Best Shiraz Under $25
From LoveToKnow Wine
Seductive Shiraz from Down Under
Attach the word, wine with the country of kangaroos, dingos, koalas, Ayer's Rock, platypuses, billabongs, aborigines, and Waltzing Matildas and everyone will say, "Shiraz". It's ubiquitous and synonymous with the country-continent of Australia. Not that Shiraz is the only Aussie grape varietal; Cabernet Sauvignon, Sèmillon, and Chardonnay are big players as well. However, Shiraz put Australia on the wine map and it permeates the wine shops in the four corners of the world. And in a sense, Shiraz has become a marketing brand for low-cost Australian wine worldwide, much to the chagrin of this country’s competitors. For some reason the Aussie marketing folks deduced that by putting some funky Aussie animal on the label that the wine will sell. And they weren't wrong, Kangaroos and Koalas will sell regardless what's inside. Sometimes the consequence of this branding push has been at the expense of any noticeable taste differentiation from one plummy Shiraz to the other. Still, when Shiraz is at its best, the wines can be elegant and jammy red wines with spice and velvet guile that can seduce and make one go weak in the knees.
Shiraz's Best Wine Regions
Australia has seven primary wine regions that are fairly broad geographically. Within these regions you then chisel down to specific regions and that’s when it gets interesting. Regional climate affects the character style of Shiraz, from cooler regions producing subdued and peppery wines to hotter spots creating muscular and ripe reds. Also, many wineries blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Viognier to change the nuance and style of Shiraz. Setting this aside, let’s just focus on the regions where Shiraz matters and stands apart from the hoi polloi. The two best regions to look for are Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Both are in the South Australia region and both produce Shiraz with the most complexity, Barossa Valley's Shiraz will likely be big and ripe thugs and McLaren Vale are big-bodied with tones of chocolate. Down a notch but still exemplary are South Australia's Coonawarra with its peppery Shiraz and New South Wale's Hunter Valley with its worthy Shiraz with smoke and leather characteristics.
A Shiraz List to Start
Consider this, finding a good bottle of Shiraz should be as easy as finding a nervous politician in Congress, they are plentiful and they are everywhere. However, there are some with a few more redeeming qualities than others. There are many that are easy quaffing reds in the $10-$15 range that will satisfy but the intrigue starts in the range from $15-$25. The following is a list of well distributed brands that are consistent in quality and taste. However, when shopping at a good wine retailer, don't hesitate to ask the in-house wine expert for their favorite non-Aussie animal Shiraz.
Aussies For Your Consideration
Shiraz, Footbolt, Laughing Magpie. $12-$20. So very Australian. d'Arenberg is in McLaren Vale and the winery takes on the usual Australian penchant for naming whimsy. The Footbolt is a straightforward and intense Shiraz from old vines that is a good value. The Laughing Magpie is blended with Viognier and the muscular Shiraz is tamed with a floral perfume and notes of stone fruit. This gives the wine a paradox of tough nose redness with softer finesse.
Shiraz, Barossa Valley. Price: $25. Elderton is a highly rated winery in the Barossa. Their Estate Shiraz from the Barossa Valley is an enticing red with an aromatic nose, concentrated plum and berry flavors, smoky with chocolate, and graceful finish. Built to last but ready-to-go. Consistently well-received.
Shiraz, Limestone Coast. Price: $15-$18. Norman's the name, golf is his game. But the Shark also loves wine and has put together an exceptional winery and team. His Limestone Coast Shiraz is a blend of Shiraz from the South Australia region, mostly from Padthaway and Coonawarra. They are consistently solid in structure with ripe plum-berry fruit and shows modest complexity. Norman's Shiraz drives fairly straight and true down the fairway with a slight draw that helps avoid traps.
