This Independent wine selection takes you on a journey south of the Equator, from Argentina to Australia

Wet your whistle with an Argentinian malbec right through to a South African sauvignon blanc

Wednesday 29 March 2023 05:19 EDT

Whether you sip these on their own or pair with food, these new blends will blow your mind (iStock/The Independent)

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Winemaking first developed around the Mediterranean. And while many of these countries still produce wonderful vinos – think sparkling wines from France, feather-light whites from Italy and rich reds from Spain – it’s actually the countries south of the Equator you need to watch out for.

These southern lands are responsible for taking traditional winemaking techniques and turning them on their head. And thank goodness they did. The often adapted process has started something of a revolution and now the wines made in these regions are full of new ideas and are made with a fresh impetus.

A perfect example of this is The Independent’s south of the Equator wine list. Featuring a selection of wines that stretch from the shores of Argentina to the Australian gold coast, these traditional grapes have been given a new lease of life. And there really is a tipple for everyone – think malbec, shiraz, as well as a chardonnay from Chile and a sauvignon blanc from South Africa.

This is the third curated selection that The Independent has put together. So far this year we’ve curated a luxury selection of reds, our favourite affordable heros and a collection that will take you on a journey arond the Meditteranean. But now it’s time for some south of the Equator beauties to make their mark.

Generally speaking, these wines come from hotter climates and as a result are more full-bodied than their European counterparts with higher alcoholic content – although there are exceptions, as we shall see. And with a market that’s forever expanding, there are new wines to discover, new blends to admire and new techniques to admire.

Here’s our verdict on these south of the Equator vinos.

Darling Cellars sauvignon blanc

Rating: 9/10

Size: 75cl

Pairs well with: Seafood, particularly fresh mussels or oysters

Review in brief: An unoaked and delightfully zesty white that’s full of tropical fruit flavours that beguile and refresh.

The South African wine industry dates back centuries but it’s only in relatively recent times that wines from the country have become internationally recognised and admired. At the southern tip of South Africa, where the cooling influences of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans provide an almost Mediterranean-like climate, it’s possible to produce fruity reds and refreshing whites such as the Darling Cellars sauvignon blanc 2022.

Made from low-yielding vines which have to survive in a little-irrigated, granite-based soil in the cool, Western Cape area, there’s a huge tropical vibe to this wine with zingy passion-fruit flavours and an admirable flintiness. It’s also unoaked, giving it a freshness and vitality that’s hard to ignore.

Doctors’ pinot noir

Rating: 9/10

Size: 75cl

Pairs well with: Meat dishes, particularly game, veal and beef

Review in brief: It’s low in alcohol but big in flavour. You should be prepared for a hit of intense red fruit and nutty notes.

New Zealand is another country which emerged almost out of nowhere in the 1980s to rapidly become one of the major players in the world of wine. Its white wines, especially the sauvignon blancs, are justly admired. But the red wines are equally worthy of note.

The Doctors’ pinot noir 2020 is especially one to know as its abv is only 9.5 per cent. It’s the end result of a plan by winemakers John and Brigid Forrest (both of whom are medical doctors, hence the name) to produce wines that “deliver all the enjoyment” without having to later suffer the regrets. They do this by slowing the grapevine’s ability to make sugar but not its ability to make flavour. As a result, this pinot noir from the Marlborough region has all that intense red-fruit flavour and rich nutty notes you’d expect from a wine with a much higher alcohol rating.

Murphy Vineyards big rivers shiraz

Rating: 8/10

Size: 75cl

Pairs well with: Grilled meat

Review in brief: Lush and luxuriant, this is a wine to savour with ripe dark fruit flavours and will enhance any substantial meal with grilled meats.

Like New Zealand, Australia became a major player in the wine world in the 20th-century with high-quality and affordable wines. While the country has no indigenous grape varieties but has done remarkably well with European staples such as chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz – the Australian version of the grape known as syrah elsewhere.

The Murphy Vineyards big rivers shiraz 2020 comes from the wine region of the same name in New South Wales. It’s where winemaker Anthony Murphy and his brother Patrick established Trentham Estate Winery on the banks of the Murray River, delivering a shiraz that’s luxuriant and rich, overflowing with ripe dark fruit flavours and hints of pepper and spice. Definitely a red to enjoy with any substantial meat dish.

Torrontes Uvas Mi Terruno

Rating: 9/10

Size: 75cl

Pairs well with: Roasted meats or pasta

Review in brief: Combining a savoury elegance with intense fruit flavours it’s both soft and supple on the tongue

Moving over to the Americas, Argentina not only has some of the most stunning vineyards – helped by the ever-present backdrop of the Andes. But it also produces some of the continent’s finest wines. And if there’s one grape it has really taken to heart it’s malbec, which is ideally suited to the country’s climate and produces wines such as Mi Terruño malbec 2021.

It’s made from grapes grown in various vineyards that are between 450m and 1,200m above sea level near Maipú in the Mendoza wine region. It’s purply red in colour and has the lush, unmistakable malbec notes of black plum and ripe damson, complemented by silky tannins and a lengthy finish. Another one to enjoy with roast meat or pasta.

Sol de Andes Gran Reserva carménère

Rating: 9/10

Size: 75cl

Pairs well with: Red meat and aged cheeses

Review in brief: An intense fruit-forward wine that doesn’t disappoint. It’s powerful, smooth and balanced on the palate

We end our journey in Chile, a long and slim country where the wine-growing areas have followed a similar path with the Pacific on one side and the Andes on the other. One grape which has prospered here is carménère one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux although now it’s rarely grown in France. Instead, it has become a Chilean staple and the Sol de Andes gran reserva carménère 2015 is a splendid example of this deep and intense red wine. Produced from vines grown in the rich volcanic soils in the Maule Valley – Chile’s oldest wine-rowing region – it has strong, fruit-forward cassis and black fruit flavours and a long and pleasurable finish.

Terranoble Casablanca Valley chardonnay reserva

Rating: 8/10

Size: 75cl

Pairs well with: Fish or seafood dishes

Review in brief: Ripe and approachable tropical flavours that will be the perfect accompaniment to any seafood dish.

Chile can also provide the goods when it comes to chardonnay which seems to take on a juicier and even more buttery character in hot climates compared with its European cousins.

From the country’s central wine area, the Terranoble Casablanca Valley chardonnay reserva 2018 has all the tropical peach and pineapple flavours you’d expect, along with notes of apple and citrus. There’s also an extra touch of lushness from the 20 per cent of the wine that has been aged in oak barrels. It’s the perfect accompaniment to any fish or seafood dish.

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