10 Top Australian Wineries On Our Wine List
Australian wine is a leader in the global wine industry. Some might say it is even better than French wine. Consistently producing excellent quality wine, Australia ranks sixth in the world in wine production and fourth in exports. The country has 65 wine regions, approximately 2500 wineries and over 6000 grape-growers.
Here are the top 10 Australian wineries that have a special place on our wine list at Saros Bar + Dining. You don’t need to travel far and wide to try these amazing wines when they are right on your doorstep at our bar in Moonee Ponds.
Taltarni Tasmania
Tasmania is widely known for its diverse wineries and production of excellent quality wine, such as the Sauvignon Blanc. For many, Tasmania is home to Australia’s best wine. So it is no surprise that Tasmanian winemakers pick up awards at wine shows when they present their sparkling wines.
The most popular choice on our wine list is the Taltarni Brut ’15. The story of the Taltarni Vineyards goes back to 1969, when John Goelet, a direct descendant of the Guestier wine merchant family of Bordeaux, purchased the vineyards. All wine hailing from the Taltarni Vineyards is produced using the traditional method, so you are getting a Champagne without the price tag.
About Taltarni Brut ’15: The sparkling Brut 2015 is the Taltarni Vineyards’ flagship sparkling wine. It’s no wonder the Brut ’15 is our customer’s first choice. First, it comes at an excellent price, second, it balances the classic flavours of bread, apple and lemon perfectly, and third, it has a creamy texture and long-lasting finish.
If you prefer a bit of bubbles to go along with your scallop, oysters or tuna carpaccio, the Taltarni Brut will surely hit the spot. You can even pick it up on a whim, and you won’t be disappointed.
Region: Tasmania
Wine: Taltarni Brut ’15
Scotchmans Hill
Wine tourism is a hobby for many Melbournians, and with over 40 food and wine locations, the Bellarine Peninsula makes for an excellent day trip. The wine Saros Bar serves comes from Scotchmans Hill, a producer of premium cool maritime climate wines since 1982.
They are often featured on the Halliday Wine Companion pages, and we are proud to be serving their modern brand, Jack & Jill at Saros.
About Jack & Jill Pinot Gris ’20: This wine is crisp and clean, with citrusy notes blended perfectly with a fruity bouquet of peach, pear and tropical white fruit. Jack & Jill Pinot Gris ’20 is a soft and easy drink, and at an affordable price, you better count your glasses.
Note: The Jack & Jill range is not available for online sale. You can only purchase from their premise, or even better, pair this fine selection with your pork and mushrooms, spicy food or cured meet at Saros Bar and Restaurant.
Region: Bellarine Peninsula
Wine: Jack & Jill Pinot Gris ’20
Tim Adams Wines
The Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia is home to Clare Valley, one of Australia’s oldest wine regions, best known for Riesling wines. Besides Riesling, wine lovers can enjoy a variety of world-class reds hailing from the Clare Valley, including Shiraz and Cabernet. There are about 50 wineries in Clare Valley, and one of the best wines in Saros comes from Tim Adams Wines.
Established in 1984, Tim Adams Wines is a family-owned and operated winery committed to making wine that reflects the rich soil of Clare Valley. One such wine is the Pinot Gris ’21.
About Tim Adams Pinot Gris ’21: Crisp and soft, with fruity hints of peach and lychee, perfectly balanced with only a hint of sweetness, the Pinot Gris ’21 is an excellent choice of white wine drink chilled on a hot summer night.
When enjoying your dinner at Saros Bar and Restaurant, whether it is roasted cauliflower or linguine of shellfish, grab a bottle of Tim Adams Pinot Gris’ 21 and wait for the magic to happen.
Region: Clare Valley, South Australia
Wine: Tim Adams Pinot Gris ’21
Toolangi
The cool climate region of Yarra Valley allows for the production of the best Chardonnay, sparkling wine and Pinot Noir in Australia. From over eighty wineries in the Yarra Valley, we chose to present our guests with the finest from Toolangi Wines, the Chardonnay ’19.
Toolangi vineyards are located at Dixons Creek in the north of Yarra Valley, one hour northeast of Melbourne. Its location is a special site for growing and making the finest and most distinctive wines, including Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Chardonnay. Helmut Konecsny, the owner of Rochford Wines, bought Toolangi in 2017, and the vineyards have now a cellar door at il Vigneto Pizzeria Yarra Valley.
About Chardonnay ’19: Elegant, crisp, with delicate oaked spice. Rich but fruit-driven, with subtle notes of grilled peach and grapefruit. Long-lasting and strong aftertaste.
The more you drink it, the more you like it, so make sure to pair it with some food. The best match for a Chardonnay ’19 are dishes, such as pork & fennel sausage, roast chicken and carrot risotto.
Region: Yarra Valley
Wine: Chardonnay ’19
Kingston Estate
Home to the most elegant cool climate wines in Australia, the Adelaide Hills offers over 60 wineries with cellar doors around every corner. Only the finest wines hail from Adelaide Hills, including the Sauvignon Blanc ’18 from Kingston Estate.
Born from the strong passion for wine of Greek couple Nina and Steve Moularadellis, the Kingston Estate has been producing wine for 57 years. As their family continues to grow, so do their vineyards. Today, Kingston Estate is regarded as one of the most significant grape growers and wine exporters in Australia, and we are proud to have a piece of their dream here in Saros Restaurant.
