AUSTRALIA

Sun-soaked Australia may not be the first place that comes to mind when searching for lithe, light-bodied reds. But in a land as vast and diverse as Oz, cool-climate regions abound, as do acidity-loving producers of all shapes and sizes looking to lighten things up.

The most renowned light red variety, Pinot Noir, thrives in regions like Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania. Several seriously classy examples from Yarra Valley include Giant Steps and Ben Haines, which combine crunchy, juicy fruit with complex savory and herbal notes.

Cool-climate regions abound, as do acidity-loving producers of all shapes and sizes looking to lighten things up.

South Australia’s McLaren Vale may not be a cool-climate region, but it has a secret weapon: Grenache. This heat-loving variety can yield bright and bouncy wines, with heady fruit and floral tones as well as white pepper spice and sandy-textured tannins. Look for examples from Yangarra, Kay Brothers, Year, Mitolo and Thistledown.

Even in Barossa, where Grenache can occasionally veer into syrup territory, many producers are walking on the brighter side of the road. Yalumba’s Old Bush Vine and John Duval’s Annexus are toothsome examples.

Then of course, there’s the variety that put Australia on the map: Shiraz. While a muscular, tongue-coating expression of this variety remains one of the nation’s calling cards, Shiraz gets a much fresher facelift when grown in cooler climes or when in the hands of certain light-minded producers. Shiraz from Yarra Valley, Margaret River and Adelaide Hills is made in a peppery, red-fruited style closer to northern Rhône than to South Australia. Even bigger boned Shiraz, like Occam’s Razor and Jasper Hill’s single-vineyard wines, show restraint, complexity and glugability.

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