Tony Love’s 20 of the best South Australian red wines — all under $40
GO the reds. Wines that is. Perfect for a cold night or a hearty meal, Tony Love finds a score of terrific tipples — many priced at $20 and under, and all less than $40. Raise your glasses.
IT’S luxuriously coloured, rich with ripe summer essences, warming with exotic spice and fills you with hope, cheer and adventurous dreams.
Can a red wine beat off the chills and ills of winter?
Sure it can.
It can comfort you in the coldest corner. Encourage fruitful companionships. And simply provide delicious pleasure when all around you is dark and stormy.
You choose your weapon for winter: shiraz or cabernet sauvignon for the traditionalists, pinot or grenache for any fanciers, or take a world cruise into Spanish and Italian varieties that transport you to another hemisphere in the pour of a glass.
Wine can do all that. We grow the fruit here, we can forge any style we wish, and blend any variety we want — all in the name of great flavour and joyous social lubrication.
Usually you might think it the season to drink in the heavyweight divisions — and that’s exactly where some shiraz and cabernet will put you. But think, too, about when and where you’ll open your next bottle. Over a slow-cooked dinner … Beside a fondue … Cosied-up to a chargrilled steak …
They’re hearty and filling meals and a lighter-styled pinot noir will be just the contrast you need for a perfectly balanced gastro experience.
And don’t get too caught up in the solo varietal tunnel Australians often get trapped in. Blends of grenache, shiraz and mourvedre (aka mataro) are devilish in their depth-findings, and often top value as well.
Look also for regional clues, like our first-in-line GSM from McLaren Vale — trademark varieties in their happy place.
Same-same with the Barossa and shiraz, Coonawarra and cabernet and the Adelaide Hills with pinot. The combos work because the proof is in the ground and in the bottle.
So here you go: 20 great reds, many $20 and under, and all under $40.
You will come across an occasional drop we’ve already reviewed and thought good enough to make a return in this seasonal collection.
Pour yourself a glass and toast the hell out of a wild and woolly winter.
1. Red Knot by Shingleback
2017 / Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre
Region: McLaren Vale
****
After hitting the big time with an amazing haul of trophies for the 2016 version at last year’s Royal Adelaide
Wine Show it’s worth taking a look at the follow-up release. It’s heartening to see this wine doesn’t disappoint, its perfumed florals, choc-raspberry licorice flavours, palate-teasing energy, depth of spice and subtle oak seasoning adding up to a very splashable red. Look for it online and at Shingleback’s tasting room.
$15
2. Jacob’s Creek Reserve
2016 / Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:Limestone Coast
****
This wine has all the attributes of many cabernets at twice the price. Sourced from SA’s Coonawarra, Padthaway and Wrattonbully districts, it comes with plenty of regional experience and expression in its dark fruits, dusty, chalky feels, then as you dig a little deeper, mint chocolate and black berry aromatics, reinforced by the structural palate notes we love so much. Look for surprising discounts.
$17
3. Schild Estate
2016 / Grenache Mourvedre Shiraz
Region:Barossa Valley
***1/2
There seem to be so many ways to crunch this trio of best friend varieties, depending on
the winemaker’s creative pulse, but as long as there’s a good waft of earthy and spicy fragrance to start and a slurpable mouthful of sweetly ripe crimson to bluish fruits through the middle, you have to be happy. All this and a warming, lightly grippy tannin feel in the finish and you have yourself one very comforting and pleasing bargain.
$18
4. Bleasdale Mulberry Tree
2015 / Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:Langhorne Creek
****
You’ll go a long way to find such a regular cabernet delight at this bargain rate every year, defined by its blackcurrant/Ribena/cassis characters from the
outset, yet instilled with varietal and regional floral notes, mint and violets perhaps, and a darker oak sense that comes across with a chocolate and blackberry feel in flavour and fine tannin coating. That’s pure Langhorne Creek for you. Superb value.
$20
5. Long Hop
2016 / Old Vine Grenache
Region: Adelaide Plains
****
Fruit from a couple of the last remaining northern suburban plains blocks planted back in the 1950s has been treated tenderly here. There’s a small proportion of whole grape clusters
in the ferment all the way through to old barrels that encourage a delicious creamy vanilla tone and texture, without bullish oak, and a palate of spiced cherry-like flavours. There’s a varietal and old vineyard soul here that will win hearts.
