis, Parker says: "This is the hottest wine in Australian wine circles, as it came out ahead of two great vintages of Henschke and Penfolds' Grange in a recent tasting. If readers can believe it, it is a bigger, denser, more concentrated wine than the Grange!"


The other form of recognition and measure of success are the prices that are being accepted at the wine sales for these young Australian wines:

Penfolds Grange1996 AUD$ 300.00
Henschke Hill of Grace 1996 AUD$ 300.00
Wild Duck Creek - Ducks Muck 1997 AUD$ 1,450.00
Three River Shiraz 1995 AUD$ 1,500.00
Randall's Hill 1995 AUD$ 800.00

There are many other examples of Australian wine successes; however in reality the most visible form of success is the presence of Australian wines on more and more tables throughout Europe and other continents. Nevertheless Australian wines, together with wines from other countries in the world, create a complete global image of wine varieties, trends, tastes and cultures that we all can learn about and enjoy.