20 reds under $25

Finally, some roses and pinot noirs are giving shiraz and cabernet sauvignon a run in the affordable bracket.

 

For the Top 100 list I use a 100-point scoring system: here’s how it works:

97-99: Exceptional. Wines that have won major trophies in important wine shows, or are of that standard.

95-96: Outstanding. Wines of gold medal standard, usually with a great pedigree.

94: Wines on the cusp of gold medal status, virtually indistinguishable from those receiving 95 points.

90-93: Highly recommended. Wines of great quality, style and character, and worthy of a place in any cellar.

89: Recommended. Wines on the cusp of silver medal standard, the difference purely a judgment call.

86-88: Wines of bronze medal standard: well produced, flavoursome, usually not requiring cellaring.

ROSE

Medhurst Yarra Valley Rosé 2016

Estate-grown, whole bunch-pressed cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. The intensity of its red fruit flavours was rewarded with a gold medal at this year’s Yarra Valley Wine Show. Its length, balance and juicy mouthfeel are given an all-important degree of spicy/savoury complexity.

95 points, $25

screwcap, 13% alc

drink to 2017

medhurstwines.com.au

PINOT NOIR

Mike Press Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2015

From a single estate, the wine matured in French oak. Has retained its primary crimson hue to an impressive degree; red and black cherry fruit are the flavour drivers, steering provided by some earthy/foresty varietal characters on the long palate. Is there nothing Mike Press can’t do?

90 points, $16

screwcap, 13.8% alc

drink to 2017

mikepresswines.com.au

Riposte The Dagger Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2016

Light but bright crimson hue; a surprise packet with an indecent amount of complex varietal fruits. Cherry and plum engage in a duel to establish primacy, the referee coming in with spicy/ savoury tannins to give context to the contest – which ultimately remains unresolved.

94 points, $20

screwcap, 13.5% alc

drink to 2025

timknappstein.com.au

Hoddles Creek Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2015

The perfumed bouquet of red berries and plums in this pinot sets the scene for the perfectly balanced and very long palate, with a contrast between its juicy fruits and finegrained tannins. It’s a ridiculous bargain, too.

96 points, $20

screwcap, 13.2% alc

drink to 2025

hoddlescreekestate.com.au

SHIRAZ AND BLENDS

Wills Domain Margaret River Shiraz 2015

Bright crimson purple; this is the entry-level wine for Wills Domain, but you’d never know it given the lively, fresh suite of aromas and flavours that jump out at you, ranging through spice, black pepper and wild berry before arriving at the savoury/cedary finish.

92 points, $17

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2023

willsdomain.com.au

West Cape Howe Shiraz 2015

Draws on fruit grown across the cool regions in the south of WA, but beyond just the Great Southern. Good hue and depth; it even-handedly ticks all the fruit, tannin and oak boxes for a $20+ wine, let alone $17. Its balance is impeccable; great value now or in 10 years’ time.

92 points, $17

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2025

westcapehowewines.com.au

De Bortoli La Bohème Act Four Yarra Valley Syrah Gamay 2016

Syrah and whole bunch fermentation are the major players in this skilful blend from the De Bortoli winemaking team. It has vibrant red fruits and a profusion of spicy/pepper notes joining hands with fine, savoury whole-bunch tannins.

93 points, $20

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2020

debortoliyarra.com.au

Head Red Barossa Valley Shiraz 2015

The back label puts it succinctly: “This is the best value blend of Barossa Valley shiraz I can make each year”. The bouquet is superfragrant, the palate vibrant and fresh, the flavours circling red and black fruits, multi-spices, a touch of black licorice, and the tannins judged to perfection.

95 points, $24.95

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2025

headwines.com.au

Wirra Wirra Catapult McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015

This shiraz is from the big boys’ school, armed to the teeth with black fruits, bitter chocolate and tannins, lined up with military precision. It is medium to full-bodied, and a dead-set red for prolonged cellaring, its balance ensuring it’ll hit the target far into the future.

95 points, $24.95

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2035

wirrawirra.com

Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Syrah 2015

Matured in French oak, this wine gets your attention from the first whiff. The black fruits have special texture and structure, demanding you take the next mouthful before you have finished the first. The tannins add to both flavour (spicy) and texture (fine, persistent).

