The 7 Best Shiraz Wines From Australia to Buy in 2026
Australian Shiraz is definitely different from French Syrah… just ask any Australian winemaker. Although both wines are technically made from the same grape, it’s the terroir and the art of the winemaker that sets them apart from each other. We’ve visited Australia numerous times and have a love affair with Australian Shiraz, whether it’s made in the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, or McLaren Vale. They’re big, bold, and juicy, and they pair beautifully with anything cooked on the grill. We listen patiently as every winemaker insists on calling it Shiraz, and only when pressed will they admit that it’s the same grape as Syrah. They’ll wax poetically about the different soil types and how the French-born grape has genetically evolved to become something uniquely Australian, a story we’ve heard a few hundred times, but still, we listen politely, knowing that DNA testing proves Syrah and Shiraz to be the same.
So, what is it that makes an Aussie Shiraz different from a French Syrah? Terroir and climate are two factors, but the most important factor is probably the winemaker. He (or she) decides when to pick, what degree of ripeness, how long to macerate, how long to ferment, stainless steel or barrel, and a variety of other choices that go into winemaking.
Shiraz is far and away Australia’s most popular variety. Australian wines made from 100 percent Shiraz are often full-on powerhouses, from the first scents of blackberry, blueberry, violet, spice, and black pepper to tastes of black cherry, cassis, jalapeño, chocolate, and espresso that lead to a long, chewy finish. We recommend firing up the “barbie,” throwing a few slabs of prime cuts of beef on the grill, and popping open a nice Aussie Shiraz. You’ll be glad you did.
-
Yalumba 2017 The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz Barossa South Australia
Image Credit: Yalumba Yalumba is one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries, established in 1849. Today, it is owned by Robert Hill Smith, and wines are made by Louisa Rose. We had the opportunity to sit down with Louisa the last time she was in N.Y.C. Her 2017 Octavious Old Vine Shiraz is amazing. It is garnet to purple in color with enticing aromas of licorice, raspberry, cherry, and cassis. It has opulent tannins and flavors of black cherry, red raspberry, and red plum.
-
Clonakilla 2023 O’Riada Shiraz Canberra New South Wales
Image Credit: Clonakilla John Kirk purchased 44 acres of land in 1971 and named it Clonakilla after his grandfather’s farm in Ireland’s County Clare. The name roughly translates to “meadow of the church,” and he thought it would appropriately honor his family. John is known for producing the first commercial wine in Canberra. The current winemaker is Tim Kirk, and his 2023 O’Riada is absolutely stunning. It has aromas of crushed rose hips, freshly ground pepper, and red raspberry that lead the way to flavors of freshly picked bright red cherry, raspberry, and rolled tobacco leaf.
-
Shaw + Smith 2021 Shiraz Adelaide Hills South Australia
Image Credit: Shaw + Smith Martin Shaw and his cousin Michael Hill Smith (Australia’s first Master of Wine) founded Shaw + Smith in 1989 and remain the current owners. The pair owns two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills that total 136 acres. The Balhannah vineyard was planted in 2000 and consists of plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz. It has soils comprised of sandy loam over red clay with smatterings of shale and quartzite. Shaw + Smith 2021 Shiraz has aromas of black cherry, blueberry, crushed violet petal, and a touch of forest floor that transition to flavors of black raspberry, cherry, and black plum.
-
d’Arenberg 2021 The Dead Arm Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia
Image Credit: d’Arenberg Joseph Osborn was employed as a director at Thomas Hardy and Sons Winery, but wanted something he could call his own. In 1912, he purchased the 96-acre property that would eventually become d’Arenberg. His son Frank released the first vintage in 1927 and built the cellar to age the wines. Chester Osborn represents the fourth-generation winemaker, and when we visited a few years back, we had the opportunity to taste his organic and biodynamically produced wines. His 2021 Dead Arm Shiraz has aromas of blueberry, dark chocolate, licorice, and espresso with flavors of blueberry, plum, and black cherry.
-
Hickinbotham 2019 Brooks Road Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia
Image Credit: Hickinbotham Alan Robb Hickenbotham was the first wine science professor at Australia’s Roseworthy Agricultural College, which is often favorably compared to University of California at Davis. He helped his son Alan David Hickenbotham plant vines in 1971, and in 2012, they sold the winery and vineyards to California’s Jackson family. The vineyard was converted to biodynamic and organic farming in 2019, so this wine was at the forefront of that change. The 2019 Brooks Road Shiraz has beautiful aromas of crushed violet petals, black cherry, and blackberry that transition to flavors of black currant, espresso, chocolate, and cherry supported by a strong backbone of minerality and generous tannins.
-
Henschke 2019 Mount Edelstone Shiraz Eden Valley Barossa South Australia
Image Credit: Henschke Johann Christian Henschke immigrated from Silesia (now Poland) to South Australia in 1868 and began making wine. Today, the Henschke family has been producing wine for over 150 years through six generations of winemakers, making it one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries. This tasty Shiraz has aromas of black plum, black pepper, eucalyptus, underbrush, and crushed violet petals. It has nice heft in the mid-palate, with flavors of blackberry, black licorice plum, and a touch of dried blueberry in the finish.
-
Penfolds 2019 RWT Bin 798 Shiraz Barossa Valley South Australia
Image Credit: Penfolds Penfolds became South Australia’s largest winery in 1907 after its initial establishment by Dr. Christopher Penfold and his wife Mary in 1844. Although Penfolds is not the largest Australian winery today, many wine experts—ourselves included—agree that it is one of the most important wineries with the most sought-after wines. Most collectors know their flagship wine, Grange, which is consistently ethereal, but if you’re looking to enjoy a wine that’s a little closer to the ground and easier on your pocket, look no further than RWT Bin 798. It’s inky purple in the glass with aromas of violet, cassis, and blackberry. Silky soft tannins guide you in for full-on fruit flavors of black raspberry, plum, and blueberry.
