On a cold winter’s night, important decisions must be made. Which red to open: the shiraz from the seventh-generation winemaker, an ethereal pinot noir, renaissance cab sav, or upstart Spanish varietal? Our experts select 20 of the best.
Shiraz
Sally Gudgeon is a freelance writer who specialises in wine and spirits. She is a regular contributor to Qantas The Australian Way and other food-and-wine and travel titles.
“It’s thanks to shiraz that we have the remarkable Northern Rhône wines such as Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and Cornas, and those Australian greats: Penfolds Bin 95 Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace.”
Cono Sur 2007 Syrah $9
Founded in 1993, Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery is in the Colchagua Valley in Chile. In 2007, Cono Sur became the first winery in the world to obtain carbon-neutral status. Exclusive to Vintage Cellars, this is a fabulous wine with bright fruit flavours and a sinuous palate line with a fresh, savoury finish.
Paradise IV 2007 Dardel Shiraz $40
Paradise is a historic vineyard in Geelong that was first planted in 1848. Post-phylloxera, it was re-established in 1988. Winemaker Doug Neal has made an exemplary cool-climate shiraz with aromas of rose petals, rosemary and Sichuan pepper. The palate is supple and silky, with fine tannins and perfect poise.
Tulloch 2006 Pokolbin Dry Red Shiraz $25
This classic wine epitomises Hunter Valley shiraz. The fruit was sourced from some of the region’s oldest vineyards and the result is a wine of enormous pedigree. It’s earthy, elegant, complex and savoury, with finely tuned acid and tannins. It says “Dry Red” on the label and that’s exactly what it is.
Hardys 2006 HRB D637 Shiraz $40
An impressive multi-regional blend made with fruit sourced from the Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills. It’s concentrated and complex on the nose, with aromas of black plums, blueberries, tar, black pepper and liquorice. In the mouth it’s rich and juicy, with vibrant fruit flavours. The plush texture and long length make it a very exciting wine.
Salomon Estate 2001 Alttus $100
Not content with his reputation for making white wine at his family estate in Austria (Salomon Undhof), seventh-generation winemaker Bert Salomon decided to turn his hand to Aussie reds. He founded Salomon Estate in Finniss River, Fleurieu Peninsula, in 1995 and is making ripples there, too. The Alttus is made only from exceptional vintages and when you taste it you will appreciate why. It’s concentrated, intense and ripples with seductive fruit. Quite simply, a gorgeous wine.
Pinot Noir
Peter Forrestal writes the annual wine guide Quaff and updates quaff.com.au weekly. He is chairman of judges for Gourmet Traveller Wine’s Winemaker of the Year awards and in March he was named Wine Communicator of the Year.
“No grape makes better wine than pinot noir. At its best, pinot has an ethereal fragrance and an intensity and depth of flavour that belie its relatively light body and sublime, satiny texture. It can captivate and enthral. Nobody does pinot better than the winemakers in its spiritual home of Burgundy, but vignerons in New Zealand and Australia strive to narrow the gap.”
Logan 2008 Weemala Pinot Noir $15
Sourced from two contracted vineyards in Orange, from a tricky but superb vintage for the region. This has a lightness of touch and is bright and admirably varietal, with intense raspberry, brambly flavours, a velvety texture and a lingering, spicy, savoury aftertaste.
Bream Creek 2007 Pinot Noir $27
Tasmanian pinot is looking better than ever – and Bream Creek is one of this state’s superstars. The newly released 2007 is somewhat unevolved, yet showing excellent varietal character: gently aromatic with redcurrant and red cherry flavours, silky-smooth texture, balance and finesse.
Nepenthe 2005 The Good Doctor Pinot Noir $38
A fabulously varietal Adelaide Hills pinot: riotously fragrant, balancing dark cherry and briary characters with complex, funky, savoury flavours, velvety texture and a lingering finish.
Dog Point 2007 Pinot Noir $40
Sublime: youthful Marlborough pinot at its best. Captivating ethereal fragrances entice you into an explosion of pristine raspberry, brambly flavours that are at once primal, complex and intriguing. The balance, varietal purity and refined power are the essence of pinot.
