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Three lockdown recovery wines to enjoy

Huon Hooke
Huon Hooke

Good value does exist if you're prepared to go bargain hunting.
Good value does exist if you're prepared to go bargain hunting.iStock

Feeling the pinch after weeks of lockdown and little money coming in? Don't despair: there is plenty of good-value wine out there. It's just a matter of identifying it, then locating it.

Langhorne Creek in South Australia is arguably the most under-priced red wine region in Australia, where bargain reds abound. Spain, the country that has the largest vineyard area of any country in the world, is another happy hunting ground for moderately priced red wines. Fashionable Margaret River is probably not the first region that comes to mind when bargain hunting, but good value does exist there, too.

Tail Spin Shiraz 2019, Langhorne Creek, $15

Score 92

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Produced by the Project Wine Co, source of several amazing value reds from this region, the wine has a deep, dark purple-red colour and a plummy, black fruit aroma laced with earthy graphite-like overtones. It's quite full-bodied, generously proportioned for the money, with good depth of earthy, mineral, black fruit flavours backed by abundant tannins. The value is frankly astounding. Screw cap; 14.5 per cent alcohol.

Ageing? Drink now to nine years.

Stockists include: First Choice Liquor, Sydney and Melbourne

Radio Boka Tempranillo 2018, Tierra de Castilla, Spain, $15-$20

Score: 86

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It's a good-value, easy-drinking red at a nice price, but don't expect it to have a strong Spanish accent: it's an international red built to a price. And rather well done. With deep purple colour and generous plummy, grapy aromas, it's fruit-sweet, light-bodied, straightforward and a little callow, but certainly tasty. Good current drinking. Screw cap; 13.5 per cent alcohol.

Ageing? Drink now to five years.

Stockists include: Corkscrew Cellars and Camperdown Cellars (NSW); Nillumbik Cellars (Vic)

Juniper Crossing Chardonnay 2018, Margaret River, $25

Score: 92

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This is an excellent regional style chardonnay that is great value for money. Bright lemon, grapefruit and struck-flint mineral aromas, their intensity matched by a full-blown palate that is also minerally, intense and has an almost chablis-like wet river-stone overtone. It also manages to be soft, round and easygoing. Screw cap; 13 per cent alcohol.

Ageing? Drink now to six years.

Stockists include: Nick's Wine Merchants, Doncaster (Vic), Summer Hill Wine Shop (NSW); juniperestate.com.au/products

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Huon HookeHuon Hooke is a wine writer.

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