Australian Wines

A hot vintage in Victoria resulted in especially concentrated wines. Marquee's well-priced bottling gushes with black cherry, blackberry and stewed prune notes.

Pairing: Bacon Burgers on Brioche Buns

Winemaker Phil Sexton headed to the Yarra Valley specifically for its cool-climate growing conditions. He makes wines like this fragrant, finely drawn red.

Pairing: Rigatoni with Spicy Italian Salami, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives and Capers

Photo © Antonis Achilleos.

Pairing: Grilled Asian Cornish Hens with Asparagus and Portobello Mushrooms

Though marinated only briefly with lime juice, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, the Cornish hens and vegetables nevertheless have a deliciously intense flavor.

Named in honor of winemaker Adam Richardson's other great love, rock climbing, this pleasant, breezy wine exhibits subtle petrol and newly mown grass aromas, coupled with the crisp citrus flavors that are the classic Riesling hallmarks.

Pairing: Xie Xie's Tofu Salad with Pickled Vegetables

Stonier's Chardonnay vines are planted on protected north- and northeast-facing slopes on the chilly, sea wind-blasted Mornington Peninsula. The stony, volcanic soils give the grapes fresh, mineral-flecked flavors, as in this apple- and lemon-scented wine.

Pairing: Boiled Lobster with Pepper Butter

Pairing: Garlic-and-Spice-Rubbed Pork Loin Roast

Ryan Hardy first tasted a version of this succulent pork from a street vendor in Siena, Italy. "It changed the way I thought about food," he says. "It was fatty and sweet, spicy and succulent, smoky and salty—all at the same time." Hardy uses the rub on other kinds of pork cuts, including the shoulder and leg, but the bone-in pork roast is the most dramatic; he often wraps a piece of pork belly around the side to make the meat extra juicy.

From vineyards located in the foothills of the Victorian Alps comes this plush, full-bodied Chardonnay brimming with powerful fruit flavors and balanced with minerals and acidity.

Pairing: Sautéed Brook Trout with Brown Butter

Pairing: Skirt Steak with Shiso-Shallot Butter

Tyler Florence makes a Korean-inspired marinade for skirt steak with hoisin sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. With what he calls a "king-of-the-grill mentality," he boldly adds even more layers of flavor by topping the steak with a butter he's blended with caramelized shallots and shiso, an aromatic green leaf used frequently in Japanese cooking. In the United States, shiso leaves are available in Asian markets; one tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon is a fine substitute in this recipe.

The stony clay of North West Victoria's Red Cliffs yields this well-balanced white with ample flavors of Red Delicious apples and pears, plus a hint of lime zest, that linger on the palate.

Pairing: Sizzing Shrimp Scampi

Produced in a solera-type system that contains wines 100 years old, this is an unctuous and decadent wine. Nose and palate abound with notes of apricots, raisins, caramel and walnut.

Pairing: Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with Honey-Glazed Almonds