Australian Sweet Red Wine: 15 Irresistible Bottles to Buy (2024)

Australian sweet red wines are famous for their brilliant aromatics and striking flavor profiles - the perfect companion for desserts and savory snacks!

Let's discover the finest Australian sweet red wine bottles. 

We'll also look at delicious food pairings to go with these “stickies” and go over the winemaking process used to produce them.

15 Irresistible Australian Sweet Red Wine Bottles

Here are 15irresistible Australian sweet red wine bottles for every wine lover:

• 1889 Seppeltsfield 'Para Liqueur' Vintage Tawny
• 1916 Seppeltsfield Para Vintage Tawny
• NV Penfolds 50 Year Old Rare Tawny
• NV Grant Burge 40 Year Old Super Rare Tawny
• NV Penfolds Great Grandfather Rare Tawny
• NV d'Arenberg The Daddy Long Legs Extremely Rare
• 2015 Kalleske JMK VP Shiraz Vintage Fortified
• NV Yalumba 21 Years Old Aged Tawny
• NV De Bortoli Old Boys 21 Year Old Tawny
• 2018 Brown Brothers Dolcetto & Syrah
• NV Morris Classic Tawny
• 2017 Ballycroft Small Berry Mataro VP Fortified Vintage
• NV McWilliam's Hanwood Estate 10 Year Old Grand Tawny
• NV St Anne's Magenta
• NV Galway Pipe Tawny

Ready to explore their prices and unbottle their complex flavour profiles?

1. 1889 Seppeltsfield 'Para Liqueur' Vintage Tawny ($7,753)

It is a rare Barossa Valley vintage that flaunts burnt coffee aromas with toffee undertones. Its palate is treacle-like with velvety tannin and a bittersweet finish.

2. 1916 Seppeltsfield Para Vintage Tawny ($4,450)

On the palate, this sweet red wine presents an indulgent panna cotta creaminess complemented by cacao and vincotto flavors. The nose reveals a complex bouquet of ginger and brown spices.

3. NV Penfolds 50 Year Old Rare Tawny ($2,613)

This unforgettable Tawny has a gorgeous nose highlighting coffee, caramel, and licorice aromas. Its palate is rich and complex, with extraordinary sweetness and a long fruity finish.

4. NV Grant Burge 40 Year Old Super Rare Tawny ($450)

This wine greets the palate with orange zest, Christmas pudding, and chocolate flavors. It has an enticing nose layered with praline, Kirsch, and quince paste notes.

5. NV Penfolds Great Grandfather Rare Tawny ($218)

This Australian wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, and Grenache grapes.

Dried fruit, burnished timber, and earthy notes dominate the wine's nose, while the palate has vanilla, toffee, and caramel flavors.

6. NV d'Arenberg The Daddy Long Legs Extremely Rare ($492)

This rare wine has a dense palate elevated by hints of grilled almond and baked fig. Its nose offers a complex and profound bouquet of walnut, date, and caramel scents.

7. 2015 Kalleske JMK VP Shiraz Vintage Fortified ($43)

This fortified wine is made from the Shiraz grape variety.

Dominated by notes of dark fruit, the nose boasts lemon thyme and coffee aromas. The palate of this Australian Shiraz varietal wine showcases a balanced sweetness culminating in a clean, lengthy finish.

8. NV Yalumba 21 Years Old Aged Tawny ($104)

Made from Australian Shiraz, Muscadelle, Mourvedre, and Grenache grapes, this fortified wine has a full-bodied palate imbuing spiced apple and orange peel flavors. The nose of this rare red blend wine unravels scents of shelled walnuts and shriveled apricots.

9. NV De Bortoli Old Boys 21 Year Old Tawny ($44)

This inimitable fortified wine opens with cappuccino and fig aromas. It has a striking palate, exhibiting fresh orange zest flavors accompanied by lovely fruitcake richness.

10. 2018 Brown Brothers Dolcetto & Syrah ($15)

The stunning vintage opens with red berry and sweet fruit aromas, giving way to an enticing palate characterized by red fruit and musk notes with a long soft finish.

11. NV Morris Classic Tawny ($22)

It unveils a full-flavored palate with a fresh finish. This Tawny offers an exceptional bouquet combining nutty oak characters with hints of ripe fruit.

12. 2017 Ballycroft Small Berry Mataro VP Fortified Vintage ($23)

The nose has black cherry and blackcurrant aromas with a touch of allspice. Flavors of dark berry fruits, vanilla, and fennel ooze out on the palate.

13. NV McWilliam's Hanwood Estate 10 Year Old Grand Tawny ($18)

This Tawny expresses mocha, spice, and sweet fruit flavors, elevated by fine tannins and a luscious finish. Upon opening, this sweet wine unleashes an intense vanilla oak aroma with notes of rancio.

14. NV St Anne's Magenta ($17)

While sweet fruit aromas define the nose of this wine, a touch of spicy fruit and a lingering fruit finish characterize the palate of this Australian red wine.

15. NV Galway Pipe Tawny ($27)

This Grand Tawny wine has a precise palate with balanced sweetness and fresh acidity, leading to a long finish. It has a striking nose displaying dusty oak, dried pear, and raisin aromas.

In addition to these top 15, you can also find Cabernet Shiraz and Cabernet Merlot sweet red wines produced across Australia.If you’re on a visit to the country, some regions to visit for sweet wines are Adelaide Hills, Coonwarra, Clare Valley, and Yarra Valley.

Wondering what foods to pair with these exquisite sweet red wines?

Delicious Food Pairings With Australian Sweet Red Wines

Australian sweet red wines pair wonderfully with sweet foods. Enjoy your Tawny or fortified wines with pecan pie, ice cream, brownies, and cheesecake.

The indulgent sweetness of these wines also go well with creamy foods such as brie, cheese, and tart, as well as starchy delicacies like macaroni and black truffle.

If you fancy something savory or spicy, feel free to pair a glass of Australian sweet red wine with ginger cookies, spice-seared foie gras, or chicken liver pâté.

Next, let's take a look at the production process of Australian sweet red wines.

How Are Australian Sweet Red Wines Made?

Two types of grapes are used to make Australian sweet red wines:

• Noble not-infected grapes

These wines are produced from the grapes infected by the Botrytis Cinerea or 'Noble Rot' fungus. The natural mold weakens the skins and concentrates the grapes’ natural sugar, leaving flavor-rich, shrunken grapes.

The Noble Rot usually affects white grape varieties like Riesling and Muscat and red grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Merlot.

• Late-harvest grapes

Sometimes, the winemaker leaves the grapes on the vines for an extended period after it has reached peak ripeness. 

Doing so dehydrates the grape making it concentrated and sweet.

Another unique aspect of the winemaking process is that during fortification, distilled spirits are added to the wine to halt the fermentation process prematurely. Doing so kills the yeast and leaves high residual sugar, resulting in a sweet wine.

Celebrate With A Bottle Of Australian Sweet Red Wine

Australian sweet red wines are a perfect treat if you’re looking for rich and seductive wines to go with desserts and creamy delicacies!

If you want a hassle-free way to buy extraordinary Australian sweet red wines, visit the Vinovest website now. 

You can effortlessly get your hands on an authentic dry red wine like Malbec, sparkling reds like Lambrusco or Blanc de Noirs, and even whites like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris at the best prices!