Australian Wine in America: Box #7
Summer is calling, and our seventh wine club box answers with one of our most adventurous collections yet. This lineup spans sparkling rosé made from an ancient Italian grape, two takes on cool-climate brilliance, a sustainability trailblazer, a skin-contact curveball from Western Australia's oldest wine region, and one of the finest pinot noirs Australia has ever produced. If you've been following along since Box #1, you know by now: Australian wine never stops surprising.
We kick things off with a showstopper: Chalmers Col Fondo 2024 from Heathcote. Made from 100% aglianico—a grape you've almost certainly never had as a sparkling rosé—this wine is gorgeous before you even take a sip. Cloudy, pink, fizzy, and undisgorged, it's the kind of bottle that makes you the most popular person at any gathering. The Chalmers family has spent decades importing and championing Italian grape varieties in Australia, and this wine is a joyful expression of everything they've built.
From fizz to focus, we head south to Tasmania for Stargazer Riesling 2024. If you loved the Eden Valley riesling in your last box, this one shows you the other side of the coin. Sam Connew's approach—late harvest, ambient yeast, a touch of texture—creates a riesling of incredible nuance and tension. Tasmania's Coal River Valley is one of the most exciting cool-climate regions in the world, and this wine is proof.
Then it's Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc, done right. Murdoch Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2025 is everything the grape should be: fresh, aromatic, balanced—and never too grassy or green. Michael Downer has transformed his family's estate into one of the most awarded wineries in the region, and this wine shows why. If you've ever wished Sancerre were a bit more fun, this is your bottle.
For something completely different, Minimum White 2022 from the Goulburn Valley brings environmentalism and exceptional winemaking together in a single glass. Matt Purbrick's certified organic, B Corp winery is setting new standards for what it means to do good and drink well—and the wine itself, layered with herbal and floral complexity, is the delicious proof that sustainability and quality go hand in hand.
Then comes the wildcard: Vino Volta Different Skins 2023, a skin-contact blend of frontignac and gewürztraminer from Western Australia's Swan Valley. If that sounds like it should be sweet, think again. Garth Cliff and Kristen McGann have reimagined two aromatic grapes as a bone-dry, salmon-hued wine that defies every expectation. It's adventurous, it's versatile, and it's unlike anything else in your cellar.
And we close with a wine that needs no caveats: Attwoods Glenlyon Pinot Noir 2020 from the Macedon Ranges. With six years of age, tiny production, organic farming, and one of Victoria's coldest vineyard sites, this is Australian pinot noir at its absolute pinnacle. Troy Walsh cut his teeth in Burgundy and brought that precision home—this wine is the stunning result.
From aglianico bubbles to aged Macedon pinot, this summer box is a reminder that Australia's wine story is being written in real time, by passionate people in extraordinary places. Open a bottle, invite some friends, and enjoy the ride.
So what's in the June 2026 How to Drink Australian Wine Box?
Chalmers Col Fondo 2024 - Heathcote, VIC
One sentence to impress your friends: Just pour it, the color does all the work for you.
Bruce and Jenni Chalmers began growing grapes in the 1980s, with their vineyard in Murray Darling, on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. This diverse and thriving vineyard spawned their nursery business, which is responsible for importing close to 70 new clones and varieties. These varieties were released to Australia in 2000 and have since been a major factor in the improvements in sustainability and quality seen in the Australian wine industry in the last 20 years.
There has always been a focus on Italian varieties, which has been amplified under the next generation; Bruce and Jenni's daughters Kim and Tennille have been the custodians of the family business since 2005 and 2011, respectively. Under their care, Chalmers purchased an 80-hectare plot in the northern portion of Heathcote, where they have been able to find the greatest Australian terroirs for the Italian grapes they've been importing and championing for decades. Their success has been largely dependent on their ability to match Italian grapes to Australian climates, focusing on thick-skinned grapes that are drought tolerant, resistant to sunburn, and have plenty of natural acidity.
Kim and Tennille have been instrumental in the amplification of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, and in 2015 they also spearheaded 21st Century Vino, an initiative to increase awareness and expertise in Italian varieties grown across Australia. Bruce and Jenni are still ever-involved in the company, "always looking for the next big thing," as Kim says.
If you were with the club back in December, you had the Montevecchio Rosso—a co-fermented field blend also made by the Chalmers family. The Col Fondo is a totally different expression of their creativity: 100% aglianico rosé, made in a traditional Champagne method (where secondary fermentation takes place in bottle). It is undisgorged, though, which means just a bit of the expended yeast cells from the second fermentation are left in bottle (thus that bit of cloudiness). It's normal, it's beautiful, and it gives a unique texture and flavor profile that makes this wine totally special and totally delicious.
Food pairings: This is a perfect antipasto wine: Col Fondo and a plate of cured meats, cheeses, and pickles is an unbeatable pairing.