95 points, $25

screwcap, 13.8% alc

drink to 2030

innocentbystander.com.au

A.T. Richardson Chockstone Grampians Shiraz 2014

Shiraz from Victoria’s Grampians region at its autocratic best. The colour is superb, the bouquet very complex, built around the surging black fruits, earth and licorice of the full-bodied palate, which gains yet more depth from the ripe, persistent tannins.

97 points, $25

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2050

atrichardsonwines.com

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & BLENDS

Warner Glen Estate Frog Belly Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Night-harvested, this WA wine is a heist on a grand scale, true to variety with its luscious blackcurrant fruit balanced by bay leaf and firm, savoury tannins. Moreover, it has a real cellaring future. First class seat at discount economy price.

92 points, $12.50

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2029

warnerglenwines.com.au

West Cape Howe Cabernet Merlot 2014

An 80%, 20% blend from Western Australia. The colour is excellent; black and redcurrant, bay leaf and black olive hop into bed with each other and snuggle under the covers, the French oak and tannins left to their own devices. The value beggars belief.

94 points, $17

screwcap, 14.5% alc

drink to 2025

westcapehowewines.com.au

Houghton The Bandit Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Reflects Houghton’s vast experience with Frankland River cabernet. It’s no surprise to find cassis, blackcurrant and blackberry woven together with cedary oak and ripe, persistent tannins. What is surprising is the age and price of the wine.

94 points, $20

screwcap, 13.5% alc

drink to 2027

houghton-wines.com.au

Dominique Portet Fontaine Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Strikingly clear colour. The purity of this wine is evident right from the bouquet through the palate and on to the aftertaste; flavour, texture and structure are indivisible. Small wonder it won a gold medal at the Yarra Valley Wine Show ’16.

95 points, $22

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2030

dominiqueportet.com

Higher Plane Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2014

Estate-grown, with small batch fermentation, this blend has a generously built palate with luscious cassis to the fore, cleverly supported by cedary oak and ripe tannins on the finish. It’s impossible not to like a wine such as this.

95 points, $25

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2029

higherplanewines.com.au

McHenry Hohnen Rocky Road Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2014

A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 5% each of malbec and shiraz, wild fermented in a stone vat. Its palate is replete with blackcurrant, redcurrant, black olive and bay leaf within a mesh of fine-grained tannins.

95 points, $25

screwcap, 14.5% alc

drink to 2029

mchenryhohnen.com.au

OTHER REDS & BLENDS

Pfeiffer Rutherglen Gamay 2015

Beaujolais gamay was the model for this wine from Victoria. Its complex, labour-intensive method involved multi-step carbonic fermentation; it is singularly well made, full of red cherry fruits, yet remains so light on its feet, with the acidity sweet and tantalising. Something special.

95 points, $18

screwcap, 13.5% alc

drink to 2020

pfeifferwines.com.au

Pepper Tree Wrattonbully Merlot 2014

While this South Australian wine is only medium-bodied, it has life and lift that immediately grab attention, allied with a seductive mix of red and blackcurrant fruit, oak, spice and dried bay leaf. Even the tannins are warm and inviting, the finish pleasing. A surprise packet.

94 points, $19

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2024

peppertreewines.com.au

Hewitson Miss Harry Barossa Valley Harriet’s Blend 2014

A blend of grenache, shiraz, mourvedre, carignan and cinsault, this is flush with gloriously juicy red, blue and purple fruits, the components picked with unerring accuracy. Hewitson weaves some of the magic of the Rhône Valley’s iconic Chateau Rayas, the ultimate compliment.

96 points, $25

screwcap, 14% alc

drink to 2024

hewitson.com.au

278 wines submitted

Lifting the price barrier to $25 had the desired effect, although the overall unequal split between reds and whites still meant that competition was fierce in each of the red wine sections. Shiraz demanded attention both under and over $25, but I somehow came up with a wider varietal representation than usual, and consequentially threw the geographical net far and wide. The run of good vintages also helped.

The best of the rest

Turkey Flat Barossa Valley Rose 2016 95, $20

Hoddles Creek Estate Wickhams Road Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2015 93, $18

St Huberts Hubert the Stag Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2015 95, $24

Chapel Hill The Parson McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015 92, $18

Larry Cherubino Ad Hoc Middle of Everywhere Frankland River Shiraz 2015 95, $21

Teusner Wark Family Shiraz 2015 95, $24

Rosemount Estate Little Berry McLaren Vale Shiraz 2014 95, $25

Singlefile Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2014 95, $25

Best’s Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 95, $25

Balnaves of Coonawarra The Blend 2014, 94 points, $22