Marnong Estate 2025 Rosé

 

Marnong Estate, whose winemaking team is headed by former Briar Ridge winemaker Alex Beckett, is very much a name to watch after recent major investments made in both the vineyards and a slick new high-tech winery. Marnong is based at Sunbury, on the fringe of the Macedon Ranges and just a short drive from Melbourne Airport. This new release is a delightfully fresh summer quaffer made from shiraz grapes but light and vibrant with tropical fruit aromas and strawberries and cream vivacity on the palate. Serve will chilled with canapés, or with a picnic. $25. https://marnongestate.com.au/ 

Feudo Arancio 2024 Grillo

 

Feudo Arancio is an Italian producer - based in Sicily - that delivers a wide range of Italian wine tastes at very fair prices. The name means "orange farm" and this an impressively floral, dry, tropical and textural white wine that offers outstanding value. It is a white that combines palate richness with crisp acid on the finish, making it a very versatile choice for summer quaffing. Grillo is a popular grape in Sicily, where it matches with the local seafood. The tropical fruit salad notes here also make it a great choice for pairing with roasted or grilled chicken dishes. It is also well suited to sipping well chilled in the backyard on a summer afternoon. It is imported by Sydney-based Single Vineyard Sellers, who bring in a range of excellent Italian wines. $20. https://www.singlevineyards.com/

Williams Crossing 2024 Pinot Noir

Williams Crossing is the entry level label for stellar Macedon Ranges wine producer Curly Flat and this one offers some exceptional value for pinot lovers who enjoy their red wines young, fresh and immediately approachable. Red berry fruits are to the fore here with whole-bunch elements adding earthy/herbal characters that lift it from simple to slurpable. This is a bright, high-acid pinot made using declassified Curly Flat Estate pinot noir barrels that finishes with crisp but well balanced acidity. The Curly Flat team says it is "made for easy sipping" and it paired brilliantly with some runny Brie cheese and crackers. Lovely stuff. $34. https://curlyflat.com/wines/2024-williams-crossing-pinot-noir/

Longview 2025 The Whippet Sauvignon Blanc

 

Sauvignon blanc may no longer be as fashionable as it once was, but when it is as impressive as this one, it still merits a place in wine fridges for summer. From a reliably excellent family-owned producer at Macclesfield in the Adelaide Hills, this is lighter-bodied, quite dry, and impressively varietal; a perfect companion for fish and chips, or salt and pepper squid. This has a nice balance between herbaceous and tropical fruit notes and finishes brisk and crisp. The 2025 vintage was very dry and the fruit was picked early but thankfully quality is impressive. Fermented in stainless steel but a small portion went through barrel ferment and underwent some lees stirring to build a little complexity. Lovely stuff. $28. https://www.longviewvineyard.com.au/

Kooyong 2023 Nord Pinot Noir

 

Kooyong/Port Phillip Estate winemaker TIm Perrin and his team left me in a bit of a bind. I tasted their 2023 Faultline Chardonnay and was keen to review that, then the 2024 Massale Pinot Noir impressed me. Both, however, were outshone - albeit only marginally - by the inaugural release of this stunning special occasion Nord Pinot Noir. Made from a small single vineyard block that is peaking at 15 years of age, this is stellar Mornington Peninsula cool-climate pinot from a label that does not put a foot wrong. The floral, intense 2023 Nord is beautifully balanced with elegance and plush tannins on the finish. A wine of structure and style. Pair with Chinese roast duck. $85. https://www.portphillipestate.com.au/

Mount Horrocks 2025 Watervale Riesling

 

Stephanie Toole is one of the very best riesling makers in Australia and this new release can only add to her reputation, particularly as peak seafood season is with us. Whether you are grilling some prawns on the barbecue, grabbing some takeaway fish and chips or crafting a lobster salad you won’t go wrong with this exquisitely nuanced dry riesling from a small, family-owned, organic/biodynamic producer. Think lime essence, slatey minerality, intense energy and tight acidity. Everything you’d want from a Clare Valley riesling from a perfect vintage. $42. https://www.mounthorrocks.com/

