New Adventures, New Wines: My Move to Brisbane and the Australian Wine World
I’ll make this short and sweet—I've moved to Brisbane, Australia, to live with my boyfriend during the middle of a global pandemic. Before you ask how all of this was possible, I’ll spare you the maddening details of multiple Australian migration agents, 40 pages of relationship evidence, 10 months of disappointment and government rejection, and one final approval notice that had me jumping on a plane to Australia within 48 hours of hearing the good news.
Ok, maybe I’m leaving out some details (and maybe one day I’ll share the full story—along with the experience of surviving 14 days of hotel quarantine), but the important thing is that I’m not stopping my passion for writing about budget-friendly wines! While I may not always be able to focus on Washington state wines (though I'll still be on the lookout for Washington, Oregon, and California options here), I’m excited to dive into everything Australia and New Zealand have to offer the wine world.
Australia is home to 6 major wine regions and is best known for its Shiraz—which, in Australia, is the same as Syrah. These regions produce a variety of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux Blends. While many Australian wines aren’t typically found in U.S. stores, I’ll be on the lookout for wines that you might be able to order from larger importers.
I also want to take you along on my journey of adjusting to life in Australia and comparing it to life in the United States. I’m not the first or last expat to make the move, but given the unique circumstances of the world right now, I think I have a unique perspective on how our lives and cultures differ—or maybe how much they are the same.
I hope you’ll stick with me on this new adventure. I might even have a few wino friends back home popping in to share their new favorite wines for all my stateside readers. My roots in Washington state wine are deep, and I’ll still be recommending those amazing bottles whenever possible. It’s where my wine journey began, and I’ll continue advocating for it wherever I go.
Cheers to new adventures and new wines!
Chelsey aka the Wino on a Budget