Shiraz—Tintara, Nottage Hill, Stamps. Price: $10-$20. Hardys has been around for 150 years and are widely available around world. Many are good across the price range and are flavorful and easy drinking, showing standard Shiraz fruit, spice, chocolate, and supple tannins. Tintara is a McLaren Vale wine is the best bet, produced from top vineyards in the region and is big, juicy, and balanced and if available should be in the $15-$20 range.
- Marquis Philips
Shiraz, Vintage South Australia Price: $18. Marquis Philips is the original concoction of two Australian winemakers, Sarah and Sparky Marquis, and an American importer, Dan Philips. Together they sourced grapes from various regions of Southern Australia to produce delicious Shiraz and Shiraz blends that were exceptional, display deep fruit character, and well-integrated structure. Sarah's Blend with Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon is spicy, earthy, and harmonious. The original partnership has been dissolved but Marquis Philips continues with Dan at the helm, working with new partners, and so far the wines haven't missed a beat.
Shiraz, Hanwood Estate. Prices: $12. McWilliams is in New South Wales which is not known for Shiraz necessarily. However, they don't have any furry or jumping animals on their label and their Hanwood Estate Shiraz is an extremely good value for a ripe berry and spicy Shiraz at around $12. True, their label doesn't have the kid appeal with a Penguin or Kangaroo but as I recall, wine is for adults, not kids.
Shiraz, Bin 128 Coonawarra, Bin 28 Kalimna. Price: $16-$24. Sorry, no Grange at less than $25. Besides for the price of a Grange you can probably get a case of Penfolds' tasty and racy Bin 127 Coonawarra or Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz. Or, find the Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz that has the style of the Grange and is primarily a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from the Barossa Valley and South Australia. Penfolds has multiple product lines and the bin numbers keep going higher. The Thomas Hyland range offers good value while the Rawson's Retreat group is targeted at the affordable everyday wine drinking range. Some of the Rawson blends work but they often disappoint and are off taste target.
Shiraz, Barossa Range. Price: $18. Peter Lehmann sources the majority of his grapes from the best independent growers in the Barossa Valley and South Australia to make his wine. His wines are dark, delicious, and full of Shiraz style. There's also a Shiraz and Grenache blend that shows a Southern Rhône influence with brambly notes and softer texture.
Shiraz, Faith. Price: $22. St. Hallett is in the middle of Barossa Valley and their Shiraz showcases wines from this regions. Their Faith is lively with cherry fruit, spice, and a smooth finish with toasted oak.
Shiraz, Woodcutter's. Price: $20. Torbreck has a bunch of winners in its wine lineup. Their Woodcutter's is a great deal at $20 if you can find it. The 2003 shows fruit forward character and blankets the taste buds with plum and cherries, chocolate, allspice, and giddiness.
Shiraz, Barossa Shiraz-Viognier. Price: $18. Besides being fun to pronounce, South Australia's Yalumba has the distinction of being Australia's oldest family-owned winery for about 150 years. They have a lengthy list of product lines. The easiest to find is the "Y" series which are very good at the value-drinking range with vibrancy and character. However the Barossa line, especially the Shiraz-Viognier wine is a treat. This one throws you a curve with its floral nature layered on top of juicy dark cherry fruit aromas and flavors. Musky with spice, chocolate, and smooth tannins, this is a rich and polished Shiraz. Yalumba is independent and self-sufficient as well, they have their own nursery for growing rootstocks and cooperage for making their own barrels.
Shiraz, Coonawarra. Price: $14. Wynns dominates the Coonawarra. Their Shiraz represents value and their Coonawarra is peppery and medium-bodied with raspberry and blackberry fruit. This exemplifies the cool climate Coonawarra Shiraz.
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Comments
Robin Egg, ahhh Clos du Bois, always a good standby at a decent price.
-- Contributed by: SLCartyJoh, thanks for the tip! We love great wine at great prices.
-- Contributed by: SLCartyMany of the above mentioned wines are terrific. One that I like that can be had for around $25 is Two Left Feet by Mollydooker....absolutely a delicious treat.
-- Contributed by: John
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