The Other Wine Co 2025 Sangiovese

Young, fresh and juicy sangiovese is such a delight. This vibrant new release was a very good match with spaghetti bolognaise, and would go just as well with a spring barbecue, I suspect. It is only the second release of a sangiovese under this label with grapes sourced from cool-climate vineyards in the Mount Lofty Ranges. The wines for this "value" and "drink now" brand are made at associated label Shaw+Smith, in the nearby Adelaide Hills. This is gloriously gluggable with floral aromas and bright red and black fruit notes, hints of fresh spices and some brisk acidity on the finish. Well worth snapping up a couple of bottles with an RRP of $29. https://www.theotherwineco.com/

De Bortoli 2024 Cool-Climate Pinot Noir

It is becoming increasingly hard to find affordable cool-climate Australian pinot noir - but this one is an exception to that rule. Made by Kate Webber and Jai Harrop - young winemakers from wine dynasties - this offers a lot of fresh, vibrant pinosity, along with excellent value. It is a fresh and appealing "drink now" style of pinot with varietal appeal and crispness on the finish. This sits on the lighter-side of the spectrum, making it extremely - and immediately - food friendly. It is a blend of fruit from several different Yarra Valley vineyards that is bright and fun with some whole bunch and older oak very much in the background. Splash out on a some duck pancakes from a local Chinese restaurant. $25. www.debortoli.com.au

Soumah 2024 Single Vineyard Hexham Marzemino

 

Yarra Valley producer Soumah is becoming a reliable source of multiple interesting wines made from Italian varietals. Marzemino is a native of Trentino in northern Italy and is genetically a cousin of shiraz, although it has a reputation for being disease prone and being difficult to manage. While sometimes used in red blends, in Trentino it is made as a varietal wine. This Australian take has vibrant acid and a medium/light body, alongside impressive length and structure, making it very food friendly. In Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, the lead character calls out for a glass of marzemino. I'm with him. Delightfully different. $40. https://soumah.com.au/

Oakridge 864 2023 Drive Block Funder & Diamond Chardonnay

 

The 864 collection represents the very best of Oakridge's Yarra Valley portfolio, which is legendary for its almost obscene consistency of quality. The name 864 pays homage to the winery's Coldstream street address and the 2023 vintage marks the 12th release of this single-block chardonnay - a wine that many would pick as fine Burgundy when tasted blind. It is a vinous superstar - as its sibling the Henk Aquaduct Block. The grapes are hand harvested, whole-bunch pressed to large format French oak (20% new), wild-yeast fermented, matured for 10 months on lees then transferred to tank for an additional six months on lees prior to bottling. The end result: stunningly precise, pure and citrus-guided chardonnay with length, elegance, linearity and immediate appeal. Super stuff. $100. www.oakridgewines.com.au.

Devil's Lair 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon

 
This was my personal standout at a recent Treasury Collective portfolio tasting event for wine media. Drinking brilliantly in its youth, it is fresh, vibrant and ready to enjoy with red meat dishes. It is dark with blackberry and cassis flavours allied to classy French oak, showcasing fruit from the warmer north of Margaret River. What is immensely impressive is how stylish and elegant it is. There is serious poise and structure here. With a retail price of under $50 it is no surprise that this is virtually sold out at cellar door, but there is still some in retail land if you move quickly. Highly recommended. 96 points. $50. https://www.devils-lair.com.au/

Rewild of Murray Darling 2025 Sauvignon Blanc

 

This is an ideal choice for anyone looking for a cheap and cheerful bottle of white wine in the fridge for when friends drop around. Or for quaffing well chilled on the back deck after a long day at work, It is a bargain buy from the "sustainable" wine brand from Duxton Vineyards in the Murray Darling region, presumably picked early to preserve some zingy, zesty varietal fruit characters. I like its clean, pure tropical fruit notes, bright acid - and the price. It is available nationally at Dan Murphy’s and selected BWS stores nationally at an RRP from $9.99. Pair with fish and chips. https://rewildwine.com.au/

Chateau Tanunda 50-Year-Old Vines 2022 Shiraz

Château Tanunda is an icon of the Barossa; established in 1890 and home to some of the region’s oldest vineyards. In 2025, Château Tanunda is celebrating its 135th anniversary and the wines being produced by the Geber family are outstanding; made in traditional forceful but balanced Barossa style. The wines are exported to over 35 countries - a success story by any measure. This is an impressively big and bold Barossa shiraz with a twinkle in its eye. While it can be enjoyed now, this could easily be cellared for a decade or two. A wine for pulling out for a special birthday or anniversary. Pair with a lamb roast, or T-Bone steak. $80. https://chateautanunda.com/ 

