Green wines that taste better from RedHeads, Tyrrells, Tahbilk, d’Arenberg, Howard Park and Sevenhill

Sustainability isn’t exactly a new fad in Australian winemaking, but these beautiful reds prove that wine can taste better while also being healthier for our environment.

How green is my wine? Here is a selection to get you on the sustainable path.

Does green wine taste better?

Sustainability isn’t exactly a new fad in Australian winemaking. Grape growers have been conscious for decades that the long-term health of their vines and soil is essential to their own futures.

But more winemakers now are striving for sustainability, from their vineyards right through their wineries. And when you sit back with a glass of wine grown in an organic vineyard and crafted with old-fashioned, minimal techniques, I’d say, yes, it does taste better.

So this week The Australian Wine Club brings you a line-up of highly drinkable red wines that are not only full of class but crafted with an eye to our long-term future.

It’s no surprise that some of the wines featured are made by some of the most respected families in Australian wine, who have been caring for the same vines for generations and generations.

We’re also showcasing innovative new wineries such as RedHeads in the Barossa, which has put a green lens across its whole business.

“We find our customers are taking a much bigger interest in how their wines are made and caring very much about organic and sustainable practices,’’ RedHeads chief winemaker Alex Trescowthick says.

Founded in McLaren Vale in a restaurant in 2002, RedHeads started designing a custom-built winery in the Barossa in 2017 and engaged Australia’s Environmental Protection Agency from the beginning.

The new winery and cellar door runs on solar and battery power and the business is aiming to become 100 per cent sustainable and self-sufficient.

The operation collects and re-uses as much wastewater and rainfall as possible, sharing it back around the vineyard and helping to save about 2.7 million litres a year.

To reduce water usage in the vineyard, old irrigation pipes were dug up and replaced with a new system, complete with soil probes to measure temperature and moisture levels.

The Redheads team also tried to source locally to reduce their carbon footprint, choosing Australian-made steel and wine tanks made in the Barossa. “Repairs to the existing cottage, built around 1888, were made with clay dug up on site,’’ Alex said.

The attention to detail is paying off: RedHeads’ winery received its organic certification from the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia this year and has won a host of awards for environmental excellence and water management.

You’ll love the fresh vibrant flavours of these wines, while cheering on our future-conscious winemaking friends.

RedHeads Blue Belle Tempranillo 2019

Leave this for 20 minutes to open up and you’ll be splashed with a wave of rich cherry and blackberry aromas. A big, plush, soft palate follows, with ripe dark fruits, spice and hints of soft tobacco; kept in check with a nice burst of natural acid. 30 months in oak. A meal by itself but a chorizo and tomato stew would keep company. 16% alc; RRP $36 a bottle.

SPECIALS $26.99 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 in sustainable dozen deal

Howard Park Miamup Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Classic Margaret River cabernet. Helmed by Jeff and Amy Burch, the Howard Park team is guided by the Australian Standard for Organic Agriculture and influenced by biodynamic practitioners in Burgundy. Their aim: to leave the land in a more sustainable state for future generations. They also produce absolutely world-class cabernet. 93 points from James Halliday. Amazing value. 14% alc; RRP $28 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.99 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 in sustainable dozen deal

Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

The Purbrick family, custodians of Victoria’s oldest family-owned winery, are pioneers when it comes to sustainability, achieving carbon neutral status 10 years ago. Mulberries and mint play together on the nose, with distinctive cassis, dark plums and Asian five spice flavours woven together on the palate. Lighter palate weight, with a long balanced finish. 14% alc; RRP $23.95 a bottle

SPECIALS $20.36 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 in sustainable dozen deal

d’Arenberg The Thunderstep Shiraz McLaren Vale 2018

d’Arenberg’s award-winning winemaker Chester Osborn aims to “make the loudest, most aromatic, fruit-flavoured wines” – with a vigilant eye on sustainability. All d’Arenberg vineyards are NASAA Certified for organic and biodynamic processes. The Thunderstep delivers a harmony of red berry fruit, olive and bay leaf aromatics, leading to blackberries and blueberry flavours, dark chocolate, licorice and a spicy finish. Dark, elegant and multi-layered. 14.5% alc; RRP $40 a bottle.

SPECIALS $34 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 in sustainable dozen deal

Sevenhill Cellars Estate Grown Indigo Clare Valley Shiraz 2018

From Clare’s oldest winery comes this stylish shiraz from the outstanding 2018 vintage. Blackberries, plums and prune aromatics flow to a velvety palate of dark fruits, chocolate and a touch as sarsaparilla. Vineyard manager Craig Richards is a disciple of sustainable farming principles that have low environmental impact and enhance the natural balance of the soil. 14.5% alc; RRP $28 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.99 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 in sustainable dozen deal

Tyrrell’s Blacksmith’s Hut Heathcote Shiraz 2020

 

Tyrrell’s delivers a classic Heathcote shiraz, blending dark fruit flavours with cool climate white pepper notes, smoky paprika and dried herbs. Give it a good hour in a decanter to unwind. The Tyrrell family have been following international standards for environmental management since 2009 but this fact alone says plenty: almost 40 per cent of Tyrrell’s vines are more than 50 years old and are still producing high-quality grapes. 14% alc; RRP $40 a bottle.

SPECIALS $19.99 a bottle in any dozen; $20.83 in sustainable dozen deal

SPECIAL DOZEN DEAL Two bottles of each wine for $20.83 a dozen

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine.