Top 100 Reds: Ray Jordan’s favourite red wines from $20 to $25

• Your chance to win 100 bottles of red wine
• The top wines from 2020
• Top reds under $15
• Wines from $15 to $20
• Wines from $25 to $40

Oh, boy if you are prepared to get into this price bracket you are going to fine some truly exceptional wines selling for prices, that I think are quite nutty. Still if you can find ‘em, buy ‘em.

Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz were again dominant varieties, but it was also pleasing to see some very good pinots and some most appealing alternative varieties, some of which like malbec and cabernet franc are generally used for blending.

These wines move up a notch in weight and complexity with tannin and oak more important and necessary components in the wines.

These are wines that, if you can find a few extra pesos, would be more than worthy of your next dinner party.

Deep Woods Hillside cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($25)

This remarkable value cabernet from Margaret River has won gold medals at four national wine shows. Such an elegant and most stylish expression of Margs cabernet from a great vintage. The feature is the way it’s delivered – with restraint and poise. 95/100

Forest Hill Highbury Hills cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($24)

This must be the best Highbury Fields wine yet released. Very good vintage helped as did the old vines. But it’s all been so well managed in the winery to capture the dark fruit varietal characters and deliver a palate of poise and refinement. 94/100

Robert Oatley Signature Series cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($23.60)

Leafy blackcurrant and bay leaf notes on the nose. The palate has firmish dry fine powdery tannins and a decent lick of complementing oak. Well-structured with a sustained finish. 93/100

Juniper Estate Small Batch cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($23.80)

This small batch wine from Mark Messenger has been brilliantly put together. Loads of black plump fruit harness with exceptional use of oak to support that thread of chalky tannins. Totally integrated and smooth. 93/100

Xanadu DJL cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($23.95)

One of the many classy cabernets made by Xanadu’s Glenn Goodall. This is more obviously a fruit driven style but there is still that classy winemaking stamp on it. Plush and generous with excellent fruit concentration balanced with fine tannins and some decent French oak. 93/100

George The Fixer cabernet sauvignon 2016 ($21.85)

George comes in a whole bunch of manifestations from different parts of Australia. This is a Margaret River cabernet from this excellent vintage. Black cherry and black olive with a little Margs leafiness. Power and strength with those tannins that marked this vintage providing a backbone. 92/100

Penley Estate Phoenix cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($24)

The characteristic aromas of Coonawarra are evident from the first sniff. This is a classy, smooth textured cabernet that wouldn’t be out of place at a high price category. Excellent fruit intensity and fine oak and tannin integration. So effortless and smooth. 92/100

Teusner The Gentleman cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($23.55)

Rich and highly concentrated smoothly textured Barossa cabernet here. Has a distinct varietal character of blackcurrant and dark chocolate with a little dark plum. The chalky tannins keep it focused to the long finish. 92/100

Handpicked Regional Selection cabernet sauvignon 2018 ($25)

The region is Margaret River and it stands out like the proverbial. Rich and powerful cabernet from this great vintage packs quite a punch as it extends to a sustained finish. 91/100

Wirra Wirra Catapult shiraz 2018 ($25)

Love this beautifully balanced wine. Named for founder Greg Trott who wanted to build a trebuchet and bomb nearby wineries before he died. Still the legacy is this smooth and effortlessly long shiraz. Lifted floral bouquet with a high energy palate that is just superb. 94/100

Coriole Sparta shiraz 2018 ($23.80)

Oh gosh, I could do some damage with this pure expression of McLaren Vale. Plush and opulent shiraz bursting with lively vibrant red fruits. The oak is so well handled and the tannin management superb. Yummo. 94/100

Langmeil Long Mile shiraz 2018 ($25)

Really beautiful example Barossa shiraz Loads of ripe earthy plum and swirls of dark chocolate. Grainy tannins and a liberal use of oak harness the fruit power superbly. A classy expression if the region. 93/100

Domain Naturalist Discovery syrah ($24)

Beautiful expression of the slightly lighter style of shiraz. This is just gorgeous with perfumed aromas of spicy plum and a trace of violet. The palate is sublime. Smooth and textured with a fine tannin and oak integration. 93/100

Battle of Bosworth shiraz 2017 ($24.75)

This is made with refreshingly minimal integration in the winery after organic viticulture has delivered the fruit. Bright and lively. It’s textured and flavoursome with wonderful expression of this variety from McLaren Vale. 92/100

