10 BEST REDS $20 or under

2017 DEEP WOODS ‘HARMONY’ ROSÉ $15

Margaret River hasn’t been known for its rosé before now but Deep Woods is making a bit of a specialty of it and doing well on the show circuit. This delightful quaffer – a blend of shiraz and tempranillo – is delicate, fresh and vibrant with good intensity and a soft, dryish finish.

2016 CALABRIA PRIVATE BIN NERO D’AVOLA $15

The Calabria family’s Private Bin range offers quality Italian varietals grown in the Riverina at budget prices. The Nero d’Avola is made to be drunk young but has the depth and backbone for some aging. It is deeply concentrated with black cherry and blackberry flavours and has a wonderfully smooth texture.

2016 BROWN BROTHERS ‘1889’ TEMPRANILLO $18.30

Tempranillo has been arguably the most successful new variety in Australia, adapting well to local conditions. This Victorian red is sourced from Brown Brothers vineyards in the King Valley and Heathcote. It shows bright, intense, ripe plum aromas, is medium-bodied with seductive fleshy texture, rich, concentrated blackcurrant and bramble flavours and gentle fine tannins.

2015 HESKETH ‘MEZZO’ SHIRAZ $19

Winemaker Phil Lehmann and his team have championed less wellknown areas of South Australia with this label. The public benefits with modestly priced quality reds. This single vineyard shiraz is amazingly smooth and fleshy with vibrant mulberry and blackberry flavours and a long, dry gentle grip.

2015 PITCHFORK SHIRAZ $15

The second label of Margaret River’s Hay Shed Hill has produced an impressive medium-bodied shiraz that has ripe, gentle flavours of good concentration. There’s supple fleshy texture, blackberry and redcurrant flavours on an easy drinking quaffer.

2014 DE BORTOLI ‘DEEN’ VAT 8 SHIRAZ $13

A silver medal at the Sydney Show is a significant achievement for a wine at this price. It has vibrant aromatics, is supple, round and fleshy with good depth and power, and has impressive concentrations of blackberry and dark plum flavours.

2015 D’ARENBERG ‘THE FOOTBOLT’ SHIRAZ $18

With so many wines in their portfolio, Chester Osborn and his band must have some terrific quaffers. And they do! Here’s a McLaren Vale shiraz to please those who like dense, bold, powerful reds. It also has incredibly intense black fruit flavours and a pleasing, grippy finish.

2016 RED KNOT ‘CLASSIFIED’ SHIRAZ $19

McLaren Vale’s Shingleback has an impressive range of budgetpriced reds. This is sourced from the Davey family’s home vineyard and is the most expensive of them. It does have a touch of class. There’s intense mulberry and dark plum flavours, power and silky smooth texture.

2016 SANDALFORD ‘WINEMAKERS’ CAB MERLOT $15

Here’s another string to the bow of Sandalford’s winemaker, Hope Metcalf: an excellent quaffing red. There are intense, bright, vibrant aromas of satsuma plums and redcurrant and cassis flavours that are exuberant and pleasing. It’s medium-bodied and velvety smooth.

2015 ‘EMBERS’ CABERNET SAUVIGNON $20

Flametree’s winemaker, Cliff Royle, has a deft touch. This regional cabernet is fresh and medium-bodied, with ripe brambles, blackcurrant and red cherry flavours that are soft and gluggable. There’s a depth and an immediacy that satisfies.