Wow, 2020. What a year am I right? If you’re like me you probably cannot wait for this year to be over! But looking back on it, there were some great things about it as well as the craziness. And one of those great things is probably how much wine I consumed! I couldn’t possibly end this year without sharing my top wines of 2020, and so here they are!
This was a seriously hard list to create. There have been so many stand-out wines I’ve tried this year. It is near impossible to pick just one! So I had to really reflect on which ones really stuck in my mind. These are all based on my personal preference for what I enjoyed most when I drunk it. Those wines that were the most memorable, and really made me stop and say wow!
This year I wanted to focus on our Australian wineries, but without even trying the list was full of them anyway! It has never been more important than now to support our industry. However, this isn’t a hard thing to do with so many outstanding wines out there! You’ll find all the wines on the list are Australian wines.
So without further ado, let’s get stuck into the Cheeky Vino top wines of 2020!
Top budget buy for 2020: Pizzini Gusto Mama Sangiovese 2019
There were plenty of budget wine purchases this year, but the one that stuck out to me was the Pizzini Gusto Mama Sangiovese 2019 which was a collaboration with Vinomofo. Although it’s now sold out, these collaborations always seem to be delicious and seriously affordable! Plus, I always love wine from Pizzini in the King Valley, Victoria, so really you can’t go wrong!
The Pizzini Gusto Mama Sangiovese 2019 seriously delivers in flavour and value. It’s fresh, fruity and savoury all at once, delivering sip after sip of balanced goodness. Flavour-wise, I got ripe red cherry and strawberry along with subtle spice and dried herbs. It had the fresh fruit along with savoury notes that make Sangiovese such a great food wine. I loved that this wine was so balanced between these flavours, the body of the wine, the acidity and the subtle tannins. It made the wine so easy to sip on, and absolutely delicious. I kept going back for more – it wasn’t too heavy or too light. It was just right!
Read my full review here.
Top splurge wine for 2020: Taltarni The Patron 2016
To me, there is no better wine for this category than the very special Taltarni The Patron 2016. This wine was so fancy that it arrived in a special box, and the label makes you think of something out of old-world Europe. I got a chance to sample many of Taltarni‘s red wines this year and they were all so delicious. But this one really stood out to me and is a wine I think of instantly when I look back on the year.
I think sometimes when a wine is a bit of a splurge you wonder if it is going to be worth the money. But I can tell you now that this wine seriously delivered. It is perfect for a special occasion or as a really nice gift for that special someone in your life (or just treat yourself!)
The Patron is Taltarnis flagship wine and exemplifies their terroir in a blend of Cabernet and Shiraz. It is the sort of wine made for celebrating special occasions, and I didn’t want to open it for just anything because of this! But I am so glad we did because my gosh was this wine incredible. Every sip I just wanted another – it was delicate yet rich, smooth and silky with nice vanilla and black fruits. All I can say about this wine was that every sip was a truly special experience. It’s one I’m going to remember enjoying for many years to come!
Check it out (and the rest of their incredible red wines if you want something more affordable for everyday drinking) here.
Top Red wine for 2020: Vino Intrepido ‘Blood of my blood’ Sangiovese 2019
It was very difficult choosing just one red wine for this category on the top wines of 2020, and it was even harder choosing just one Sangiovese! But this one from Vino Intrepido was definitely a stand out in my mind, and one I was lucky enough to keep going back to throughout the year!
The Vino Intrepido Sangiovese 2019 ticks all the Sangiovese boxes and more. It is beautifully balanced, nicely textured and with its long finish, you get to enjoy the flavours long after you take a sip. Perfect when paired with food, the fruity and savoury notes in this wine shine.
On the nose, I got a hit of fresh red fruit. Think cherries and plums, along with slight savoury notes of dried herbs. I got these same flavours in the taste, but a little bit of spice and earthiness too. It wasn’t too heavy but still packed a punch with hints of acid, great texture and good tannin balance. The best part about this wine was the long finish. The flavours really lingered, which is what you want in such a delicious wine. I loved how balanced this wine was overall – it was truly delicious to drink! Sweet yet savoury, not too heavy but beautifully textured.
Read my full review here.
Top Red wine honourable mention: Rothesay Estate Shiraz 2018
It was again difficult to pick a runner-up of sorts, but this wine from Rothesay Estate really knocked my socks off. The Rothesay Estate Shiraz 2018 is a perfect food wine. Juicy, intense and fruit-driven, it is bold but smooth. The boldness of this wine is nicely balanced by a hint of oak at the finish.
If you love a bold wine, this one will be for you. It is juicy and packed full of flavour. But it isn’t overwhelming with a nice smooth finish, so it is quite approachable. Perfect for bringing over to a friend’s for dinner, or pairing with food at home! It’s drinking well now but you could also cellar it for 5 to 10 years to develop the flavours. Personally? I wouldn’t want to wait to enjoy this one!
Read the full review here.
Top White wine for 2020: Soumah 2018 Equilibrio Chardonnay
This year has been something a little new for me. Normally I don’t drink a lot of white wine, but this year I’ve had some seriously good ones that have made me change my tune. But there is a serious stand out amongst the bunch, and that wine comes from Soumah in the Yarra Valley. It is definitely award-winning for a reason. Although it isn’t as affordable as some other Chardonnays, you’ll be rewarded with a wine you won’t want to finish. You’ll just want it to go on forever!
