Best’s Buy: Victoria’s Best Kept Secret

Located in the west of Australia’s State of Victoria, Best’s Wines Great Western is one of Australia’s ‘best kept’ winery secrets in the heart of its premium higher elevation Grampians wine region. Founded in 1866, Best’s is a family-owned and operated winery with some of the oldest and rarest vines on earth with plantings going back to 1868. This includes Shiraz, for which their Bin No.1 bottlings are an Australian benchmark. Made from Best’s own vineyards as well as trusted local growers, this wine is meticulously crafted with the same attention to detail as its premium flagship wines. It’s a classic, cool-climate, aromatic Shiraz, made in a style that's floral, spicy and peppery yet retains generous fruit characteristics and intensity. Well-balanced, alcohol does not dominate this elegant wine and is crafted to be drunk now. It makes a great accompaniment to food, especially for summer grilling. We would recommend using an aerator or decanting the 2020 vintage before drinking. Also, laying down the wine for up to five years will reward the purchaser with a cornucopia of greater complexity. Stuart Pigott of jamessuckling.com scored the wine 95 points.

2020 Best’s Great Western Bin No. 1 Shiraz, LCBO VINTAGES# 223323, $21.95