Down Under Discoveries from Legendary Producers
With more choice than ever before, especially at lower price points, selecting a wine can be confusing. When faced with a wall of labels, how do you know that the bottle is going to meet or even exceed expectations?
One of my top strategies, hands down, not just as a wine buyer but also as a wine drinker, is to look towards the iconic wineries. Most top wineries offer a range of wines to choose from, not just the big names they might be most famous for. Most times, their more value-oriented wines are made in the same facility, by the same winemaking team, so it’s very unlikely that they will skimp on quality or lower their standards for even their most entry-level bottle.
Australia is a great example of this strategy, and there are so many incredible deals available from the familiar names who produce some of the most collectible wines in the country. So while you’re cellaring that bottle of Grange, Hill of Grace, or the like, these are my selections for cracking open now:
2023 Brokenwood Sémillon Hunter Valley New South Wales $19.99 92DC Jancis Robinson once described Hunter Valley Semillon as “Australia’s gift to the world,” and I couldn’t agree more. Incredibly distinctive because of its early harvest date (usually in late January), the wines are low in alcohol, bone dry, racy, and laden with zesty citrus flavors. Brokenwood is most famous for their bottle-aged ILR Semillon, but this entry-level bottle shows the early potential of the grape and style.
2024 Cullen "Dancing in the Sun" Sauvignon Blanc Blend Margaret River Western Australia $17.99 93JS 92JH Cullen is one of the most famous names in Western Australia, with the Diane Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon as their flagship wine, but in recent years they’ve branched out with a range of biodynamically produced, ready-to-drink wines made to be enjoyed now. The “Dancing in the Sun” is a blend of 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 28% Semillon, 14% Chenin Blanc, 4% Chardonnay, and 1% Verdelho, fermented and aged in stainless steel.
2024 Vasse Felix "Filius" Chardonnay Margaret River Western Australia $23.99 93JS Another huge name in Margaret River, Vasse Felix produces some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay—not just in Margaret River, but all of Australia. Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock was recently awarded the Australian Wine Companion’s 2026 Winemaker of the Year prize–a huge honor in Australia and a testament to her skill in the winery. The Filius Chardonnay is their entry-level Chardonnay that overdelivers for the modest price.
2024 Seppeltsfield "Watervale" Riesling Clare Valley South Australia $21.99 94JH 92JS
2022 Seppeltsfield Grenache Barossa Valley South Australia $19.99 94JH 92JS Seppeltsfield is one of the oldest wineries in South Australia, founded in 1851. They are most famous for the incredibly rare “Para” Vintage Tawny Port, which is a fortified wine that ages for 100 years in barrel, before being released in miniscule quantities. Seppeltsfield does, however, produce a line of classic varieties from classic regions in South Australia. These include a Clare Valley Riesling, which is bone dry and delightfully refreshing just as you’d expect a Clare Riesling to be, and a Barossa Grenache, made in a modern, un-oaked style to emphasize youthful fruit and easy drinking.
2025 Torbreck "Woodcutter's" Semillon Barossa Valley South Australia $23.99
2022 Torbreck "The Struie" Shiraz Barossa Valley South Australia $57.99 96JS 96WA 95WE 94JH Torbreck’s top Shirazes, including the Laird and RunRig, are famous for their bold, rich style, and they are some of the most collectible wines in Australia. Their range, however, includes Shiraz like the Struie, which is a slightly more accessible style, ready to drink earlier but lacking none of the signature style of the winery, and white wines like the Woodcutter’s Semillon, which is a more full-bodied, rich and savory style of Semillon compared to those from the Hunter Valley.
2022 Penfolds "Bin 28" Shiraz South Australia $29.99 95JH 93JS 93TWI 93VN 93WS 92DC 92WA The most famous name in Australia, known for putting Australian Shiraz on the map with the iconic Grange, Penfolds also makes Shiraz not for cellaring and special occasions, but for everyday drinking. The Bin 28 is perhaps one of the best values in their lineup of wines. It’s so classically South Australian, with glossy black fruit notes and a hint of oak framed by a herbaceous streak. This wine shows off Penfolds’ quality at a fraction of the price.
2022 Yalumba "The Signature" Cabernet-Shiraz Barossa Valley South Australia $67.99 97WA 96JH 96WE 95JS 95VN Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, founded in 1849 by English immigrant Samuel Smith. While their flagship wine is the Octavius Shiraz, one of their best values is the Signature, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz blend, first produced in 1962. Each release honors a person who has made a major contribution to the winery, known as the “Signatory,” which is why the wine carries both a name and a handwritten signature on the label. The wine shows exactly why Cabernet and Shiraz pair so well in the Mediterranean climate of the Barossa. This is rich and full-bodied, yet it has a beautiful structure and doesn’t feel over-extracted or overly ripe at all.
2021 Henschke "Keyneton Euphonium" Shiraz-Cabernet Barossa Valley South Australia $67.99 95DC 95JS 94JH 93WS 92WA 92VN If Penfolds Grange is Australia’s most famous wine, Henschke’s Hill of Grace trails just behind–and many would probably argue should be considered as the front runner. The Keyneton Euphonium is one of their more value-oriented red wines, this time blending in a bit of Cabernet to the Shiraz base. It mirrors the classic Henschke style–somewhat restrained, terroir-driven, and impeccably balanced.
- Rachael Ryan, K&L Australian Wine Buyer