Three high-quality and elegant wines from Australia

Australia has built a solid reputation for producing high-quality, technically well-made wines.

“Consumers have learned they can trust wines from Australia,” says Andrew Hardy, senior winemaker at Petaluma Winery, in Woodside, South Australia. “It’s becoming more important to highlight the differences of regions and brands and the amazing diversity of wines from around Australia.

“We are still a young country in terms of wine, and the exploration of sites and wine styles is really exciting and has been progressing quickly.”

Petaluma was established in 1976, by Brian Croser, one of Australia’s best-known winemakers and one of the first to emphasise the importance of quality viticultural sites, producing high-quality, elegant wines that are true to their origin. Hardy has followed in Croser’s footsteps, describing his winemaking philosophy as “minimalist in style”. His goal, he says, “is for the fruit to do the talking”.

“The style of our wines is dictated by our vineyards,” he adds. “We have been making riesling from the Hanlin Hill Vineyard, in Clare Valley, since 1979; Coonawarra cabernet merlot from the Evans Vineyard since 1979; and Croser sparkling and Petaluma chardonnay from the Piccadilly Valley, from vineyards we planted in 1983. The style of our wines has quietly evolved over that time.”