Cleanskin wine can be a gamble, but here’s 6 expert picks you can bet the farm on – all under $15.
Alright friends, it’s Steals o’clock. Time to sort the trash from the treasure and give you six verified bangers for your buckers. This month, I’m tearing the Band-Aid right off. It’s all about cleanskins – those mysterious bottom-shelf bottles, with very little info and very low prices.
Maybe you look at cleanskins the way I look at my neglected fridge crisper – I don’t know what’s in there, but I know it ain’t good. Well I am here to tell you that you are 100% wrong (like, 50% of the time). Can cleanskins actually be good? Yes. Should I blindly pick one at random? No. How do I find a good one? Read on.
A cleanskin is a wine from a commercial winery that for whatever reason decides not to sell it under their parent label. Instead, they sell it without a label (or a very basic one with sparse details) at greatly reduced prices.
There are many reasons a wine may end up as a cleanskin and the myth that they’re only a way for winemakers to shift crappy wine is incorrect. Very often it’s a matter of overstock – perhaps a big order got canned or there was a surplus of grapes – and in these cases you can save a hell of a lot of money on very high quality drops. After all, a Birkin without the logo is still a damn fine bag.
That said, sometimes a winery doesn’t want to claim a wine because it’s not very good – maybe a mistake during production or an experimental batch gone wrong. That’s what makes these babies a bit of a gamble. But there’s gold in them there hills, trust me, and at ridiculously low price points it’s a pretty wallet-friendly way to experiment. (And at Dan’s, we only take the good stuff.)
There’s a famous tale that during a 1970s financial crisis, Penfolds sold massively discounted 45 gallon drums of their iconic St Henri to our very own Daniel Francis Murphy (founder of you know what). These were repackaged as cleanskins and sold on to lucky customers for $1.10 a pop. Proof that sometimes you open the crisper to find a diamond inside.
Here to take the gambling out of the equation is Nicholas Carr – certified wine expert and believer in the power of the cleanskin. Nick fought his way through the cleanskin jungle to bring us 6 brilliant recommendations that punch far above their weight. If cheap and delicious is the name of your game, you’ve come to the right place.
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1. Cleanskin No 10 Pinot Noir Chardonnay Cuvée NV – $6.99
Why should you try it?
“After the two years we’ve had, don’t we all deserve to celebrate?” Nick’s got a point there, and this bottle of bubbles is the perfect way to toast. Not every celebration needs to break the bank though, and coming in at under $7 a bottle with a 90-point Dan Murphy’s Wine Panel rating, this is the bargain you deserve.
Tastes like?
Lively and fresh. Crisp red apple flavours with a surprisingly racy finish.
What to sip it with?
Nick’s tip? “Anything with a shell. Think prawns, oysters, lobster, crab. I mean, it even goes well with escargot.” Escar-good-onya, Nick.
2. Twist & Pour Sauvignon Blanc – $6.00
Why should you try it?
If there’s one grape that can divide a group it’s sauvignon blanc. But Nick’s leading the charge (“Savvy B lovers unite!”) to break down some of that stigma and un-cancel this versatile vino. As Nick says, “If you find something you like, stick with it. Support it! This is no different.”
Tastes like?
So fresh and so clean, clean. There’s tropical notes, citrus notes, crispy acidity. What more can ask you for?
What to sip it with?
This drop likes it hot. Or in Nick’s words, “The fruitiness will offset the heat of a good Indian curry”.
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3. Cleanskin No 23 Heathcote Shiraz – $9.99
Why should you try it?
“If someone said, make me the personification of an Aussie red wine, this is it”, says Nick. With a solid 90-point score from the buffs on the Wine Panel, No 23 Heathcote Shiraz is everything you want from a shiraz and a classic crowd-pleaser.
Tastes like?
Traditional style Australian shiraz. Big, bold, lots of red flesh and delicious earthiness.
What to sip it with?
For Nick, it’s all about one thing: “Steak, steak, steak.” But for you vegos out there, try roasting up hearty portobello mushrooms.
4. Verandah Moscato – $5.00
Why should you try it?
For those of you who love a sweet wine (“We’re a dying breed”, cries Nick), this is the place to start. Not every wine has to be dry, so if you’re ready to open your mind (and heart) to something on the sweet side, give this 90-point scorer a go. After all, dessert wines are back in a big way.
Tastes like?
Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. If sunshine, lollipops and rainbows tasted like luscious musk stick and cherry pie.
What to sip it with?
Enjoy a nip of this straight after dinner, as a little entrée to dessert or as the final hoorah itself. “The sweetness will prepare your palate for what’s to come. Whether that’s fresh fruit, soft cheese or apple strudel, it all works perfectly”, says wise old Nick.
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5. Educated Guess Rosé – $7.00
Why should you try it?
“Rosé, BROsé, whatever you want to call it, it’s a slam dunk,” says Nick. “Super approachable styles like this get people from all walks of life on the rosé bandwagon.” So if you’re of the opinion that rosé is only for ladies who lunch, snap out of it. This bottle is the perfect way to initiate yourself into the category.
Tastes like?
There’s notes of red fruits, cherry and strawberry – but if you aren’t into winey details, just know that it’s light and bright, and goes down just as easy as its pale pink hue is on the eyes.
What to sip it with?
This is a summer beverage, right at home next to a fresh heirloom tomato and fennel salad.
6. Cleanskin No 52 Fleurieu Vermentino – $9.99
Why should you try it?
This fashionable grape, best known for it’s crispy Sardinian and Ligurian whites, has found a nice little home in Australia – this bottle hails from SA’s famous Fleurieu Peninsula. Nick’s sure we’ll be seeing more and more vermentino in the coming years, so if you haven’t yet tasted this bright, citrusy style (with just the right touch of salty minerality), now’s the time.
Tastes like?
Heaven. AKA green herbs balanced with white peach and grapefruit. Nick’s response? “Mouthwatering. Gimme more!”
What to sip it with?
Make like the Italians and grill some fresh seafood – ”preferably a nice oily fish like sardines”. Or go ahead and grab fish and chips from your local. This baby will cut right through the richness of the batter for the perfect pairing.
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