Sangiovese, tempranillo and malbec are dominating – and for good reason.
Do you always order the same dishes? Go to the same bars? Choose the same wines? A lot of us kind of do. It can be hard to bust out of our go-to picks, but it’s always worth shaking things up. Now that we’re in the depths of winter, it’s a fine time to branch out from our favourite red wines and spread our vinous wings. And with at least 50 red grape varieties made into all sorts of incredible wines, there’s at least 50 reasons to look beyond those best-loved bottles and try something new.
So, where to? If it were up to us, we’d point you straight to the medium-bodied, food-friendly reds, which would also win the popularity vote right now (if there was such a thing). These are the type of unicorn wines that are full flavoured enough to keep the shiraz fans happy, but approachable enough to ease others into the world of red wine. They’re also bang on for sharing around the dining table – just as wine is intended.
We’re talking about Italian and Spanish varieties like sangiovese and tempranillo, and that Argentinean specialty malbec. While those countries are home to the OG benchmarks of these varieties, our own producers are doing some special stuff with them here on home turf. Not quite convinced? What if we gave you five top Aussie examples that all come in under $20? Read on.
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Italian inspiration
Sure, Italians have been growing and making sangiovese for centuries – most famously with Chianti in Tuscany – but our Aussie producers have adopted this grape and made it their own in record time. Better yet, we don’t have to follow Italy’s complex winemaking rules and appellations, so our sangiovese wines are easier to navigate, labelled simply by variety, producer, region and vintage (wander the Italian section of your local Dan’s and you’ll spot the difference).
Sangiovese hasn’t been around for hundreds of years for nothing. This is a crowd-pleasing variety full of red and black fruit flavours, and herbal, earthy and tobacco notes, creating a deliciously savoury wine. If you’re newer to this variety, we recommend a classic style loaded with bright red-fruit flavours, such as the Johnny, Vince and Sam’s Vino Sangiovese, crafted by the legends behind comedy troupe Sooshi Mango. It’s properly delicious and at around $15, there’s not a lot to lose here – even less when you try a glass alongside a hearty spaghetti bolognese.
The Spanish touch
Spain and tempranillo go hand in hand – the country’s celebrated Rioja wines showcase this variety in all its versatile glory. But as a grape that thrives in warmer growing conditions, tempranillo has made itself right at home in a number of Australian regions. We’re pretty happy about that, too, because this is a very tasty drop.
Tempranillo is well loved for its cherry, plum, dried fig and tomato flavours, as well as its savoury notes that can taste a little like cedar, tobacco and leather (it truly is a lot better than it sounds). For a new bright expression, go for Brown Brothers Refreshing Tempranillo – juicy red berry fruits and spices are on show when this is poured at room temperature, or if you’re keen to enhance those fruity characters, give it a little time in the fridge before serving.
For an example that slips in under $15, the Old Fat Unicorn Tempranillo is all fresh red berries and plums with a savoury finish to boot. Pair tempranillo with just about any wintery dish you’ve got on repeat right now, and we reckon you’ll see the light.
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Mighty malbec
If you’re into reds that pack a little more punch, let us offer you malbec. This grape variety originated in France way back when, but Argentina has really run with it – about 70% of the world’s malbec vines are now found in this South American country. This is another versatile grape variety, resulting in full-flavoured wines that can be everything from fruit-forward and plush to meaty and tannic, and somewhere in between.
Here in Australia, malbec is often combined with the likes of cabernet in Bordeaux-style blends, but straight-varietal expressions are well worth seeking out. For two great introductions, South Australia has the goods. The Devil’s Vine Malbec is juicy with ripe cherry and plum flavours that mingle with spice, bringing a little complexity to this punchy wine (all for around $12, too), while the Little Giant Malbec shows plum and berry flavours, spice and fine tannins. It all works a treat with dishes like barbecued and roasted meats, stews and rich ragus, meaning this might just be the perfect winter wine.
