Australia is home to some of the world’s best wines, yet they don’t receive the recognition they deserve within the country. “Every time we are back in Australia and immersed in this country’s wines, we are reminded of how world-class they are,” says a former wine director at Melbourne’s renowned restaurant, Attica. He praises the blend of tradition and innovation in the Australian wine industry, noting that the quality of local wines is exceptional.
However, the problem lies in the fact that many Australians remain unaware of the high caliber of their domestic wines. Wine experts like Nashville-based Lopes and Ross are surprised by how few Australian wine lists give prominence to local selections. A report by Wine Business Solutions, a business management consultancy, reveals that only 11.2% of the wines on Sydney’s wine lists come from New South Wales, while a significant 46% are imported from abroad. In Melbourne, 30% of restaurant wine listings are sourced from Victoria.
Lisa Guenther-Strauss, a German-born sommelier, believes that Australians take their local wines for granted. “In France, Italy, and even Germany, they serve their own wine,” she says. “You wouldn’t ask for an international wine in France. They take pride in their produce. I don’t know why we don’t do that more here.”
Guenther-Strauss and her husband Saxon are trying to change this trend. At their recently opened wine bar and art space, The Art Syndicate, in Sydney’s Surry Hills, the entire wine list is dedicated to New South Wales. This makes them one of the few venues in Sydney to focus solely on local wines. The 25-seat wine bar, which doubles as an art space, offers 17 wines by the glass.
“When I moved here in 2016, I immediately started taking road trips to beautiful wine regions like Orange and Mudgee,” says Guenther-Strauss, who has worked at prominent venues such as Merivale’s Mimi’s in Coogee, Etymon Projects’ Charles Grand Brasserie & Bar, and Rockpool Dining Group. “Hunter Valley is beautiful and is the oldest wine region in Australia, but there are 15 more to explore. It bothered me that we live in NSW, but at most restaurants, there were only four or five local bottles on the list and nothing by the glass. So, I decided to do our own thing—go small but personal.”
In Melbourne, Loic Avril, head sommelier at Society restaurant on Collins Street, manages a 10,000-bottle cellar. Avril, who is originally from France, is the head of wine at Lucas Restaurants, which last year won four titles at the World of Fine Wine Awards, an international wine list competition. “I think Australia is producing more ‘world stage’ wines now, from west to east,” Avril says. He particularly praises Australian chardonnays, calling them some of the best in the world. Society’s wine list features both Australian wines and international benchmarks. “We want to showcase a range of very small growers to top star producers and try to provide a vertical of vintages to help diners understand how those wines are positioned on the world stage,” Avril adds.
Marcell Kustos, a Hungarian-born, Adelaide-based fine wine and hospitality consultant, echoes these sentiments. Kustos, a former winemaker and sommelier, is particularly fond of Australian chardonnay. “They represent exceptional quality and value, especially considering the prices of Burgundy or California,” he says. According to Kustos, in the $30 to $50 price range, Australian chardonnay offers some of the best quality and consistency. He goes as far as to say that Australia’s ultra-premium chardonnays are among the most exciting wines in the world of fine wine today.