$20
6. St Hallett 2016 Faith Shiraz
2016 / Shiraz
Region: Barossa
****
While St Hallett could easily be snapshot as a traditional Barossa shiraz producer, and has some of the region’s
best credentialed labels like the elite “Old Block”, this will serve
many more and is a more exciting jump into medium-bodied juicy and fresher shiraz drinking than you might expect. Tapping into vineyards across the broader Barossa zone, including Eden Valley, this is lightly spicy, crimson-fruited and very, very drinkable.
$20
7. Thorn-Clark Sandpiper
2016 / Merlot
Region:Barossa
****
Note the regional/zone detail is Barossa, which indicates there’s Eden Valley fruit in here and you can see it in
attractive, lingering aromas of dark rose florals mixed with
blackcurrant juice like senses as well as some mint and gum notes. There’s genuine depth of character here, building with black plum and berry flavours, subtle oak backdrops and soft tannin texturals. It’s great value and properly fulfilling.
$20
8. Wirra Wirra Church Block
2016
Region: McLaren Vale
****
A long-time favourite, this cabernet sauvignon (52%), shiraz (37%) and merlot (11%) mix succeeds in encouraging the predominant cabernet to come to the fore aromatically, while ensuring a solid, structural palate remains the core strength of the wine. It’s a full-bodied, McLaren Vale ambassador of the region’s respected earthy, muscly style, while light, cedary tannins add background gravitas to its enjoyably juicy vibe.
$22
9. Paracombe The Reuben
2013
Region: Adelaide Hills
****
Five years of gradual maturation and gentle development is an extraordinary gift at this price, the integration of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec singing harmoniously in a vibrant Bordeaux-style blend. There’s perfume, spicy crushed dark berries, and the first leathery notes of age. Celebrate these as the wine’s juicy tannins mix with just enough chalk dust feel.
$23
10. Tim Adams The Fergus
2014
Region: Clare Valley
****
An unlikely trio of varieties — tempranillo, grenache and malbec — all of which have made a solid home in Clare Valley. Farmed from both estate and a neighbour’s family vineyard, the blend is richly aromatic where violets lead the florals, then a chewy palate gathers juicy and lipsmacking crimson and blue berry flavours with lively energy and a lightly grippy finish to suit wintry, gamey braises.
$24
11. Cape Barren Native Goose
2016 / GSM
Region: Adelaide Hills
****1/2
Harvested from a few vineyards predominantly around the revered sandy country of Blewitt Springs, which can produce delightfully lifted red wines, here the aroma is immediately suggestive of crushed blue berries and dried herbs, the flavours similarly attractive, lip smacking and juicy while a feel in the mouth of dusty back roads adds definite district character. The sense of balance is most convincing, as is its more-ish drinkability.
$25
12. Mitchell Peppertree
2014 / Shiraz
$26
Region: Clare Valley
****1/2
You’d be hard pressed to find more Australian terroir character in a single bottle of shiraz than what lies inside this one. From the bottom of the same Watervale vineyard as the Mitchell’s famous riesling, there is an unmistakeable waft of eucalypt here, not green, not hard but incredibly pretty to sniff, and reverbs in the palate with soft and spicy fruit and more deep black pepper aromatics adding complexity as a tannin rich finish wraps it all together. Special stuff.
$26
13. Chapel Hill
2016 / Shiraz
Region: McLaren Vale
****1/2
A unique aromatic/flavour note suggests this shiraz comes perhaps from a single site or very compatible blocks that express a darker fruit with earthy and minerally ironstone notes, plus a splash of sarsaparilla, maybe a waft of jaffa. The layers unfold into a complex and entertaining bottle. You’ll want to go back into the glass again and again.
$30
14. First Drop The Big Blind
2015
Region: Adelaide Hills
****
The combination of two northwestern Italian red varieties, nebbiolo and barbera, makes a lot of sense. The duet succeeds with aromatic spices like nutmeg and sandalwood, then turns up the power with a lively acidity from the barbera. Its zingy fruit senses are counterpointed with intriguing savouries through the palate.
