The rise of Australia’s iconic blend
Winemakers have been blending varieties together as long as they’ve been making wine. French winemakers in the 1800s discovered that Syrah (Shiraz) and Cabernet Sauvignon made a great match, but when the appellation system was introduced, the blend was forbidden.
In Australia, pioneering winemakers unconstrained by regulations were also discovering the brilliance of this blend. The historic Yalumba winery in the Barossa Valley was among the first to make it in the late 1800s. Then came Max Schubert, one of Australia’s greatest ever winemakers, who took Australian Shiraz Cabernet to the world wine stage.
In the 1950s Max created Penfolds Grange, made mainly from Shiraz plus a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. He followed it with Penfolds Bin 60A, a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet and Barossa Shiraz. These became two of Australia’s most famous and awarded wines. Blending Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon is still a time-honoured tradition at Penfolds, where Senior Winemaker Emma Wood is embracing the winery’s history while keeping things fresh.
“At Penfolds I think we blend Cabernet and Shiraz really well, and I love that – it’s a true Australian blend,” says Emma. “One of the best things about the Australian wine community is our freedom to experiment, our freedom to challenge boundaries and keep progressing our fantastic industry forward.”
More than the sum of its parts
Australia’s early success in Cabernet Shiraz inspired many winemakers, and helped lead the expansion of Australian wine into new countries. Today’s Shiraz Cabernet wines are made by world-renowned wineries, including Yalumba, Wolf Blass and Jacob’s Creek, as well as many boutique producers. Top regions include Coonawarra, Langhorne Creek, Clare Valley and Barossa Valley.
These days it’s even got its own competition. In 2006, high-profile wine writers Matthew Jukes and Tyson Stelzer created the Great Australian Red competition to “recognise and celebrate the blend that defines Australia”.
What makes Australian Cabernet Shiraz such a blockbuster blend? When made well, it’s a wine that’s greater than the sum of its parts, taking each variety to new heights. Cabernet brings elegance and Shiraz adds ripe fruit flavours and velvety richness. The wines can be either Shiraz- or Cabernet-predominant or an even mix of the two, and often the two varieties come from different regions. That lets winemakers source fruit from where it grows best.
Australia’s top Cabernet Shiraz wines are known for their harmony and balance. They’re delicious for immediate drinking but are also ideal for the cellar, ageing gracefully over many years. And despite the long history of this iconic wine, it’s also a modern-day success, as each new generation discovers its magic.
Rich in heritage and bursting with personality, Australian Cabernet Shiraz is a formidable wine. Beyond that, it’s a celebration of Australian winemakers who push the boundaries and explore new possibilities in the pursuit of brilliance.