Ten Minutes By Tractor 2007 Pinot Noir $60
Like other Mornington pinots, this fastidious producer shows dramatic improvement. This selection of best barrels is seductively fragrant, fine, delicate and complex, with intense strawberry and redcurrant flavours, fleshy texture and an impeccably balanced finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Nick Stock is the author of The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide and a freelance wine writer, educator and broadcaster. He was named World’s Best Drink Journalist in 2007 and has been Australian Sommelier of the Year twice.
“From odds-on favourite to dark horse and now back in the money, cabernet is returning to form and favour in Australia. Winemakers are building elegance, charm and balance amid its trademark sturdy tannin structure, working harder than ever in the vineyard and the winery to deliver concentration and that undeniable stamp of cabernet class.”
Balnaves 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $35
From a frost-ravaged season comes a pristine cabernet offering mint, chocolate, gentle floral lift, cedary oak, purple olive and blackcurrant. Plenty of weight and drive, really focused and direct, delivering fine tannins and a wash of stylish oak to close.
Lenton brae 2007 Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon $45
The estate’s oldest cabernet vines deliver a smart nose with plenty of chocolate, ripe, dark berry fruit and regional Margaret River roasting herbs. Impressive tannin shape, fine and dense, it rolls across the palate with convincing drive. Swanky oak seals the finish – this will cellar nicely.
Penley Estate 2007 Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon $20
Trademark Coonawarra cassis, mint and a gentle lick of background oak. Supple, sweet palate with decent depth and a gentle grab of tannin through the finish.
Knappstein 2006 Cabernet Merlot $20
A double trophy-winner at last year’s Clare Valley Regional Wine Show. Abundant dark berry fruits, coffee, chocolate and earthy aromas that really impress. The palate knits flavour into place with fine furry tannins, quite rich, yet neatly balanced.
Cape Mentelle 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon $85
One of the guardians of quality Margaret River cabernet. Plenty of leaves, roasting herbs and cassis fruit here. Striking purity on the palate, more cassis and finely balanced tannins, a gentle push of oak through the finish, long and elegant.
Other reds
Toni Paterson is a trained winemaker, Master of Wine and wine show judge. She is a recipient of the Madame Lily Bollinger Medal for excellence in wine-tasting and is the author of three books on wine.
“I hope you will enjoy the balance and flavour intensity of these sensational wines – particularly the merlot and malbec. The Spanish variety tempranillo adds spice and fragrance to blends. However, like many of the new red varieties in Australia, more time is needed before they truly shine as straight varietals.”
David Hook 2006 The Gorge Barbera $25
The northern Italian variety, barbera, is shining brightly in the hands of David Hook. The grapes have been sourced from the Hunter Valley and Orange, creating a wine with fabulous flavour intensity and a fleshy mid-palate. There is a good balance between the ripe fruit flavours and the gentle drying finish.
Hay Shed Hill 2007 Shiraz Tempranillo $25
A playful, bright, lip-smacking wine. The nose is heady, with gorgeous aromatics of spice, raspberry and tamarillo. The palate, with its vibrant berry fruits and savoury nuances, is underpinned by a complex tannin structure, making it a great accompaniment to food.
Ferngrove 2007 King Malbec $29
This malbec shows the heights the variety can reach when grown in the correct environment. The long, cool ripening period of the Frankland River gives rise to bright and concentrated blackberry characters. The palate is full and rounded and the sheer harmony of the wine is a testament to the highly skilled winemakers who crafted it.
Heggies Vineyard 2006 Merlot $26
From the Eden Valley high country comes this distinctive wine. The nose is spectacular, with its wafting berry aromatics. The palate is supple and soft and the red-berry flavours are pure and defined.
Houghton 2005 Crofters Cabernet Malbec $28
Malbec is a sensational addition to cabernet, giving flesh, perfume and depth. The acidity and oak are exceedingly well-integrated and the finish is fine and long. It is delicious, worthy of its multiple gold medals.
Source: Qantas The Australian Way June 2009