Tyrrell’s Rufus Stone Heathcote shiraz 2018 ($23)

Tyrrell’s have been sourcing this wine from Victoria’s Heathcote region of some time now. Captures that spicy dark plum and slightly drier minerally ironstone character of this region. The middle palate is dense and sweet with plush fruit. Excellent. 92/100

Sons of Eden Marschall shiraz 2018 ($25)

Dense and sweet black fruits here show a strong regional character. Plum and fruit cake with blackcurrant richness. Has a slightly earthy edge which balances the plush primary fruit characters. 91/100

Rochford Latitude pinot noir 2019 ($22.95)

This is a brilliantly made pinot from the Yarra. A feature is the bright fruit and lively natural acidity contributing to its high energy palate. Poised with excellent tannin integration and a long finish. Very smart wine. 92/100

Howard Park Flint Rock pinot noir 2018 ($24.80)

This is consistently a very good pinot noir from the Great Southern. Spicy cherry notes on the nose and a delicious tightly held medium bodied palate. Has an appealing sappy spicy cherry mid palate that is rich and deep while retaining an elegance. Fine tannins and a crisp fine acidity sustained the silky-smooth finish. 93/100

Devil’s Corner pinot noir 2018 ($22)

This comes from Brown Brothers Tassie vineyards and its beautiful structure and poise shows that pinot can have presence and power while retaining its essential ethereal elegance and style. Bright cherry and spices carry through to the ling finish. 92/100

Wirra Wirra Church Block cabernet sauvignon shiraz merlot 2018 ($24)

Excellent vintage in McLaren Vale has produced one of the best and most highly drinkable Church Blocks I have tasted. I mean, they are always drinkable and enjoyable as youngsters, yet this one has another factor at play, taking it up a notch. Soft supple and rich with ripe juicy black fruits displaying energy throughout. Cracking good stuff. 94/100

West Cape Howe Hanna’s Hill cabernet malbec 2018 ($22)

These two varieties were fermented together. This is brimming with sweet dark fruit flavours balanced with fine firm-ish tannins and a neat line of oak. Great combo that works brilliantly from Frankland River, where the malbec especially is so good. 93/100

Singlefile Estate Great Southern cabernet sauvignon merlot 2018 ($25)

A tidy blended red from the Great Southern. Dark blackcurrant and chocolate with a little plummy richness. Grainy tannins and tight grained oak have been played astutely. Nice minerally edge on the finish completes a very good value for money wine. 92/100

McHenry Hohnen Rocky Road cabernet merlot 2017 ($25)

Beautiful fragrant fruit with violets and black olive and plum. There is a fine minerality here that adds to the precision on the palate. Excellent older oak integration. Fine and long with chalky tannins. 92/100

Langmeil Resurrection mataro 2018 ($25)

A variety generally consigned to be a bit player with other varieties. Yet when you get excellent expressions like this you wonder why more isn’t made of it as a straight varietal. Bravo. 92/100

Penley Estate Francis cabernet franc 2019 ($24)

Another of the varieties used generally as a blending option but which on its own makes some mighty impressive wines. It’s a Coonawarra cab franc of medium body, scented aromatics, and smooth, effortless flavours on the palate. 91/100

Bleasdale Second Innings malbec 2017 ($22)

This producer from Langhorne Creek has focussed strongly on malbec in its portfolio. Love this one with its spicy plum and cherry aromatics and super fine and smooth palate. Thoroughly delicious and proof, if it were needed, of how good malbec can be. 91/100

Running with Bulls tempranillo 2018 ($23)

Smooth and textured with soft fleshy fruit flavours of raspberry and cherry characters. Has a sweet palate sensation balanced with a mix of spices. 90/100

Vinaceous Right Reverend V malbec 2018 ($25)

This is a single vineyard malbec from Wilyabrup in Margaret River. Has an aroma of earthy perfumed African violet that lifts off deep scents of chocolate and pomegranate. The palate is seamlessly structured. A thread of fine chalky tannin and oak pulls things together, delivering with seamless precision and focus to a very long finish. Bright and energetic. 94/100

Thistledown Wines Gorgeous grenache No. 1 2018 ($21.35)

The name says it all – gorgeous. Medium to light bodied grenache made in a way to capture the beautiful scents of this variety when it’s well handled. It is a small batch made from old Barossa vines and is such good drinking. Hard to put down. 92/100