Experts share their favourite reds under $15 from Victoria’s major retailers
IT’S winter, which means red wines are back on the table. If you’re looking for a bottle that won’t break the bank, these are the best buys under $15, according to Melbourne wine experts.
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VICTORIA’S wine experts have spoken: just because a bottle has a fancy label or a lofty price point, it doesn’t mean you’re going to love it.
There are some seriously impressive wines that cost far less than you would think.
“If you’re looking at wines under $15, I tend to go with the big, well-known brands,” wine educator and judge Winsor Dobbin says. “These brands have big facilities and lots of staff and are able to produce cheaper wines in the same facilities as they produce their more expensive wines. It’s sheer economy of scale.”
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He also says a bottle’s label also has a lot of tells.
“A lot of the cheaper wines often say they are made with grapes from South Australia, or Victoria,” he explains. “These are often a more generic blend of grapes from multiple regions.
“If you know you like cool climate wines, look for labels that specify the region — such as Yarra Valley or Barossa. That way you have a better chance of knowing what the style of wine will be and if it will appeal to your tastes.”
Another thing to look out for is vintage.
“Cheaper wines are not designed to be cellared,” he says. “That means, if you see something on the shelves from 2013 or 2014, it might have been sitting there under light for a few years, which can affect the quality.
“Your bet is to choose more recent releases which are made to be enjoyed immediately. “These are likely to be fresher, brighter and more vibrant young wines.”
The label will also give you a clue as to the winemaking style, Winsor says. If something is labelled as syrah, instead of shiraz, chances are it will have been in the old-world French-style. This lends itself to wines that are often lighter and smoother than new world styles, which tend to be more robust, bold and full-bodied.
The last thing to pay attention to, where possible, is the colour of the wine, especially when it comes to varieties like pinot noir.
“If it is a pale ruby colour, this suggests it is going to be a lighter style, whereas the deeper, more inky pinots tend to be more medium-bodied.”
We’ve spoken to the experts to get their tips for the best-value red wine under $15 from some of Victoria’s leading liquor retailers.
BEST VALUE WINES UNDER $15
ALDI
These are the top picks from the Aldi red wine cabinet from its Australian wine and champagne buying director Jason Bowyer.
EL TORO MACHO RESERVA 2013
Price: $6.99
A stunning blend of tempranillo, bobal, merlot and shiraz, with an attractive ripe fruit nose of plum and dark cherry coupled with hints of vanilla. Perfectly balanced with velvety tannins and great complexity, it is a crowd pleaser and matches brilliantly with duck breast, pasta, roasted meat or mild cheese. (Vintage 2011: 3 Stars — Winestate, March/April 2016)
COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES GRENACHE SYRAH MOURVEDRE
Price: $8.99
Rich and juicy Rhone ranger. A deep bright red colour with well-balanced fruit aromas of raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, and a hint of licorice and violet on a spicy background.
A selection of 50 per cent grenache, 25 per cent syrah (shiraz made in the French style) and 25 per cent mourvedre. The palate is both velvety and generous, with medium-bodied ripe tannins and floral traces. This wine can be enjoyed with roasted vegetables, barbecues, lamb chops or slow-cooked beef dishes.
A.C BYRNE & CO MARGARET RIVER CABERNET MERLOT 2016
Price: $9.99
The famous maritime climate of Margaret River is an ideal location for cabernet sauvignon and merlot. With its blackberry and plum notes and a fine savoury finish, this Margaret River Cabernet Merlot is a perfect match to any pasta main or roast. (Vintage 2013: Best Value Buy — Winestate, Annual Edition 2016)
TUDOR YARRA VALLEY PINOT NOIR
Price: $12.99
A delicious Yarra Valley pinot noir. Fragrant and perfumed with raspberries, Silvan berries and forest fruits. Complex and fruit driven with a touch of spice and good fruit intensity and pinot charm.
ONE ROAD SOUTH AUSTRALIA & HEATHCOTE SHIRAZ
Price: $6.99
This is Aldi’s award-winning and famed One Road South Australia & Heathcote Shiraz. The medium bodied red is clean and fruit driven with no sign of wood. The aromas of plum and spice continue on the palate, with ripe and powdery tannins to finish. A well balanced Shiraz that is exceptional value for money.
BWS
In Australia, BWS wine category manager James Maltman says, we are seeing a growing shift in trend in red away from big, bold wines to more light and approachable styles, such as pinot noir, malbec, tempranillo and grenache. This is not only because they are a much better match to our climate, but because the quality of fruit coming through in these lighter wines is truly sensational. Here are some of his top picks.
