Shiraz is Back

With American distribution finally catching up to Australia’s innovations, this most loved/hated variety is more diverse and expressive than ever. The pendulum of style swings swiftly in the world of Australian wine. Chardonnay, once broad and richly oaked, swung toward slimness and finesse, then rebounded to become fleshy yet refined—all in just the last decade. Shiraz hasn’t been immune to change, either. Momentum had been building for cool-climate Shiraz when Glaetzer-Dixon’s 2010 Mon Père Shiraz from Tasmania won the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 2011.