Best Australian red wines for drinking now

2015 Ochota Barrels “I Am the Owl Syrah”, Adelaide Hills, SA

Not all these young reds need to be drunk early. Some – this one in particular – have what it takes to age gracefully for many years, as well as being ravishing right now: stunning amalgam of black pepper and black berries and sinewy black tannin. $40, ochotabarrels.com

2015 Bobar Syrah, Yarra Valley, Vic

A wine of two halves: initially it comes across pale, angular and spritzy, but as you splash it around in a big glass, it settles into a lovely, pinot noir-like groove of silky autumnal berries and forest-floor funk. $30, tomeb@iprimus.com.au

2015 Lowe Tinja Preservative Free Shiraz, Mudgee, NSW

If you doubt that preservative-free wine can be as delicious as “normal” wine, try this: it’s medium-bodied, with juicy black fruit balanced by dry, refreshing tannin. $22, lowewine.com.au

2015 Eldridge Estate PTG, Mornington Peninsula, Vic

Winemaker David Lloyd has nailed this, modelled on Burgundy’s early-drinking Passetoutgrains, a blend of pinot noir and gamay. With juicy cherry fruit and snappy tannin, it’s best slightly chilled. $30, eldridge-estate.com.au

2015 Boovability Chateaubriand Petit Verdot, Rylstone, NSW

A surprise package: the petit verdot grape is renowned for inky, full-bodied wine that needs years to mature, but this one is bright and slurpable right now. $35, theotherbordeaux.com.au

2015 Oakridge Meunier, Yarra Valley, Vic

I don’t know why more Australian winemakers aren’t planting pinot meunier and making red wines like this. It’s like pinot noir’s rustic cousin: medium colour and body but loads of berry compote and sweet compost flavours. $26, oakridgewines.com.au

2015 La Violetta Nova Syrová, WA

This blend of shiraz, grenache, nebbiolo, pinot and mourvèdre is a deceptive beast: it’s rather pale in the glass, and starts out soft, fragrant and vanilla-powdery, but over time it grabs your tongue deliciously and refuses to let go. $32, laviolettawines.com.au

2015 Mr Mick Novo Sangiovese, Clare Valley, SA

Terrific value, this: really pretty purple wine with fragrant sweet black fruit, medium-bodied roundness and some gamy tannin grunt. Very quaffable – especially if there’s a good wood-fired Margherita pizza on the table, too. $17, mrmick.com.au

2015 Whistler Get In My Belly Grenache, Barossa Valley, SA

I have a soft spot for Barossa grenache – I love its earthiness, its warm generosity of flavour. This is a lovely example, with spicy perfume, mouth-filling red fruit characters and supple, tongue-hugging tannin. Try with slow-smoked barbecue ribs. $35, whistlerwines.com.au

2015 Shadowfax Mondeuse, Werribee, Vic

Talk about unexpected: mondeuse, a fairly obscure fragrant red grape originally from the Savoie region of France, planted in the rich red soils of Werribee, south-west of Melbourne. The result? Deliciously crunchy, tangy, vivid purple wine. $25, shadowfax.com.au