The woman behind Australia's cheapest award-winning wine

Remember the $5 Coles house brand wine that won Winestate's best Australian/New Zealand wine under $20 in November?

The James Busby Big & Bold Shiraz 2015 was the cheapest wine ever to win the award. The head of Winestate's judging panel, Peter Simic, described it as "a great expression of shiraz – and at an extraordinary price."

And now the canny winemaker behind it has been revealed: Jo Nash at Victoria's McPherson Wines.

Jo's boss, McPherson's general manager Gary Williams, told the The Sydney Morning Herald that she has the rare knack of being able to create both sophisticated and value-oriented wines.

"She's quite exceptional," he said. "She has the capacity of making higher-end wines, but also the higher volume value for money, commercial wine."

"Most wine consumers ... their palate is different, their taste profile is different.

"They do prefer to drink a nice fruit-driven style, not too oaky, not too alcoholic. And over time their palates develop and they move up to other brackets."

Jo also makes two of Aldi's lauded wines wines, their $12.99 Tudor Central Victorian Shiraz - which took out the trophy for Best Lighter Modied Dry - and $4.99 South Point Estate Rose - which won a coveted Blue Gold medal. 

Meanwhile, her 2013 McPherson Strathbogie Ranges Chapter Three Shiraz, priced at $29.99, also took out Blue Gold at the awards.

Her $21.99 2015 MWC Shiraz Mourvedre also won the best red blend at the Victorian Wine Show in November, while her $23.99 2014 Don't Tell Gary Shiraz was awarded 95 points by wine critic James Halliday this year.

Jo's love of winemaking doesn't end when she walks out of the McPherson cellars. Owner Andrew McPherson notes: " Jo's natural affinity with, and passion for winemaking is evident in all aspects of her life. 

"Married to a winemaker, they make small batch wine at home, enlisting their four young children to help pick the grapes and stomp on them with their bare feet."