Australia produces some of the most popular wines in the world and branding only one of them as the best would be unjust to other wines that have earned a wonderful reputation for their taste, colour, and flavours. With a variety of types such as Old World, Traditional, and New World wines, Australia provides wine enthusiasts with a taste of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, catering to the preferences of each. The country has over 60 wine areas divided into seven regions which are home to some of the richest red wines you could taste.
The Tasting Notes of Top Shelf Australian Red Wines
Here we’ve listed some of the wines we’ve come across that have been assessed by prominent wine judges and were recognised as being of excellent quality. If you’re looking for delicious red wine for sale, consider the following picks.
Pertaringa ‘Tipsy Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
It was founded in 1980. Pertaringa is a winery owned by a family in McLaren Vale, South Australia. The name Pertaringa derives from the native Kaurna indigenous language and means “belonging to the hills.” Bec Hardy, a sixth-generation member of Australia’s oldest wine family, the Hardys, and the first female vigneron, owns and operates Pertaringa.
The Tipsy Hill Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Hardy’s vineyard in McLaren Vale’s Blewitt Springs sub-region. The Tipsy Hill vineyard’s old soils and elevation provide ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon. The home also has a beautiful garden, which has the rare Tipsy Hill Imperial Concubine rose, from whence the name Tipsy Hill Imperial Concubine was derived. With flavours of blackberries, wood, and super-ripe black olives, this red wine for sale is perfect for cabernet sauvignon enthusiasts.
Lone Palm Vineyards ‘Selection’ Shiraz 2018
Shiraz wine is the most popular red wine in Australia, so there’s a lot to learn about the features and the choice of wine regions where it’s cultivated. Australia’s most popular grape varietal is full-bodied with high alcohol, vivid cherry, plum aromas and flavours on the nose and mouth.
Shiraz is described as strong, peppery, and with a somewhat sweet aftertaste. When drinking this variety, you will also get a silky and slightly syrupy texture. These grapes, which are genetically similar to French Syrah, came to Australia in the nineteenth century and thrived, taking on features of indigenous vegetation. Enjoy this wine with delicious spicy dishes ranging from steak to the Mediterranean and even Latin cuisines. This wine might overwhelm more delicate meals, so avoid lighter meats and unspiced fish.
Lone Palm Vineyard was founded in 1992 and is located in the heart of the Barossa Valley, south of Marananga. A vineyard with several distinct sites and a lone palm tree standing next to the settler’s hut erected in the late 1800s, which is where the name comes from. The hillside block receives plenty of sunlight, receives adequate precipitation, and has good soil. Hand-picked grapes, high-quality French wood, and traditional winemaking techniques are used to create a black, fruity, full-bodied premium Shiraz.
The 2017 Lone Palm Hillside Shiraz was obtained from one of our top West facing hillside blocks, located south of Marananga in the heart of the Barossa Valley. For at least 18 months, the wine was matured in French and American oak. The nose is dark ruby in colour and shows rich dark fruit, blood plums, blackberry, and blueberry along with dark chocolate, mineral, and liquorice. The wine is full-bodied and refined, with layers of rich flavours, exceptional depth, and a long, silky finish. This red wine for sale will age well over the next 12-15 years.
Irvine Grand Merlot 2017
Irvine Wines was founded in 1983 by a visionary team that succeeded in elevating Australian Merlot to the top of the world’s best. Irvine is re-emerging even stronger, driven by a team that blends world-class Barossa winemaking and viticultural traditions with a track record of innovative brilliance. Irvine Wines, with over 400 acres of premium Barossa and Eden Valley vineyards, is one of the largest privately-owned premium grape producers in the Barossa. Miles family knowledge spans four generations, ensuring that the fruit we cultivate is of the best quality and picked at the optimal time. The 2017 edition maintains the strength and complexity of prior editions, with plum, blueberries, fig, five-spice, and dark chocolate flavours. Before consuming, it’s advised to decant for several hours.
Yarra Yering Agincourt Cabernet Malbec 2018
With 28 hectares of vines at the foot of the Warramate Hills, Yarra Yering is one of the oldest and most picturesque wineries in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Dr. Bailey Carrodus founded the company in 1969, and the 1973 vintage witnessed the creation of the first vintages of Dry Red Wine No. 1 and Dry Red Wine No. 2. Yarra Yering rapidly established an international reputation for quality and uniqueness, paving the path for other Yarra Valley wineries to follow.
Wine production in the Yarra Valley came to a standstill in the 1920s due to economic factors, shifting preferences, and the high price of wool. To re-establish winemaking in the Yarra Valley, a visionary was required, and one arrived in 1969. Dr. Bailey Carrodus has all of the qualifications necessary to become a renowned vigneron. Every fruit at Yarra Yering is hand-picked into 10kg picking buckets and transported directly to the vineyard. The fruit is sorted, then destemmed or crushed before being placed in the traditional Yarra Yering “tea chest” 0.5-tonne open fermenters. When there is just enough stalk tannin present, stalks may be put back during the fermenting stage in baskets for easy removal, depending on the variety.
The Cabernet Malbec’s hallmark is perfume, with lifted bramble, redcurrant, and mixed berry flavours. Cranberries, mulberries, and blueberries are among the bright fruit flavours. Freshly cut box hedge adds a green lift, while tannins and clove spices dance with bright acidity and an exquisite fruit drive. The Malbec gives the wine vigour and a sharp snap.
Curtis Limited Series McLaren Vale Grenache 2018
This limited series of red wines are produced by the Curtis Family Vineyards, which is located just west of McLaren Vale township. Its vines have thrived, and its sought-after McLaren Vale wines are now accessible in both the Australian and international markets. The Curtis Family Vineyards narrative is actually about how everything old became new again, about how European immigrants arrived in Australia, battled against the odds, and then used old world ideals and expertise to make excellent wines. Today, the Curtis Family focuses on creating sophisticated premium wines for the Australian market. Wines that demonstrate the Curtis Family’s enthusiasm for outstanding McLaren Vale wines.
And further explaining the McLaren Vale Grenache, it maintains aromas of full-bodied and bursting rich blend of juicy red berries, chocolate, and spice flavours, with notes of vanilla overtones and smooth tannins are provided by the well-integrated French oak in the middle palate. On the nose, this is remarkably fruited and fragrant, with dried cherry, toasted spice, vanilla, cedar, and smoked game notes, leading to a concentrated palate that’s spacious and voluptuous. The wine has enticing savoury flavours and a flowing texture, with a very lengthy and silky finish.
