Australian wine seems to be all anyone is drinking this month, perhaps because last month Matthew Jukes, a world authority on Aussie vino, announced his 100 Best Australian Wine report. Australian wine has consistently done well in the UK. We were their primary export market in the 19th century, and
Libby Brodie
Wednesday 22 April 2026 3:06 pm
Australian wine seems to be all anyone is drinking this month, perhaps because last month Matthew Jukes, a world authority on Aussie vino, announced his 100 Best Australian Wine report. Australian wine has consistently done well in the UK.
We were their primary export market in the 19th century, and as their wine industry expanded our supermarkets embraced the larger producers as independent merchants welcomed the more niche winemakers. We are still their largest market and continue to embrace styles from all its regions.
I decided to dive into Jukes’ top 100 myself, starting with a glass of chilled sparkling. Tasmania is one of the best areas for traditional method fizz and the award-winning Janz Premium Cuvée has citrus and blossom notes with this lovely biscuity nuttiness that echoes the finer champagnes at a pinch of the price (Waitrose, £18.75).
The best wine from Australia
My favourite spot for classy Chardonnay is around Margaret River and anything by winemaker Larry Cherubino is generally excellent so hunt out his wines, especially the Black Label Pemberton Chardonnay (£46.99, The Wine Reserve).
Heading into summer we come ever closer to chilled red territory, and a Yering Station Pinot Noir (Wine Republic, £24.95) is ideal with its cool climate red fruits and silky barely-there tannins. Australian Shiraz has its own bold identity, often powerfully full-bodied with black fruits, dark chocolate and peppery spice notes. The Yangarra Estate McLaren Vale Shiraz (£33, The
Champagne Company) takes this and smooths it out with a rich elegance.
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Penfolds is the “icon wine” benchmark, with a sliding scale from budget friendly to eye wateringly expensive bottles.
Their Koonunga Hill Twenty-Six Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blend is thoroughly decently priced at under £20 (Majestic £17). Plummy and smooth with hints of chocolate, it is sophisticated and delicious.
Read more: The very best wine pairings for steak and fine cuts of meat
Penfolds led the way in bringing fine wines from Australia to the forefront of the world’s mind, and building relationships with respected producers across the globe. Their Grange la Chapelle wine, the limited-release, ultra-premium blend of Australian Shiraz and French Syrah (the same grape but under different New World vs Old World names) launched first in 2021 and the 2022 vintage was only just unveiled in February this year.
This collaboration between the two houses Penfolds and La Chapelle in France’s Rhône creates a cross-hemisphere wine which they hope blends Australia’s boldness and France’s finesse. It is aimed for serious collectors who can afford over £2K a bottle (goedhuiswaddesdon.com £2200) which helps correct anyone still equating new world Australian wine solely with ‘cheap and cheerful’.
As Jukes says, Australian producers “deliver serious, grand flavours, and at some of the best prices on earth”.
Read more: Here are the very best wine lists in London
Read more The very best wine pairings for steak and fine cuts of meat
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