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Best Buy Wines (June/July 2008): $15 and under

2005 Bleasdale Malbec, Langhorne Creek, A$14/NZ$20
Malbec is not the easiest red grape in the world to grow. It’s prone to inconsistent cropping – huge quantities of grapes one year, scarcely a bunch the next – and is erratic in its ripening. This could explain why more is not grown in Australia. When it’s good, it can produce quite delicious red wine. This terrific-value example has all the variety’s trademark bold, black bramble fruit, violet aromas and plush, fleshy texture. A couple of years in the cellar may even see some interesting spice and earth flavours emerge.  MA

2007 Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon, South-eastern Australia, A$10/NZ$12
Following its stellar performance in the US, Yellow Tail has done well on the domestic market. I saw the state-of-the-art Casella winery in Griffith in 1998 and returned 10 years later to endless stretches of winery buildings. Yellow Tail may be a big brand, but its best wines are great quaffers. The 2007 cabernet is soft, round and juicy, with macerated dark cherry flavours and a gentle finish. I’m also impressed by the 2005 Yellow Tail The Reserve Shiraz and the 2007 merlot.  PF

2006 De Bortoli Sero Shiraz Tempranillo, King Valley, A$15
Wow. Every now and then a wine happens along that hits the vinous mark but not the wallet. This is one of those all too rare treats. Sero is a Latin word meaning to blend or join together, and this delivers on that promise: spicy shiraz flavours merge seamlessly with the precision and focus of the tempranillo component. A portion of the fruit comes from cane-cut vines and has a deliberate, raisined fruit flavour that adds a positive and distinct savoury character to this very slurpable red. Perfect with pork and fennel sausages.  PB

2006 Wyndham Estate Bin 222 Chardonnay, South-eastern Australia, A$15
The cheaper chardonnays of the Orlando Wyndham group have jumped up a few pegs in quality lately, and this is a shining example. It is a wholly remarkable wine at the price, and often subject to discounting. Fruit-driven, yet with some underlying complexities to keep you entertained, it is clean and citrusy to sniff, while the palate has unexpected finesse and pleasing harmony. This wine would confound a lot of tasters if you served it blind and asked them what it cost.  HH

2007 Twin Islands Chardonnay, Marlborough, A$20/NZ$15
The quality and price of chardonnay has risen steadily in recent years. Twin Islands Chardonnay has never been better and yet the price has remained stable at about NZ$15.  Made from grapes harvested from three Wairau Valley vineyards, a small proportion of the wine is barrel-fermented and 100 per cent is allowed to mature on yeast lees. It’s a tangy wine with fresh white peach and citrus flavours. This is a pretty, fruit-focused chardonnay that hasn’t been sweetened in the name of commercialism.  BC

2006 Angove’s Red Belly Black Shiraz, South Australia, A$14
A measured, balanced, easy-drinking South Australian shiraz with substance and structure. It’s slightly old-fashioned, with nuances of mint, eucalyptus and leather beneath its slightly jammy expression of raspberry, blackberry and dark plum. Smooth and vibrant, its silky and approachable palate is underpinned by a fine-grained cut of pliant tannins, finishing with nuances of molasses and bitumen. It’s a thoroughly modern red, with emphasis on fruit, with oak and tannins comfortably in support.  JO