The tweet-up recently #Best’sWines was quite a hoot and really had many people talking about the destination Great Western in Victoria’s Grampians region.

Best’s is a venerable old Victorian wine company in this tiny town occupied by two wine brands: Best’s and Treasury Wine Estates.

Under the current CEO Ben Thomson since 2008 the products have been re-badged and they really look good. For a company trading since 1866, the family history and its great labels have been well preserved.

The tweet noise on September was all about the coming of the 2009 vintage of the two red grapes that the region Great Western is so famously known-shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. Being a cold growing region then these are wines of intensity.

The Best’s Bin 1 Great Western Shiraz 2009 90 (USD 23.50 ) is opulent; really a fruity style aimed at immediate drinking, hardly challenged by much underlying oak character and easy to drink. Scribes call that soft (easy on the gums). I note the producer’s tasting note talks about “rolling” tannins which would be an enjoyable sensation with this wine.

It’s companion wine Best’s Bin 1 Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 90 (USD 23.50) is a little more tannic, naturally being a drying variety, with spice and mint aromas, then some chewiness and matching acidity. Young wine released young.

The third companion was a favourite, from quite old vines, Best’s Great Western Riesling 2010 91 (USD 20.50), a simply joyous wine with lemon curd, limes and tantalising acidity which is the purpose of this grape.

It reminds me of a discovery in 2007 of the 1984 vintage of this wine-memorable. About the same time Best’s re-released the 1986 to the market as an example of top aged Victorian western districts wine.

The Best’s Bin range has its origin with the company’s original wine, Bin 0 Claret which incidentally was made from shiraz not cabernet. Cabernet was only a recent addition. Bin 0 has been made since the late 1800s but nobody knows when.

The company buy the grapes for Bin 1 from local supply, or from associated vineyards, whilst preserving the original vine material for the rarer Thomson Family Shiraz (USD 141) and Bin 0 (USD 56).

To drink a mature Great Western Shiraz from Best’s is an experience.