Tahbilk 2022 Pinot Gris

There are a lot of Australian wineries making "Alsace-style" pinot gris, but very few hit the target like this new release from Tahbilk in Victoria. This is floral and fruit-driven with spicy pear and musky notes to the fore, and is extremely food friendly, as well as offering terrific value. There is a bright, minerally acidity to the finish that means it will pair well with French to Vietnamese cuisine - and anything in between. The fruit was picked late for maximum flavour impact but still has some judicious restraint. Lovely stuff. Drink now. $20. https://tahbilk.com.au/ 

Chateau les Maurins 2020 Bordeaux

 

This is another bargain buy from Aldi supermarkets; a a very quaffable medium-bodied Bordeaux for under a tenner. This is a classic blend of 60% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc from the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation. There are some dark blackberry and blackcurrant fruit notes here but also some attractive savoury/leafy hints. The finish is soft and smooth and it paired brilliantly with a roast lamb en croute. Remarkable value. $9.99.

Clandestine Vineyards Break Free 2022 Bliss Bomb

 

Pét Nat is not usually my preferred style of wine, but this one - and its still sibling Petit Blancs - took my fancy, and also found favour with my tasting group. Break Free "natural" wines are the brainchild of Trudy Rowles Stacy, part of the Clandestine Vineyards team, and were born from a desire to showcase grapes vinified with zero intervention. This is produced using the méthode ancestral, meaning it was bottled prior to fully completing its first fermentation and is unfined and unfiltered. This nifty little cloudy number is made from 100% Swan Valley chenin blanc. It is a cheeky wine, with just 10.5% alcohol, plenty of zingy, fruity and spicy vibrancy, along with high refreshment value. Serve with a cheese platter. $32. https://clandestinevineyards.com.au/break-free-vin-nat/

Oliver's Taranga 2022 Chica Mencia Rosé

 

It has only taken a handful of vintages for this to become one of Australia's most reliable high-quality dry rosé styles. Made from the Spanish grape mencia, grown in Galicia and sometimes known as jaen, this is a quintessential summer lunch wine that is full of youthful vibrancy and refreshment and would pair brilliantly with charcuterie and hard cheese. It is made by Corrina Wright, a sixth-generation member of the Oliver family in McLaren Vale, who also produce a dry red made from the same grape. $27. www.oliverstaranga.com