Stargazer Riesling 2024 - Coal River Valley, TAS
One sentence to impress your friends: Tasmania is paradise—the site of the cleanest air on the planet (no joke), some cute local animals (yes, Tasmanian devils are a real thing), and some of the world's best riesling.
Samantha Connew (Sam to her friends) grew up on the South Island of New Zealand, and put herself through school working at a wine bar. Sam was bitten by the wine bug, and ended up travelling the world, working vintages in Oregon, Italy, Spain, and Australia. She landed in Australia, spending ten years as the senior winemaker at Wirra Wirra in McLaren Vale before putting down roots and starting her own winery in the Coal River Valley of Tasmania.
The name "Stargazer" pays tribute to Abel Tasman, who as an explorer and navigator, must have spent a fair amount of time gazing towards the heavens. Tasman, a Dutchman under the employ of the United East India Company, was the first European to sight Tasmania (on November 24, 1642) and then the South Island of New Zealand, 19 days later on December 13. He is the natural link for Sam, connecting her original home of South Island New Zealand to her current home of Tasmania.
Located in the Tea Tree subregion at the northern end of the Coal River Valley, Sam's original vineyard was planted by Norm and Jan Gangell in 2004. Pretty much half and half riesling and pinot noir, the eleven hectare property is also home to an olive grove (which produces some killer olive oil!). Sam took over the property in 2016 and in late 2017 expanded the vineyard to include an additional two hectares of vines: more pinot noir (four clones), some chardonnay (another four clones) and more riesling. She also farms a bit of gewürztraminer, pinot gris, and pinot meunier to keep things interesting. She believes fundamentally in sustainable farming and is excited about leaving her bit of dirt better than she found it.
Her approach to riesling is a bit different than the classic Eden/Clare Valley approach: she harvests later (which her colder climate allows her to do), she only uses ambient yeast, she leaves a touch of residual sugar to balance out the bracing acidity of the region, and she often vinifies in concrete and neutral oak. The result is a vibrant, nuanced style of riesling that balances fleshiness and texture with a core of acid-driven tension. Is this a perfect wine? We think so.
Food pairings: We love this wine with aromatic food with a hint of spice, think Thai, Vietnamese and Indian.
Murdoch Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2025 - Adelaide Hills, SA
One sentence to impress your friends: Sauvignon blanc to rival Sancerre, from a much-awarded family winery in the Adelaide Hills.
The Downer family has been farming the fertile soils of the Onkaparinga Valley since 1939. In this time, there have been many cattle grazing, hens laying, potatoes grown, and flowers picked, but in 1998 the family made the transition into grape-growing and haven't looked back.
The estate vineyard is located behind the township of Oakbank, in the eastern Adelaide Hills. 20 hectares of sandy loam with influences of schist, shale rock-formations, pockets of sandstone and veins of quartz and ironstone, combined with an altitude of over 1,100 feet, make for a great home for cool climate varieties: sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot meunier, cabernet sauvignon, and syrah all grow happily—and organically—here.
Michael Downer, the youngest of his generation, studied winemaking at school. After getting a degree in oenology, Michael worked with Shaw + Smith (Adelaide Hills), Vietti (Barolo), and Best's Great Western (Grampians) before joining the family winery in 2012. Michael is credited with the renaissance of Murdoch Hill, transforming the estate from a venerable wine grower to the producer of some of the most esteemed wines in the region.
He's brought the winemaking in-house (it was previously done by a neighboring winery) and created a range of single-site, minimal intervention bottlings. He has also introduced into their winemaking native yeast and whole bunch ferments, extended skin macerations, old oak aging, and has eschewed fining and filtration.
The Australian wine industry has taken note: Downer was a Young Gun of Wine finalist in 2014, the winner of the "Winemaker's Choice" award in 2015 and 2016, finally taking home the top prize in 2017. He's received multiple accolades in local media, including several wines in the top ten of the Adelaide Review "Hot 100" over the years. Yet the family remains committed to making this quality, affordable sauvignon blanc year-in and year-out.
Food pairings: Oysters, crudo with citrus, all other seafood, a lemony salad. Bright and acid-driven is the way to go with this wine, though aromatic food (think: Thai, Vietnamese) is always a win too.
Minimum White 2022 - Goulburn Valley, VIC
One sentence to impress your friends: A unique blend from a winery embodying the best possible farming and social practices. Doing good and drinking well!
Matt Purbrick grew up with wine: his family owns Tahbilk, one of Australia's most historic wineries. Though he explored other pursuits, he eventually returned to the vine, finding his reentrance point through organic farming.
Matt and his wife took over what is now their estate vineyard in 2017, and immediately set about converting it to organics and regenerative farming techniques, including green manure cover crops, compost teas, mulching, under-vine cultivation, no chemicals or pesticides, and advanced water-saving practices. Matt describes it as "a very natural-process-centered type of stripped back certified organic management." He continues that "in an incredibly short period of time we are seeing measurable increases in soil life and massive increases in natural resistance to pests and disease."
