5 Red Picks For This Season: From Australia, Spain and France

September 25, 2025
Mia Tang

Our new favourite reds for this season are in. But before we get to the list, here's what to expect: The vibe? Wines with a point of view. Made with a light touch and a lot of intention. For us, it’s not just the grape but what the winemaker lets happen. Think minimal intervention, maximum personality. Some are juicy and lifted, others are earthy and wild, but all are of honest pour that are bounded to spark a little if you sip it with an open mind.

A Few Things to Know Before You Sip

Some of these wines might benefit from a short decant for 15–30 minutes.
Don’t serve too warm. Due to difference in climate, what is recommended to be served in room temperature might require longer chill time in Malaysia to get more freshness.
Funky on the nose? That’s often just natural fermentation doing its thing. Give it a swirl.
Pair with food to taste the full potential! Anything salty, grilled, spiced, or fermented work beautifully even with local dishes.

Our Picks

These 5 bottles come from producers who work with little interference, letting the soil, climate, and vintage show up in the glass. They’re raw, textured, and sometimes even surprising in a good way.

🌋 Envínate ‘Migan’ Tinto 2021 (Tenerife, Spain)

Grape: Listán Negro

Character: Light, smoky, volcanic, energetic

Why it stands out: Grown on black volcanic soils in the Canary Islands, this red has insane lift with the combination of strawberries and sea breeze with a touch of smoke. Whole-cluster fermented and aged in concrete and old oak, it's as raw and expressive as the landscape it comes from.

Try it with: Grilled eggplant, sambal stingray, or anything with char.

🍇 Place of Changing Winds Syrah Harcourt 2022 (Victoria, Australia)

Grape: Syrah

Character: Cool-climate, spicy, structured, quietly intense

Why it stands out: From one of Australia’s most exciting new wine projects, this Syrah is grown at high elevation on granite-rich soils in Harcourt. Expect layers of black pepper, plum skin, and herbal lift — more Rhône than Barossa, with no heavy oak to get in the way. Minimal intervention, maximum nuance.

Try it with: Peppery beef stir-fry, grilled lamb, or mushroom rendang.

🍷 Joan Rubió Ull de Llebre 2022 (Penedès, Spain)

Grape: Ull de Llebre (Catalan for Tempranillo)

Character: Rustic, herbal, wild-fruited, Catalan soul

Why it stands out: This is Tempranillo like you’ve never had it. Grown biodynamically in Penedès and vinified with zero additions, Joan Rubió's take is fresh, raw, and expressive — a lighter, earthier version of Spain’s most famous grape. Fermentation in amphora and long lees aging gives it texture without heaviness.

Try it with: Flame-grilled satay, smoked duck, or nasi ulam.

🧔 Aymeric Paillard ‘Petit Père’ Saint-Joseph 2021 (Northern Rhône, France)

Grape: Syrah

Character: Elegant, peppery, mineral, lean power

Why it stands out: This is Rhône Syrah in its purest form — no makeup, no excess. Grown on steep granite slopes and made with a minimalist approach, ‘Petit Père’ is all about freshness, spice, and structure. Black olive, graphite, violet… and just enough grip to remind you it’s built to last.

Try it with: Char siu, beef short ribs, or soy-braised mushrooms.

🌿Isabel Ferrando ‘Beatus Ille’ 2023 (Côtes-du-Rhône, France)

Grape: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah

Character: Juicy, floral, vibrant, sun-kissed

Why it stands out: From the iconic winemaker behind Domaine Saint-Préfert, this Rhône red blends Grenache and Cinsault with a touch of Syrah for extra depth. No oak, just concrete to stay lifted, smooth, and pulsing with red fruit and herbs. The kind of wine that’s elegant without trying too hard.

Try it with: Roasted chicken, grilled veggies, or fried noodle.

Why You Should Try Them

Whether you're after something lifted and floral or deep and structured, these bottles here bring something unexpected to the table. Made by winemakers who trust their fruit more than fancy tricks, they definitely come with edge that is raw, real, and ridiculously good with food. So, you're ready to drink beyond the usual suspects, these are the ones worth uncorking.