Goon sack, goon bag or, merely, goon. Cask wine is deeply ingrained within the Australian ethos and vernacular (it’s additionally an Australian invention), lengthy related to “two-buck chuck”, low cost wine for cooking or uni college students on a funds. However its adverse reception normally has nothing to do with the wine itself and extra to do with the mistaken perception that worth is an indicator of high quality.
Now don’t mistake me, there are plenty of nondescript or terrible-tasting cask wines on the market. However with the highlight on the sustainability and carbon footprint of wineries, the attraction of boxed wine over glass bottles is changing into extra prevalent.
For this style check, I chosen 9 Australian-made red-wine casks with two essential standards: they needed to be available on-line or at main bottle retailers, they usually needed to come from current wine labels or wineries – no grocery store “personal labels”.
Becoming a member of me for this vinous showdown had been two Sydney wine professionals, Stuart Knox, the proprietor of Repair Wine Bar, and Lily Horneman, the pinnacle sommelier of restaurant and bar Martinez. To evaluate the wines, we used the trade commonplace 100-point scale to guage the wine’s look (ideally vibrant crimson and purple hues, and nothing that resembles murky pond water), odor (starting from recent and fragrant to drained and defective bitter vinegar-like notes) and flavour (which covers texture, mouthfeel and if the wine reveals characters inherent of its grape selection – that is what makes wine particular and higher than your common grape juice). A wine that scores 95 factors and above is taken into account “gold”, 90 to 94 factors is “silver”, 85 to 89 factors is “bronze” and under 84 factors is “no medal”.
The wines had been tasted at room temperature, however most casks would profit from being saved within the fridge. General we had been delighted by the fruity purity throughout a lot of the casks. They’re easy-drinking wines, and if we had been in Europe and provided a home wine in a bistro or trattoria, these casks are very related in fashion and high quality (though it could more than likely be served in a glass flagon somewhat than poured from a sack). However in terms of Australian “chateau cardboard”, which of them must be proudly poured on the desk – and which of them must be suspended from a Hills hoist?
Greatest total
Cult Cru, 2022 grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia, 2L, $39.99 ($2 per 100ml)
Rating: 92/100
This was our highest-rated wine and the clear standout. Whereas it’s not the most affordable nor the costliest within the lineup, the grenache could be very varietally particular (it tastes like a grenache) and scrumptious, as if you’ve simply walked on the set of an Ocean Spray business and dunked your head into the vat of ripe cranberries. As he sipped, Knox commented on how simply this might be a “restaurant home wine, wine checklist” form of wine. “I’m taking a look at this and pondering I might pour this right here on the wine bar – no downside in any respect,” he stated. This wine was singing at ambient room temperature and can be good propped up on the desk subsequent to a variety of charcuterie and beef tartare, as the colourful crimson notes on this wine would stability out these “meatier” notes.
Greatest worth
Winesmiths, 2022 merlot, South Australia, 2L, $13.99 ($0.70 per 100ml), accessible from main bottle retailers
Rating: 89/100
Horneman summed it up finest: “Not your nan’s merlot, however she’d be so proud of it.” It can additionally deliver happiness for individuals who need high quality cask at a great worth. This wine is juicy, with raspberry crimson fruits and a suppleness on the palate that’s paying homage to slipping your palms into velvet gloves.
The remainder
Gonzo Vino, 2023 ‘Soul Management’ mataro, Erawirung, South Australia, 3L, $66 ($2.20 per 100ml)
Rating: 90/100
I name this “chilled natty field wine” – that’s, a relaxing pure wine in a field – with the best of compliments. The mataro grape is all about fairly blueberry notes, which this has in spades. Hints of rhubarb stalks and a bubble gum word on the end conjure photos of ingesting this in a park; pour right into a cup with ice alongside charcuterie and cheese. It’s firmly in silver medal territory due to the pristine freshness popping out of the cask and its easy, straightforward drinkability.
