Best value wines

[catchnrelease]

There are probably a lot of people going over these forums who don't have the disposable income to spend as much money on wine as the rest of us and really need to make their purchases count, i.e. get bang for their buck.

I figured it'd be handy to get a quick list of everyone's "top value" wines, so probably around the $30-40 or less mark, unless you've got a real cracker that's worth the extra cash.

A few top picks from me:
- Wynns Black Label Cabernet from good vintages, especially when discounted to $25-30 by the chains.
- Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot
- 2014 O'Leary Walker Riesling
- 2013 Fraser Gallop Cab Merlot
- 2012 Angove Long Row Cab Sauv (if you find an old bottle, best $8 you'll ever spend!)

Any more?

[Hunter]

Dutschke st jakobi
Mount langi cliff edge
Charles cimicky the signature
plantagenet shiraz
Keyneton euphonium for couple xtra $. Especially the 12's
Marques De riscal Rioja baron de chirel riserva

[trufflequeen]

St Hallett Blackwell shiraz (the 2012)
St Michael's Vineyard Heathcote shiraz (mailing list or cellar door only - not sure what price is now, but was a steal at $25 a couple of years ago)
Pondalowie Bay Vineyard Blend
Balnaves The Blend

[Duncan Disorderly]

Just off the top of my head...

The De Bortoli Estate range are fantastic wines, with excellent cellaring potential, for $20. The 2013 De Bortoli Villages Pinot Noir is sensational drink now value for $17. The 2011 Blue Poles Allouran (cab franc/merlot) has just been released and can be had around the traps from $26-30 and will cellar comfortably for a decade. Hoddles Creek Pinot has been mentioned and is good value, but in my opinion for $20 the estate chardonnay is a great buy (the beautiful 2010's are still to young). As C'n'R said one could do a lot worse than stocking up on the 2013 Wynn's Black Label Cab Sauv for the $25 it's on offer for now.

The other option for excellent value is the auction room, but once there it can be a slippery slope.

[simon1980]

Hodddles Creek (Chardy and Pinot)
Langi Cliff Edge Shiraz
Head Red Shiraz
Almost any Riesling (the OLW noted above is a good call...especially Polish River Hill)

[Cactus]

Chalambar Shiraz - cellars really well and can be had for $15-20
Almost any Riesling - but my go to is Petaluma Hanlin Hill $20-24
Mt Pleasant Elizabeth Semillion - $15-20
Grant Burge Filsil Shiraz -$25
Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay - $28
Wynns Black Label Cab (if on sale) - $25
St Hallett Blackwell - can get it for $30, my favourtie of the above - that 2012 is just sensational.
Majella $32 or Leconfield Cab Sav (i got it for $18 on a deal)

[Ozzie W]

Anything made by S.C. Pannell. All available for $25-$30.

And for the ultimate QPR wine, anything made by Mike Press. Around $12-$15.

[deejay81]

Mount Pleasant Elizabeth (already mentioned before)
Turkey Flat Butchers Butchers Block Red
Gomersal Shiraz (Reserve and their standard)
Metala White Label
Taittinger NV - gets reduced to $35 sometimes, and I stocked up
d'Arenberg Footbolt
Pikes Traditionale Riesling

[sparky]

No surprises that these are all from the funship playlist so make of that what you will but these are my go-tos that don't usually make it from cartons in the hall way to the 'cellar'

Abel's Tempest Chardonnay
Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz
Seppelt Jaluka Chardonnay
Metala White Label
Mildara Cabernet
Wynns Riesling
Wolf Blass Gold Label Fizz

[Scotty vino]

Any clare valley cleanskin rieslings.
I've picked up some cases of crabtree and tim gramp cleanies for around the 10 dollar mark on a number of occasions.
QPR thru the roof IMO.

[Scotty vino]

and Wilsons Watervale Riesling. $19 a bottle. Absolute winner.

[bigtinnie]

This is right up my alley.

2012 Metala cab/shiraz - can't get much better value at $13. Stoneyfell cab/shiraz is similar at about the same price.
2012 Yalumba Signature is quality at $37 and should be fantastic in 10 years.
2012 Wynns Black Label is a bargain at $25.
Forester Estate MR Cab is a great example of the region and only $25.
2010 Murray St Vinyards Shiraz and Kay Brothers Hillside are favourite Barossa numbers under $30.

[Rossco]

Tahbilk Cab Sav, Shiraz & Marsanne
Majella Muscian
Metala While Label
Mt Langi Cliff Edge
Vasse Felix Fillus Chardonnay
Hoddles Creek
Gomersal Shiraz
Granite Hills Riesling
Turkey Flat Rose
Wirra Wirra Church Block

[Thommo]

Well, since nobody has mentioned Mike Press yet...

Mike Press.

<edit>
well Mr Press was mentioned already, but still, nonetheless...


Mike Press.
</edit>

[catchnrelease]

Well, since nobody has mentioned Mike Press yet...

Mike Press.

And for the ultimate QPR wine, anything made by Mike Press. Around $12-$15.

