Pooley 2019 Butcher's Hill Chardonnay

 

What a way to finish 2020! Tasmania is offering quite a challenge to the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula when it comes to premium cool-climate chardonnay. This single-vineyard wine from the Coal Rover Valley provides compelling evidence. Hand picked, whole bunch pressed to tank, cold settled, 100% barrel fermented and then matured in oak for nine months, it is among the most impressive chardonnays of the year. Think ripe pear notes, white peach and zingy citrus with 40% new oak playing a support role when it comes to flavour. Texturally pleasing, fresh and beguiling. I defy you to stop at just one glass. $65. www.pooleywines.com.au/

Feudo Arancio 2018 Nero d'Avola

 

If money is tight post-Christmas and you are looking for a wine to accompany leftover turkey and ham cold cuts, I have a winner for you. Meet a rather lovely Nero d'Avola from one of the better producers in Sicily that offers quite ridiculous value for money. Imported by Single Vineyard Cellars, it is a delightful medium-bodied red wine with red fruit flavours to the fore. Versatile, it would also pair well with risotto, pasta dishes, pizzas and mushroom dishes. $20. www.singlevineyards.com.  

Berton Vineyards Metal Range 2020 Sauvignon Blanc

The packaging may suggest an expensive white - but looks are deceiving in this case and you can buy this at a bargain price. It is a serious crowd pleaser, a lively sauvignon blanc made from cool-climate Padthaway fruit with a high refreshment index that would go down a treat with a barbecue or at a Christmas party. Tropical fruit flavours are to the fore here, but it is well balanced and lingering for the modest price tag. $14. www.bertonvineyards.com.au

Port Phillip Estate 2020 Pinot Nouveau

 

Calling all lovers of Beaujolais Nouveau, light red wines from the Loire and pinots barely out of short pants. Have I got a summer treat for you. This is a super little wine for enjoying chilled with a picnic, or dinner on a warm evening. Think whole-bunch wild fermentation, (brief) maturation in big old French large-format oak, malo and no fining with minimal filtration and SO2. The end result; a lively, precociously seductive red that is bright and perky with berry flavours, lightness and delicacy. Pair with pork spare ribs, or a chicken salad. Terrific value at $26. www.portphillipestate.com.au/