The vineyard was certified organic by ACO (Australian Certified Organic) in 2020. Minimum has also become a certified B Corp, which holistically measures a business's social and environmental impact through a rigorous certification process. But they haven't stopped there: Minimum has committed to always contribute at least 5% of revenue to positive social and environmental impact, including 1% to paying the rent (giving money back to Indigenous custodians) and 1% to the planet—they've planted 10,000 trees so far among other environmental dedications.
Doing good in the world is not independent from making good wine. In fact, as their dedication to their land and to the world increases, so does the quality of the wine. "Every year the flavors are getting more layered and nuanced," says Matt. "Joyful, herbal, floral subtleties that didn't manifest in the early years. Trusting in the natural processes and just allowing things to be has revealed a whole new landscape of depth in the wines year on year."
Food pairings: This wine has a bit of a cider-y quality: great with buttery mushrooms, bloomy rind cheeses, and roast chicken.
Vino Volta Different Skins 2023 - Swan Valley + Geographe, WA
One sentence to impress your friends: Old-vine aromatic grapes typically used for sweet wine, but reimagined in a savory, dry package.
"I have seen a lot of grapes from around the region not reaching their full potential. I have always wanted to focus in on these vineyards, work with the growers and play around with the winemaking to make an array of expressive wines that speak about where they are from," says Garth Cliff, the proprietor of Vino Volta (along with partner Kristen McGann).
Though Garth and Kristen look like spring chickens, they between them have over 50 years of experience in the wine industry. Garth was the winemaker at Houghton—Swan Valley's oldest, biggest, and most renowned winery—for 10 years before he and Kristen started Vino Volta in 2018.
Though it's a young winery, Vino Volta has already made waves in the wine industry, garnering praise from the new wave and traditionalists alike. The focus here is old-vine grenache and chenin, with novelties like skin-contact frontignac and gewürztraminer (this quarter's wine club!), a few over-delivering pét-nats, and a liqueur verdelho, blended from base wines that date back a whopping 60 years. With compelling and whimsical names (like "Intimations of Immortality" and "Post-Modern Seriousism") and dynamic landscape labels, these wines deliver a package that has something for everyone. Garth and Kristen's sense of adventure is only matched by their commitment to making the best wine possible. They've single-handedly redefined what the Swan Valley is capable of, and they're just getting started.
This unique wine is a blend of 53% frontignac (aka muscat blanc à petits grains) and 47% gewürztraminer. If muscat and gewürztraminer make you think this wine is going to be sweet and cloying, have no fear! With extended skin-contact (this wine is salmon in color) tempering the aromatics, and vinified bone-dry, this is a surprising twist on two grapes we think we know.
Food pairings: Have fun with this one. The aromatic qualities make it a great pairing for aromatic cuisine like Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese. This wine also has qualities of a white wine and a red wine, so you can use it for everything from fish to steak.
Attwoods Glenlyon Pinot Noir 2020 - Macedon Ranges, VIC
One sentence to impress your friends: Aged Australian pinot noir is rare enough to come by, combine that with tiny production (300 dozen), low yields, organic farming and a super cool climate and you've got one of the most special Aussie wines on the market.
Australian-born Troy Walsh started his wine career as a sommelier in some of London's top restaurants. His passion for wine led him to working in Burgundy, France for renowned pinot noir producers Domaine de L'Arlot and Domaine David Duband.
Troy returned to Australia and established Attwoods with his wife Jane in 2010, with a goal to showcase the greatness of the country's pinot noir and chardonnay. The philosophy of Attwoods centers on making wine that is food-focused, minimal intervention, reflective of vintage, and staying true to the idea that "without great risk, you cannot achieve great rewards."
That risk includes growing grapes in marginal climates that are labor intensive to farm. The 23-year-old Glenlyon Vineyard, on the outskirts of Macedon Ranges at 500m above sea level, was taken over by Attwoods in 2019, giving its first vintage of premium pinot noir and chardonnay in 2020. Attwoods planted the Mon Climat Vineyard in Scotsburn, with the first fruit coming off in 2022. 10,000 vines a hectare in one of Victoria's coldest climates, this vineyard is destined to be one of Victoria's greatest for pinot noir and chardonnay. The Garibaldi Farm in Ballarat is the third site that Attwoods works with: a 25-year-old, dry-grown vineyard that doesn't yield a crop every year, as the plot is frost-prone; but when it does, it's something special.
Grapes are typically picked early, to ensure good acidity, and whole-bunch fermentation is favored. Wild fermentation takes place in large, open-top oak for reds and in barrels for whites, with most wines spending 18 months in oak and another year in bottle before release. Wild black cherry, Davidson plum (a tart native plum), smoked mountain pepper, and crushed clove combine for elegant and complex aromatics. The palate is powerful and acid driven, but with a layer of supple fruit and well-integrated oak and stem-derived texture. This wine will age well for years and continue to develop nuance and interest.
Food pairings: Classic Burgundy pairings will win here: roasted duck or chicken, morels, cassoulet, black truffles…our mouths are watering.