[alexc92]

Some of my go to cheapies:

Teusner Riebke
Mike Press Shiraz/Cab and Pinot
Metala White Label
Sons of Eden Kennedy/Marschall
Head RED
Best's Bin No. 1
Moppity Lock and Key

[Andrew Jordan]

SUB $20
Seppelt Chalambar
Seppelt OSS
Tahbilk Marsanne
Teusner Riebke Shiraz
Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon

$20-$30
All Noon releases
Woodlands Cabernet Merlot
Kalleske Merchant Cabernet
Dutschke Sami Cabernet
St Hugo Cabernet
Wynns BL Cabernet
Majella Cabernet
Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz

$30-$40
Yalambu Signature
Woodlands Margaret
Kalleske Greenock

[calm]

Gemtree Uncut
Hoddles Creek Pinot and Chard
Mike Press Cab
Marques de Riscal Rioja Riserva

[WAwineguy]

$20-$30
All Noon releases

Would you like to sell me some from your cellar?

Otherwise, where would you recommend I buy it from for that price if not on their mailing list?

[felixp]

90% of sub-$50 Bordeaux, even in Australia. Bargains galore there, and the stuff is still coming into the country.

[swirler]

Felix, that's rather a sweeping statement, even for you

[rens]

90% of sub-$50 Bordeaux, even in Australia. Bargains galore there, and the stuff is still coming into the country.

Felix, that's rather a sweeping statement, even for you

Names please. Every time I try one, I think I end up with a dud.

[via collins]

- Hoddles Creek - never tasted a bad wine, they've had such vintage fortune. And if $18 is too much, Wickham Rd the sub-label comes in at $14. Value so good your head spins.
-Tahbilk Marsanne at around $13/$14 - most vintages are very good fresh, and most age magnificently
- Head Red/Head Red GSM
- Blue Poles Allouran at $26 - as noted many places, equivalent of better than a lot of Bordeaux at significantly higher prices.
- Riesling, riesling, riesling.....
oh, MP pinots are out and about from 12/13/15 vintage, and looking absolutely amazing - many under $30.

[Tuttle]

Costco of all places have Pepperjack Shiraz for around $15 a bottle at the moment. One of my favourite cheaper wines.

Tuttle.

[felixp]

90% of sub-$50 Bordeaux, even in Australia. Bargains galore there, and the stuff is still coming into the country.

Felix, that's rather a sweeping statement, even for you

Names please. Every time I try one, I think I end up with a dud.

first of all, now is not the ideal time to be trying classified 2009 and 2010 Bordeaux. Most of the classified 2009's have closed down, and virtually all of the 2010's are seriously asleep. Luckily, many of the 09 lesser reds are still shining brightly. And it seems 2009's are still dribbling into the country, judging from the emails I get.
In 35+ years of drinking wine, 2009 lesser Bordeaux are my greatest-ever wine values. Some ridiculous bargains.
On release, 2009 Les Trois Croix was an incredible $25/bottle. I tasted and immediately purchased two cases, a decision I now seriously regret (I should have got 6) This wine is absolutely fabulous, I last saw it a few months ago, and it is perhaps even better than I had remembered. Stunning, serious 95pt wine.
Then there is the staggeringly good 2009 La Fleur de Bouard which could be had, on release, for sub $50 in Australia. Even RPJ went nuts over this wine in an Executive seminar in 2014, where it shone brightly and trounced several good classified growths... he thought it a 96pt wine, as do I. For buyers of Penfolds Bin 407, pick any vintage you want, and taste it along side the Fleur de Bouard.... it will be embarrassing.
There are many, many others, I particularly like Larose Perganson and Palmer's Alter Ego, but the best I can suggest is you have a look see and buy what you like. Lalande de Pomerol was particularly successful in 09. I would guesstimate I have seen close to 100 2009 Bordeaux, and only a handful have been complete duds, which would explain the 90% "sweeping" statement.
Whilst 2010 is my all-time favourite Bordeaux vintage (ahead of 2009, 1982, 2000 and 2005 in that order), that vintage does not bat as deeply as 09, and therefore there are much fewer bargains amongst the lesser wines.

[swirler]

Pah! Just about any wine would look good against 407, the worst value cabernet in Australia - a manufactured wine that lacks depth or charm and comes with an outrageous price tag.

[maybs]

Having cracked open an 04 Chalambar and an 05 Bin 1 this week I can definitely confirm my previous view they are great value wines that will take a bit of age. Nice stuff.

I also really like the woodlands can Merlot mentioned above. Good QPR.

Lots of other stuff too as mentioned above.

[Polymer]

that vintage does not bat as deeply as 09, and therefore there are much fewer bargains amongst the lesser wines.

While I don't always agree with your Bordeaux choices..I think you're spot on with that.

2009 extra ripeness really helped out some of the lesser wines...It is pretty damn good across the board...I don't think any of the big wines are of great value in 2009 but the lesser ones are quite good....No label chasers for these "lesser" wines, just drinkers...

[bigtinnie]

I forgot my favourite cheapie - Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz/Cab - a bargain at 20 bucks.

[swirler]

that vintage does not bat as deeply as 09, and therefore there are much fewer bargains amongst the lesser wines.

While I don't always agree with your Bordeaux choices..I think you're spot on with that.

2009 extra ripeness really helped out some of the lesser wines...It is pretty damn good across the board...I don't think any of the big wines are of great value in 2009 but the lesser ones are quite good....No label chasers for these "lesser" wines, just drinkers...

Does that mean you've tasted 2009 Haut Brion, Mouton, Petrus, Margaux, Cheval Blanc, etc and weren't impressed?