$30
15. Taylors Jaraman
2016 / Shiraz
Region: Clare Valley/McLaren Vale
****1/2
Taylor’s Jaraman range picks out fruit from different regions, usually only a pair, to blend to a modern house style. Here Clare with a spicy fragrance is on show at first, red-to-crimson fruit top notes, yet underlined with robust earthy foundations from McLaren Vale. The balance across those regional characters is most successful, the two-thirds Clare providing the key style indicators. Oh, and it’s bloody delicious.
$30
16. Sidewood Estate
2017 / Pinot Noir
Region: Adelaide Hills
****1/2
From a Hills producer going from strength to strength both in its lifestyle and cellar door offers as well as a suite of excellent Hills varietals, this pinot is a multi-clonal blend that strikes your nose with fascinating complexities of classic pinot spice, woody bush notes and forest like suggestions, its fruit core typically strawberry and raspberry with a fresh and vital palate and impressive line and length. A smartly valued pinot.
$32
17. Bishop by Ben Glaetzer
2016 / Shiraz
Region: Barossa Valley
****
Classic bold and rich Barossa shiraz from its northern Ebenezer district, this has everything you hope for in full-bodied shiraz terms: big, warming, spiced dark plum juices, a subtle whiff of oak in the background, generous palate weight and here also a bright berry acidity underpinning the whole line and length, holding the wine in place to express its delicious best. The essence of balance and pleasure results. Absolutely smashing.
$33
18. Redman
2015 / Cabernet Sauvignon
$33
Region: Coonawarra
****1/2
There’s something about mid-winter country smells and how this wine reflects them with a herbal and forest floor earthiness before easing comfortably into a dense dark blackberry like compote suggesting the warmth of gran’s kitchen, the roast cooked, a fruit pie in the oven. This is a traditional, delicious and homely cabernet with just enough dark chocolate palate feel to add proper depth yet still drink desirably — and very tasty to the last drop.
$33
19. Chain of Ponds Stopover
2015 / Barbera
Region: Adelaide Hills
****1/2
A red variety originating in Italy’s northwest Piedmont region, and while Chain of Ponds is mostly a Gumeracha district vibe, the fruit here comes from Kuitpo in the southwest of the Hills region, near its McLaren Vale border. The style, young and bright, is mid-weight, lifted and energetic, red to crimson berries with lively acidity and a subtle sense of herbs and leafiness without any green notes. A more-ish, modern red.
$35
20. Henschke Henry’s Seven
2016
Region: Barossa
*****
A Barossa Valley and Eden Valley mix of shiraz, grenache and mataro in 66:15:10 proportions, with the final 9 per cent being viognier co-fermented with the shiraz to add an extra fragrant element to this stunning Rhone-like blend. Its colour and spicy perfume are simply beautiful — juice, flesh, medium-bodied structure are all in harmony. Delicious.
$37
HERE’S TO A LITTLE LUXURY
FANCY a wine that’s very special? Cooking a major event dinner that deserves a luxurious red? Try these.
● St Hugo 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra/ $55). All class from the first approach, complex yet friendly, with dark berries leaping out of the glass.
● Yalumba Steeple Vineyard 2014 Shiraz (Barossa Valley/$70). An exciting, multi-dimensional Barossa shiraz from an “antique site”, solid yet exuberant. A spicy, black-fruited core teased with violet and lavender fragrance and a lick of lightly charry oak. A stunner.
● Kintsugi 2015 by Ministry of Clouds (McLaren Vale/$85). A great southern Rhone-style blend of grenache, mataro, shiraz and cinsault varieties that captivates with what the French call “garrigue” characters, smells of herb gardens and stone walls, followed by a streak of satisfying savouries over sweet deliciousness. Yum.
● Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard 2016 Pinot Noir (Adelaide Hills/$85). An extremely rare release that’s a smaller element of its more accessible Estate pinot. Heightened woody spice notes with classic cherry flavours and quite lifted peppery senses. Great at the table.
● Yangarra High Sands 2015 Grenache (McLaren Vale/$140). Certified organic and biodynamic from deep sandy country in Kangarilla, sourced from a special section of 1946 bush vine plantings, this is a supreme grenache superpower — amazing acidity, bright crimson fruits, fine sandy tannins from start to finish. Superb with rich braises.