The Auswine Forum

These days the quality of wines in the $15-$20 bracket seems to me to be very good value - I haven't enough years left in my life to continue, nor can I afford to, try to collect 15-30 years+ wines. So I tend to look for reds in the around $15, sometimes around $18 brackets. Whites tend to be even better value, probably because my preference is for fresh young whites.

Some of the better wines I've tried recently that I've been able to get in the < $20 class, mostly current or recent releases that have been worthwhile and enjoyable drinking, in no particular order:

Heartland Cab & Shiraz 04
Houghton SSB and White Burgundy 05 (<$10)
Bleasdale Mulberry Tree Cab 01(?)
Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz 02
Saltram Pepperjack Shiraz 04
Stonehaven Hidden Sea Cab 01 & 02 (01 is better)
Stonehaven Hidden Sea Shiraz 01
Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz 02 (Cab's not bad either)
Evans & Tate Margaret River Classic 04
Seppelt Victorian Shiraz 03
Tahbilk Viognier & Roussanne 04
Wynns Chardonnay 04
Seppelt Original 01(?)

and others that were probably enjoyable at the time

daz

Don't care so much for D'Arenberg in general (bit generic) but their 2002 reds were good quaffers - specialled here at $14.95.

Footbolt Shiraz very noice. Good length. Drunk half my case already in 2 months.
High Trellis Cab-Sav very noice.
D'Arry's Original also.

Jay.

A price range that's very dear to my heart, too! Some reds that I've enjoyed recently (and that you haven't already mentioned):

• Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir (any year) $17
• Wolf Blass Heritage Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 $20
• Hewitson Miss Harry GSM $20-$21
• Magpie Estate The Schnell Shiraz Grenache 2003 $16
• Magpie Estate The Call Bag Grenache Mourvedre 2003 $20
• Peter Dennis McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003 $18
• Schild Estate Grenache Mourvedre Shiraz 2004 $17
• Taltarni Three Monks Cabernet Merlot 2003 $18
• Teusner The Riebke Shiraz 2004 $18
• Tait The Ball Buster Shiraz Cabernet Merlot 2003 $20
• Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz 2003, 2004 $19
• Kalleske Clarry's Barossa Red Grenache Shiraz 2004 $18
• Linfield Road Limited Release Merlot 2002 $20
• Mr Riggs The Gaffer Shiraz 2004 $20
• Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 $16

Prices are approximate. Some are available from Gavin, who is currently offering 10% off for case buys.

Cheers, Staybaker.

Daryl, we're singing from the same hymn book here. I am prepared to pay $20. for a good drink-now red but I resent paying more than $20. for a red to cellar as my strategy has always been to buy quality cheap and cellar it to get the result I am after. Choice is limited in my neck of the woods, as perhaps it is in yours, so I am constantly looking for something good under $20 with 6-10yrs potential.
I was interested in your list & wondered if you were cellaring any of these or mainly drinking them now. In the past I have tended to cellar a lot of Penfolds as they are generally good and repay the effort - Bin 389, Kalimna etc. but of course nobody wants to get in a rut with one Maker no matter how good they are. My target is a $15. Cab Sav or Shiraz that will improve for at least 6yrs.

I would have to add both the Saltram Mamre Brook labels as well for great value sub $20 wines. The 2004's have just been released and all reports are they are as good as or even better than the 2002 releases. I suggest buy a case of both the shiraz and the cabernet!

Andrew..Ive been keeping an eye out for these Saltrams but havent heard of the release as yet. I am only aware that a blend has been released so far in magnum exclusive to one retailer. Have the straight Shiraz's and Cabernet's now been released also?

I have read that Nigel Doolan's claims that they are superior to the 02 which if true will make the new Penfolds much worst value than they may already be.

my favourite sub $20 is Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz, this cellars well and can be found at times sub $15 . at this price buy as much as you can

Broughy wrote:my favourite sub $20 is Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz, this cellars well and can be found at times sub $15 . at this price buy as much as you can

I've had the 2004 std Seppelt Shiraz and it has the goods big time for the price. Waiting for the Challambar and of course St Peters from this Vintage.

platinum wrote:Andrew..Ive been keeping an eye out for these Saltrams but havent heard of the release as yet. I am only aware that a blend has been released so far in magnum exclusive to one retailer. Have the straight Shiraz's and Cabernet's now been released also?