The Soumah 2018 Equilibrio Chardonnay is truly a special experience, and a wine I’m going to remember drinking and enjoying for a long time. Perfect for a special occasion, this wine is rich, opulent and fresh all in one.
Flavour-wise, you will get the creaminess from the new oak used in the Soumah 2018 Equilibrio Chardonnay. The wine is rich and opulent, full of flavour and elegant all at once. Flavours I found were vanilla and toasted hazelnut, as well as some citrus and nectarine. The wine was creamy in the mouth but balanced out by a nice hit of acidity at the end to give it overall freshness. Each sip gave more and more flavour and complexity so it was truly an amazing wine drinking experience!
Read my full review here.
Top White wine honourable mention: Corryton Burge 2020 Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris
There were so many other fantastic wines that we enjoyed, but one that stuck out to me was the Corryton Burge 2020 Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris. It was the perfect wine to enjoy on the balcony with a beautiful cheese platter.
I hadn’t tried the wines from Corryton Burge before but this Pinot Gris was absolutely delicious! Packed full of pear and peach, each sip was a taste sensation! I loved how refreshing this wine was – perfect for warmer weather! Juicy, crisp and all too easy to drink.
Find out more here.
Top Rosé wine for 2020: Boujee Reserve Rosé 2018
We all know how much I love Rosé, and so this was probably the hardest category for me to choose in. But there was one wine that truly stood out for me and really knocked my socks off. The Boujee Reserve Rosé 2018 was something truly special that I wish I had more than one bottle of on hand at all times! It’s complex but has a nice smooth finish that leaves you wanting another sip. With or without food, this is the sort of wine that you’ll want to open in self-isolation so you don’t have to share!
The Boujee Reserve Rosé 2018 is made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the Loire Valley style. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had many Rosés made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, nor in this style so I was intrigued. These wines are typically still dry but a little heavier than Provence Rosé. Normally I’m not a fan of heavy Rosé as much, but this one completely blew me away.
If you like your Rosé slightly on the heavier side, but also smooth and not overpowering, this would be the wine for you. It has enough gusto to go with food but is balanced and complex enough that you’ll want to enjoy it without. This is simply a great drinking wine that I think would easily please a crowd.
Read my full review here.
Top Rosé wine honourable mention: Mont Wines Rosé 2018
From the pretty label that represents the wine to the amazing colour, Mont Wines Rosé 2018 is seriously good looking. But it’s what’s in the glass that makes this wine great, and a wine I really enjoyed.
The Mont Wines Rosé 2018 is the perfect foodie wine for your warm-weather meals. It’s vibrant, refreshing and packed full of red fruit flavours rounded off by a crisp finish. I got classic Pinot Noir flavours from this wine of strawberry and raspberry, all rounded off by a nice crisp finish. I found the wine all too easy to drink, and the bottle was polished off very quickly as we relaxed by the ocean!
Read my full review here.
Top Sparkling wine for 2020: Taltarni Blanc de Blancs 2016 or 2015
We had a lot of celebrations this year with the whole getting engaged thing. So naturally, we enjoyed a lot of bubbles. But one of the brands that really stood out to me was Taltarni. I was first introduced to their Sparkling Wine many years ago, and have been lucky enough to sample them since.
Two that I particularly loved (although there really is something for everyone) were the Taltarni Blanc de Blancs 2015 and 2016. I was lucky enough to enjoy both this year!
These wines are the perfect blend between an easy-drinking and refined wine. The balance of flavours between a subtle fruit front and crisp acidic finish make for a delicious drop that’s perfect for those occasions that need a bit of extra sparkle. I found 2016 which is the most recent release to be super refreshing and zippy – everything you want in a Sparkling wine for Summer!
I don’t normally drink a lot of 100% Chardonnay sparkling, but I’m also not one to pass up a glass of any kind of bubbles if its on offer. The Taltarni Blanc de Blancs did not disappoint with its flavours for both year’s vintages! Both had delicious notes of green apple and cinnamon with a hint of toastiness from the traditional method of production. This means you’ll find notes of brioche, which goes oh so well with the green apple!
Read the full review for the 2016 here and the 2015 here.
Top Sparkling wine honourable mention: Primo Estate Primo Secco
The honourable mention has to go to my dad’s go-to celebration wine: the Primo Estate Primo Secco. This wine has been enjoyed at many of our birthdays this year, and it was on the menu for Christmas too! This prosecco is fresh, crunchy and zippy. I love how dry this wine is with hints of pear and apple on the palate. It’s perfect for warmer weather and celebrations of any kind!
Find out more here.
In summary: my top wines of 2020
It was hard to write this list because honestly there have been so many incredible wines I’ve had the privilege of tasting this year. I don’t think I’ve really had anything I haven’t enjoyed, and that’s a testament to our incredible Australian wine industry. Despite the hardships of this year, they continue to produce amazing wines that always knock my socks off! So I think we can all do our part and support them in return! I hope this list gives you a little taste and some inspiration for some new wines for you to try!