2016 Best’s Great Western Bin No. 1 Shiraz Grampians Victoria 750 ml

Hermitage Elegance Meets New World Richness

For an introduction to Western Victoria Shiraz, the 2016 Bin No. 1 from Best’s Great Western is the bottle to beat: It’s a “very attractive” James Suckling 94-pointer that marries plushness, cool-climate aromatics, and beautiful purity of fruit, all in an irresistible value package.

Best’s Great Western has won a massive fan in Suckling, who has bestowed 13 scores of 94-97 points on Best’s wines, and classified the 94-point Bin No. 1 as  “saturated and velvety.” Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave 92 points to this deep, inky red, which shows dark raspberry, white pepper, and black olive along with a mouthwatering lift and mineral cut. This beauty gives the northern Rhône a run for its money, and would be a deal at $25. At just $18.99 on 12 or more, it’s a showstopper case-buy. Don’t hesitate. Shipping included on 6.

Founded at the end of Australia’s 19th-century gold rush, Best’s Great Western is one of the country’s oldest wineries, home to ancient vineyards planted with own-rooted Shiraz vines dating back to 1867. Despite its stature, Best’s is “among Australia’s best-kept secrets” according to Australian wine authority James Halliday, who praised the winery’s consistency in producing “elegant, supple wines.” Unfortunately for the Aussies (but fortunately for the rest of the world), the secret is getting out: Since demand is growing for cool-climate wines that can combine elegance and grace with old-vine concentration and depth, The Grampians region appears destined for “next big thing” status. James Suckling wrote recently that the region is “on the cusp of greatness”—and that Best’s is the winery leading the way.

When winemaker Justin Purser came to Best’s from Burgundy, he made it his mission to bring the expressiveness of the Côte de Beaune to The Grampians, which enjoys the kind of climate that is rare in Australia: It is continental, featuring strong diurnal shifts and cool summer nights that extend phenolic ripening, enrich flavors, and keep acids vibrant and consistent. The region’s low rainfall, uninterrupted stretches of radiant sunshine, and high-altitude vineyards (780 to 1,100 feet) infuse Best’s wines with complexity and freshness. The silty soils retain water, which replenishes the grapes and makes dry-farming possible.

Aged in old French oak, the Bin No. 1 cuvée—recently praised by Jancis Robinson as “dependably delicious” and a “ridiculous value”—is one of the region’s easy-drinking Shiraz benchmarks for the region. With its savory complexity and rich fruit, this is where Hermitage sophistication meets New World plushness for under $20. So don’t think about how much to spend—think about how much space you have in the cellar.