FRONTERA CHILEAN PINOT NOIR
Price: $9
Softer and more fruit-driven than some of our Australian styles, this Chilean beauty is the definition of easy drinking and, for under $10, it’s an absolute bargain.
MARQUÉS DE RISCAL PRÓXIMO RIOJA
Price: $11
This Spanish tempranillo is light and fresh and a perfect match for your evening tapas. But if eating 20 overpriced miniature dishes doesn’t take your fancy, don’t worry — it’s great on its own too.
COLONEL AND THE MERCHANT BAROSSA SHIRAZ
Price: $10
If you just can’t keep away from a big bold red, then I think this is the best value Barossa shiraz on offer. Classic rich and bright Barossa fruit, with just the right balance of tannin and oak. Amazing value for just $10.
DAN MURPHY’S
Head of the wine panel for Dan Murphy’s, Peter Nixon, says freshness is bigger than it’s ever been, with more people opting for wines that are lighter and more crisp. These are his best-value buys.
ARROGANT FROG PINOT NOIR
$9.99 per bottle
This is possibly the best under-$20 pinot noir on the planet. Drink it with pan-fried chicken with mushroom, thyme and cream sauce.
Z WINES RUSTICA GRENACHE
$14.99 per bottle
Perfumed and lovely with raspberry and white pepper galore. Drink it with crispy pork with ginger and shallot noodles.
RED KNOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON
$14.99 per bottle
Possibly the most awarded Australian cabernet under-$20 available. Drink it with good old fashioned beef sausages and onion jam.
RABO DE GALO TINTO
$12.99 per bottle
Portugal is so hot right now, and here’s why — so rich, so plush. Drink it with southern US-style smoky BBQ ribs.
VINTAGE CELLARS
Jusden Aumand, wine sourcing manager and leader of Coles’ quality testing panel, shares his top picks of the red wine bunch from Vintage Cellars, First Choice Liquor Market and Liquorland.
ENCLAVE DES PAPES COTES DU RHONE
Price: $14.99
Classic yet approachable CDR. Syrah dominant, there is enough structure to serve with a variety of fares. You get a lot of value here.
PABLO & PEDRO TEMPRANILLO
Price: $12.00
Enjoy this juicy red tempranillo with tapas style dishes or wood fired pizza. Delicious aromas of red fruits, blackberries and a touch of spice. Followed by mouth-watering flavours of strawberries, vanilla, subtle oak and ripe tannins.
THE FABULIST CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Price: $12
The wine exhibits deep violet and purple hues. Ripe plum, blackcurrant and black cherry notes, with layers of chocolate, licorice and subtle herbal notes. A full bodied cabernet sauvignon, with intense dark fruit, generous weight & exceptional length.
FIRST CHOICE LIQUOR MARKET
CASA SANTOS LIMA QUINTA DE BONS VENTOS
Price: $11.99
One of the best-value wines in the country. This wine drinks well beyond it price. Blending indigenous Portuguese varieties to create an aromatic blend of ripe red fruits and licorice, with a peppery finish. The perfect dry red to have at the ready for winter barbecues. Awards: Sydney International Wine Competition — Blue Gold, 2015 Vintage
PENOLA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Price: $15
Coonawarra cabernet for weeknight drinking that won’t break the bank. Loads of dark fruits, a decent dollop of spicy oak and pretty impressive length and character here. It’s medium bodied and finishes with nice some tannic grip.
THE TUTOR 570 VINES BAROSSA SHIRAZ
Price: $14
This delicious shiraz is full of ripe cherry and sweet spice flavours underpinned by hints of mocha and vanilla. Delicious with a great BBQ steak. Awarded a gold medal at the Sydney International Wine Competition 2017.
LIQUORLAND
CURIOUS KIWI PINOT NOIR
Price: $14.99
Fresh and light with attractive bright red fruits and a firm, focused finish embraced with a kiss of oak.
FURO RIOJA
Price: $14.99
Great balance of structure supporting classic red and black fruit notes. The label is an eye-catcher. Share with friends with finger foods.
THE FABULIST MALBEC
Price: $12
Inky violet in colour with aromas of sweet plum, blue fruits, and florals. A full bodied malbec with generous dark fruit flavours complemented by velvety soft tannins, which also give the wine great structure and length.
CASA SANTOS LIMA QUINTA DAS SETENCOSTAS
Price: $14.99
A sommelier’s dream. Such a versatile, unique wine. Selections Mondial des Vins Gold Medal 2016 — 2013 Vintage.
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