Step Up For Some True Gems!
One of the most common questions I get about wine is “are the more expensive wines worth the money?”. That is a loaded question
because wines can vary so much and often the price can reflect the scarcity for collectors rather than true quality. However, there is one part of the world that I honestly believe a step up in price can give huge rewards as far as quality. With the huge discounts offered at Apollo during the sale, now is the time to look at Australian wines again!
If you are willing to add about $10 per bottle in your budget, Australian wines can give you huge bang for the buck. Five years ago, wines such as Yellow Tail and Lindeman’s were all the rage. For around $7 dollars they offered great quality. Unfortunately, they became a victim of their success. Massive overproduction to meet demand, coupled by drought conditions in SE Australia resulted in the wines that lost their edge in qualitover extracted and drab. But, if you step up a price point to the high teens or higher, there are truly world class wines to be had. Often the quality reflects wines that are double the price in other parts of the world.
In regions such as Barossa and McClaren Vale, there are producers that didn’t waver in quality during the heyday of Aussie wines. They were committed to quality and heritage more than making a quick buck. This coupled with the fact that Barossa and McClaren with their hillsides and proximity to the sea were not as affected by the crippling drought in other parts of the country. Many wines from this region are truly excellent. They are not the typical $5-$10 wines you think of from Australia. Wines of this region are best known for Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon that are big and bold, yet still possess a stabilizing and refreshing acidity to counteract the intense fruit. The result is a beautifully balanced wines that can be had a great value!
A couple of my suggested wineries are D’arenberg and Mollydooker. D’arenberg is one of the oldest fami
ly owned wineries in Australia that have always had a commitment to quality. They make a wide variety of wines at a variety of pricepoints. I have never been disappointed in anything I have had. Mollydooker is a newer winery that has quickly made a name for itself as a top winery in Australia. Don’t mistake the fun names and labels of these wines. They are world class reds!
Aussie wines can give a huge bump in quality for just a few bucks added to your wine budget. There are so many great producers in Barossa and McClaren that it is hard to go wrong. With Apollo’s huge wine sale going on now, this is the time to step up and taste the difference.
