The last time I was in Australia, in February this year, I was thrilled to see a significant excitement for Spanish food and wine in the country. I wasn’t actually surprised by this. On the contrary, since I first visited the country I thought that Australia’s taste for our cuisine and our wines could only grow with time.
Australia is geographically immense and culturally diverse. 27% of Australian residents were born in a different country and over a quarter of the population comes from a foreign family, mostly of European and Asian descent. All these different people have sewn an incredibly open-minded cultural and social patchwork that Australians are specially proud of. Obviously, this welcoming attitude and open-mindedness has reached food (and wine!).
Eating in Australia is always a pleasant surprise. Food is as fresh, healthy and diverse as its people and taste buds are open to a vast array of flavours. This has helped Spanish cuisine enormously and wine has walked side by side with our food. Last February, however, I could see that Spanish wines have taken a step beyond and are present at all sorts of foods and tables, not just purely Spanish.
The general situation for wine consumption couldn’t be better for Spanish wines: wine is Australia´s favourite alcoholic drink (38%) and wine imports are growing steadily, with a share of 16%. But leaving statistics aside, reality is showing a new wave of bars, restaurants, wine shops and wine importers where Spanish wines are rocking. Here is a bunch.
For many people (including myself…), Melbourne is the food & wine capital of Australia. It enjoys a broad range of restaurants and eateries all over the city seasoned by the proximity to the winemaking regions of Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula.
We should start with Movida, which has become a sort of Spanish Food & Wine Embassy in Australia. Founded by Spanish-born Frank Camorra, it’s one of the hippest places in Melbourne (and Sydney! See below). The food has unmistakable fresh and vibrant Spanish flavours. The wine list includes some of the key names in Spain plus some rarities, like Txakolí, White Viña Tondonia 1990, Garnachas from Méntrida, rosé and sweet Moscatel from Celler Espelt (Empordà-Costa Brava) and other sweet and fortified jewels.
Self-described as “the home of truly traditional Spanish cuisine”, The Robert Burns was opened in 1984 and is run nowadays by a new, fresh Spanish team. Their wine list is dominated by top Spanish wines (note I´m saying “top” but not “pricey”) and it is classified according to their body, colour and texture, in a very approachable and easy-to-understand way. Well done!
As for wine bars, it´s worth paying a visit to Bellota, just behind the fabulous Prince Wine Store, a dynamic wine shop and education centre offering WSET qualifications as well as a really interesting selection of Spanish wines. Their selection of Mencía labels is worth checking. Another interesting wine shop for Spanish Wines is Rathdowne Cellars, including The Wanderer, an interesting Carignan made by Australian winemaker Andrew Marks in D.O. Empordà-Costa Brava.
Bomba is also a great spot for Spanish wines and tapas. A wine bar with a great laid-back atmosphere and really friendly staff. Great for an after-work glass of wine.
Spanish wine lovers can also enjoy themselves in the finance, media and tourism capital of Australia: There is also a Movida restaurant in Surry Hills with a jaunty atmosphere and great wines. Smaller but cosier than its counterpart in Melbourne.
Delicado Foods & Wines describes itself as a “Spanish tapas wine bar, café and restaurant with an adjoining bottle shop created by a family devoted to Spanish food, wine and culture”. They have put together a comprehensive wine list with lots of references from all over the country.
Very close to the Circular Quay Station, in the heart of Sydney´s financial district you can find TapaVino, with an awesome selection of 300 wines and 80 sherries (No surprise it is considered Australia´s first dedicated Sherry bar!).
For wine shops, it is worth visiting a trio of independent retailers to pamper yourself with some great references and have an interesting chat with the staff: Annandale Cellars, Best Cellars, Five Ways Cellars.
And how about the rest of the country? The wine scene is much more active in New South Wales and Victoria than it is anywhere else, but there are interesting spots to enjoy and supply yourselves with exciting Spanish wines around the wine regions of South and Western Australia, like East End Cellars in Adelaide or Toro Wines Wholesalers and Pata Negra in Perth.
Finally, I think it´s worth mentioning the bet for Spanish wines placed by Dan Murphy’s stores all over the country. So… It seems imposible to move around Australia without bumping into a bottle of Spanish wine!
