Australia

Australian wine is defined less by a single style and more by its sense of range. Spanning an entire continent, it brings together dramatically different climates, soils and winemaking philosophies, each shaped by region rather than rule. What unites them is confidence, and a willingness to let place speak clearly, without overstatement.

Early producers like Penfolds and Henschke played a big role in showing what Australian wine could be. Wines with structure. Wines that could age. Wines that didn’t need to rush. That influence is still there, but the story today is broader and more regional than it used to be.

South Australia still carries a lot of weight, with long-established vineyards and a wide mix of styles. You’ll find bold, expressive reds alongside wines shaped by cooler sites and longer seasons. Victoria feels different again with altitude, coastline, constant variation, all showing up in the glass. Tasmania keeps pushing the conversation around cool-climate wine, quietly and steadily. And over in Western Australia, particularly Margaret River, the focus tends to be balance. Wines that feel settled. Nothing forced.

Australian sparkling wine fits naturally into this picture. Often coming from cooler growing areas, these wines lean toward freshness and restraint. More clarity than flash. More shape than show.

How to drink Australian wine

In typical Australian fashion, the wines tend to keep things straightforward. Many are made to be enjoyed as they are — open, generous and settled early. When a wine feels a little more reserved, it’s often built that way on purpose. A bit of time usually brings it into focus.

What is the best Australian wine?

People ask the question, but it rarely has a clean answer. For many, the best Australian wine is simply the one that feels honest. Tied to where it came from. The wines that stay with you tend to do so quietly. They don’t announce themselves. They just keep giving.

At The Reserve Cellar, Australian wines are presented as a landscape to explore. Whether you’re drawn to expressive bottles for now, quietly structured wines for later, or refined sparkling wine to mark a moment, each region offers its own way in, inviting discovery, not decision.