About Sauvignon Blanc ’18: Crisp and refreshing with a taste of citrus, peach and passion fruit flavours.
For the best experience, match Sauvignon Blanc ’18 with our cheese platter, saganaki cheese or burrata salad.
Region: Adelaide Hills SA
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc ’18
Dal Zotto
King Valley is a popular wine region nestled among the foothills of the Australian Alps. It all started in the 1970s when the region once known as a tobacco-growing area turned to alternative crops when the tobacco industry hit a rough patch. It was mostly Italian migrant families who started growing grapes, which is why wine lovers can get a taste of Italy’s best wines here in Victoria.
From prosecco, nebbiolo, sangiovese and pinot grigio to dolcetto, arneis and barbera, the flavours are many. Our choice is a Rosato ’20 produced in Dal Zotto wines.
Dal Zotto were one of the many Italian farmers growing tobacco, but in 1999 they were the first ones to plant prosecco vines in Australia. Today a third generation is involved in the vineyard, cellar door, kitchen garden and numerous events for all of their guests.
About Rosato ’20: A dry rosé wine revealing layers of fresh red fruits, with strong flavours of wild strawberry and zesty acid. Highly perfumed but well balanced with a bitter amaretto finish. Best enjoyed with salumi (cured meats) or antipasti.
Region: King Valley, Victoria
Wine: Rosato ’20
Giant Steps
The Yarra Valley has over eighty wineries, and Giant Steps is another pick for our wine list. Especially their Pinot Noir ’20. The story with Giant Steps dates back to 1997 when Phil Sexton chose the region of Yarra Valley to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fruit with the intention to make the purest and finest wine in Australia.
Known for their single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines that Chief Winemaker Steve Flamsteed introduced in 2003, Giant Steps continues to be a leading winery in Victoria, receiving multiple trophies and gold medals at both international and domestic wine shows.
About Pinot Noir ’20: Smooth and dry with well-balanced acidity. Sour, sweet flavour with hints of red fruits, white pepper, mushroom and oak nose. This wine enhances its flavours the best when paired with meat dishes like lamb shoulder or duck.
Region: Yarra Valley
Wine: Pinot Noir ’20
Eden Hall
One of the major wine-growing regions in South Australia is Barossa, with over 40 wine grapes varieties. Barossa is best known for Shiraz vines, some of which are over 100 years old. While Shiraz is their best-known red variety, Riesling is their leading white variety, firmly entrenched in Eden Valley.
Saros Bar + Dining picked the Springton Cabernet ’17 from the Eden Hall winery in Eden Valley. Eden Hall is an award-winning boutique winery established in 1997 by David and Mardi Hall. Eden Hall wines are made from estate premium grown fruit by the best winemakers in the Barossa region: Christa Deans, known as the ‘Queen of Eden Valley Riesling’, has been in charge of white wine production since 2004, while Kym Teusner, one of the ‘Barons of the Barossa’, has been producing the red wines since 2007.
About Springton Cabernet ’17: Fruity, dry with rich oak aroma, with mint and sweet bell pepper on the nose. Pair with Angus porterhouse steak.
Region: Barossa, SA
Wine: Springton Cabernet ’17
Snake & Herring
Australia is not short of excellent wineries. With new and innovative wineries popping up throughout the Western part of the continent, Australians are yet to see the best of wine tourism. Margaret River is one of the largest wine regions in Australia, producing more than 25 per cent of Australia’s wine.
From 200 vineyards scattered across Margaret River, we picked Snake & Herring winery with their premium Dirty Boots Cabernet ’19. Snake and Herring were created by Redmond “Herring” Sweeny and Tony “Snake” Davis in 2011. Besides making some of Australia’s finest wines, they are also famous for naming their wines after their favourite songs like the “Tough Love” Chardonnay ’21 and the “Perfect Day” Sauvignon Blanc and our favourite, Dirty Boots Cabernet ’19.
About Dirty Boots Cabernet ’19: Smooth, dry with dominating flavours of blackberry, plum dark chocolate and spices. The finish is smooth and subtle with tannins and white pepper. Best paired with meat-based dishes from our menu.
Region: Margaret River WA
Wine: Dirty Boots Cabernet ’19
Helen’s Hill Estate
Helen’s Hill Estate is combining the best of Yarra Valley’s hills, microclimate and soil to produce one of the finest range of award-winning and single-vineyard wines. Their story goes back to 1997, when the two families, Nalder and McIntosh, were given the opportunity of a lifetime. It was their passion for viticulture that resulted in producing distinctive and excellent quality wines.
For our wine selection, we chose their Heathcote Shiraz from 2019.
About Ingram Road Heathcote Shiraz ’19: Spicy and rich flavor packed with fruit flavours and liquorice drowned out by vanillin oak and rounded tannins.
Another one to pair with succulent, seasonal meat dishes from Saros main courses. A match made in heaven.
Region: Yarra Valley
Wine: Ingram Road Heathcote Shiraz ’19
Raise a Glass
From Cabernet, Shiraz and Pinot Noir to Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay, these are just some of the top wines from our extensive wine list at Saros Bar + Dining. One thing is for sure, Australian wineries are not short of good quality wine. Just pick your food to match and enjoy unforgettable nights at our Moonee Ponds Restaurant.