Jilly Wine Co, 2023 sagrantino, Mildura, NSW, 3L, $75 ($2.50 per 100ml)
Rating: 88/100
For these not a fan of fuller-bodied wines, you may need to steer clear, however for the cabernet lovers on the market, this one’s for you. The wine reveals an extremely darkish plummy color, nearly a precursor for the wealthy, plum notes on the nostril. Wealthy and supple like a hug in your mouth and hints of earl gray tea amongst cranberry fruit, for those who pre-poured this in your “wine aficionado” associates at a dinner desk, they’d don’t know it got here from a bag.
Winesmiths, 2022 cabernet sauvignon, South Australia, 2L, $16.99 ($0.85 per 100mL), accessible from main bottle retailers
Rating: 87/100
There are plenty of smaller producers within the two-litre cask market, however there’s one thing to be stated that out of the 5 bottle retailers I visited, I discovered the Winesmiths model at each one. “They’re undoubtedly doing what it says on the tin,” Horneman stated, that means: “They’ve managed to seize the true essence of the cabernet grape.” It’s because of this, together with the prime quality of grapes we tasted within the glass, that is firmly in bronze medal territory. These blackcurrant and cigar field flavours stereotypical of cabernet scream for a chargrilled steak or lamb roast. There’s quite a bit to love about this wine for the worth level.
Hey Tomorrow & Sam Plunkett, 2022 shiraz, Heathcote, Victoria, 2L, $65 ($3.25 per 100ml)
Rating: 85/100
Knox stated this smells like “the Gold Coast within the 80s”, referring to the shiraz’s coconut and vanilla oak high notes. A brand new child on the cask wine block, the Hey Tomorrow model collaborates with a few of Australia’s brightest winemakers to supply its boxed-wine vary. This one is by Sam Plunkett, one half of Victorian label Wine by Sam, and it appears darkly dense-coloured within the glass, with a heady nostril of plum compote, darkish chocolate and vanilla oil. “All of the senses are invaded with its depth however oak characters dominate,” Knox stated. Actually, all of us commented on how this wine could have common attraction due to its overwhelming oakiness.
De Bortoli, NV shiraz cabernet, multiregional, 4L, $21.99 ($0.55 per 100ml), accessible at main bottle retailers
Rating: 85/100
This wine, I exclaimed to the others, is “Australiana in a glass”. It’s the quintessential low cost and cheerful and tastes like sunshine beaming down on the Australian outback. It sits in stable bronze medal territory because it’s made exceptionally nicely – it tastes like a shiraz cabernet ought to. Horneman commented on its notes of strawberries and sage and hints of white pepper. It regarded somewhat drained on the end, with Knox highlighting its bitter natural word, faint tannins and barely tinged rusty color, main him to query how latest the “bagging” was. However because it’s a non-vintage wine, that is onerous to inform.
Coolabah, NV dry crimson, multiregional, 5L, $14.99 ($0.30 per 100ml), accessible at main bottle retailers
Rating: 82/100
Knox famous that if this wine was drunk at a barely cooler ambient temperature, among the red-fruited sweetness we tasted on the 26C day would tighten up with a little bit of chill. However in any other case it’s a balanced, well-made wine, a jigsaw puzzle with no items lacking: some ripe fruit, good acidity for freshness and a touch of drying tannins that can pair nicely with steak.
Brothers in a Field by Koerner, 2023 gentle crimson, Clare Valley, South Australia, 2L, $65 ($3.25 per 100ml)
Rating: 75/100
Within the curiosity of equity, the rating for this 50% grenache and 50% vermentino will not be the Koerner brothers’ fault however this cask is an ideal instance of why crimson – and white – casks must be saved within the fridge. Not within the backside of the pantry or on the shelf close to the microwave, as this leads to wine tasting “cooked”. It’s cloudy within the glass and paying homage to overcooked rhubarb and bruised plums.
Whereas different casks from them could also be more energizing, wine-judging guidelines dictate that we’ve to guage what’s within the glass. Sadly, this implies the wine presents with a murky brown color and oxidation characters that appear to be bitter herbs and overcooked cherries. There are crimson cherry fruit hints hanging on for pricey life on this wine however have principally all pale away.