I have read that Nigel Doolan's claims that they are superior to the 02 which if true will make the new Penfolds much worst value than they may already be.

Platinum,

Have seen them advertised at one retailer in particular here in Sydney. Haven't called though to confirm that they are the 2004's, but that's what they are advertising anyway!

The 2003 Stepping Stone Padthaway Shiraz is also a beauty and a real steal at the price - RRP $13 i understand...

Not sure if it'll last the six to 10 years underwraps and others were after, but i think it'd handle at least another three years... but drinking very beautifully now!

I must admit I haven't had a lot of experience with this wine - has anyone else got anything to add to the virtues of this fine drop?

cheers
max

platinum wrote: I've had the 2004 std Seppelt Shiraz and it has the goods big time for the price. Waiting for the Challambar and of course St Peters from this Vintage.

Agreed! A very nice wine for the price and oh-so-elegant.

There is a lot of quality Seppelt wine out at the moment! Being the cash-flushed newspaper writer that I'm not, I've been enjoying plenty of Seppelt Fleur De Lys, both the NV and the vintage. Just the thing for when the pay packet doesn't stretch to Salinger!

cheers
Max

One of my favourite quaffers is the Hardys 'Oomoo' McLaren Vale Shiraz. It is about $15 RRP, but it can be had for $11-$12 . The current release 2004 is excellent, with plush dark fruit. It is great to find a wine at this price with good regional character, and it could handle a couple of years in the cellar too.

Max wrote:The 2003 Stepping Stone Padthaway Shiraz is also a beauty and a real steal at the price - RRP $13 i understand...

Not sure if it'll last the six to 10 years underwraps and others were after, but i think it'd handle at least another three years... but drinking very beautifully now!

I must admit I haven't had a lot of experience with this wine - has anyone else got anything to add to the virtues of this fine drop?

cheers
max

Max, the barn has had Stepping Stone reds discounted to $10/btl fairly regularly and yes, I've had a few bottles of the 03 Shiraz but probably more of the 02 until it sold out - the 02 is a bit better. At $10 the Coonawarra cab. is a good quaffer though the 03 is better than the 02. The 03 cab.'s currently discounted to $9.95/sgl btl or $8.99/case. Stonehaven must be carrying a very large back-vintage inventory. I've seen the mid-level Hidden Sea range discounted about 20% a number of times as well as the Stepping Stone. The shiraz 01 was very nice. Went through at least a case of it for around, I think, $15-16/btl. That was from an e-tailer. Don't think the 02 HS cab. is as good as the 01. Don't recall tasting the HS shiraz 02 but on vintage reps it should be as good as the 01. Incidentally, I think the 01 vintage for reds to be a bit underrated in most SA. Comparing 98 and 99 is a bit like the comparing 01 to 02. The odd-numbered years produced some damned fine reds. The SS may last up to 10 yrs, more likely it'll peak at 5-7yrs and go downhill from there. The HS shiraz 01 is a definite 7+yr prospect. At $10/btl the SS is consumed on the day of purchase, in fact anything up to/around $15 here is in danger of imminent consumption, so my cellaring windows are based solely on my opinion of the structure of the wines as they present when I drink them.

Oh, and a plug for Gavin. The Heartland (Ben Glaetzer et al) duo of cab & shiraz 04 is good value for less than $20/btl but I think they're really meant to be drunk over the next few years. If they last here longer than another month or so they'll, that is the last two bottles each of 12 of each, be lucky - I need room in the wine cabinets. Did have a badly corked bottle of cab. though in the first dozen. So far no probs with the 2nd dozen. The Heartland wines are from Langhorne Creek/Limestone Coast.

Cheers

daz