De Bortoli 2023 The Estate Vineyard Chardonnay

 

There is a gradual passing of the baton at De Bortoli Yarra Valley with Kate Webber, daughter of winemaker Steve Webber and Leanne de Bortoli, the winemaker of this precise and pristine chardonnay. The Estate Vineyard released are hand-crafted wines that aim to reflect the characters of the family vineyards - and this is outstanding with nectarine and grapefruit notes to the fore. A cool 2023 vintage has resulted in bright acidity, pure fruit flavours and impressive length. I could drink bucketloads of this, paired with old school roast pork, crackling and all the trimmings; or maybe some pan-fried fish. Very good buying for $25. https://www.debortoli.com.au/

Tahbilk 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

Australians are blessed to be able to enjoy wines of this quality at such reasonable prices. This is one of the stars of a new release package from Tahbilk, a Central Victorian winery that was established back in 1860 and is one of Australia's oldest family-owned wineries. It has been owned and operated by the Purbrick family for a century. Think dark blackcurranty fruit matured mainly in older oak, hints of herbs, spice and classic mint. Very food-friendly and versatile and extremely affordable for a wine that could grace any dinner party. $24. www.tahbilk.com.au.

Craggy Range 2024 Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc

 

Craggy Range is based in Hawke's Bay but this appealing sauvignon blanc is made from fruit sourced from the Te Muna Road vineyard in Martinborough. Most of the top Kiwi savvys come from Marlborough, but this is well worth looking out for with its intense palate and impressive minerality. I'm told the cooler climate of Martinborough aids its aromatic appeal and steely characters. Matured in a combo of stainless steel tanks and French oak barriques and puncheons that have added texture, it pairs well with everything from pan-fried scallops to a Thai stir fry. It also has more personality than a lot of its Kiwi siblings. Lovely stuff. $38. https://craggyrange.com/ 

Terre a Terre 2021 Crayeres Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Shiraz

If you need a wine for a special occasion but don't want to take out a mortgage to pay for it then this new release from Terre a Terre is well worth considering. Xavier Bizot and Lucy Croser have crafted an impressive red blend that manages to be both powerful and elegant. Estate-grown fruit from Wrattonbully: cabernet sauvignon (58%), shiraz and cabernet franc (both 21%) have been blended seamlessly to create a dark-fruited red with complexity and immediate appeal. Oak plays a key role in a wine that unfolds across the palate and finishes soft and spicy. I'd give this one a year or two in the cellar, but if you can't wait maybe pair it with a steak and kidney casserole. 95 points from me. $90. https://terreaterre.com.au/

2021 Crayères Vineyard

Reserve Cabernet Shiraz

$90 per bottle | $540 per six pack

The Reserve is made each time using the best parcels of Cabernet (Sauvignon and Franc) and Shiraz from our estate vineyard.

2021 provided perfect growing conditions in Wrattonbully; slightly cooler than the 40-year average and a classic vintage in line with 2019 and 2020. It is an eminently Australian wine style, with black and red fruit and floral aromas, velvety tannins and superbly balanced palate texture.

Castle Rock Estate 2024 Diletti Pinot Noir

 

Winemaker Rob Diletti's wines have been on fire over recent vintages. I've tasted some stunning riesling releases from Castle Rock Estate - the winery his parents founded - and the 2024 pinot noirs are similarly impressive. The 2024 Castle Rock Estate ‘Diletti’ Pinot Noir was made with a combination of whole-bunch fermentation, semi-carbonic maceration and pigeage. What is much more important, however, is that is is disarmingly drinkable, even in its youth - a satisfying result from a vintage in the Great Southern region of West Australia that Diletti describes as "challenging". The final product is a very lively, bright-fruited pinot with impressive length and structure. Pair with grilled gourmet sausages. $55. www.castlerockestate.com.au

Brokenwood 2023 Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz

 

There are more powerful benchmark shirazes than this; and there are also more elegant examples. You will, however, struggle to find many that are more composed, or complete. A supermodel with a cheeky grin, this has been a Hunter Valley classic for decades, and this new release is an outstanding vintage from Stuart Hordern and his talented team. The heavy clay soil of the Graveyard vineyard in Pokolbin has produced concentrated fruit flavours with hints of rusticity; there is a brambly flow of dark fruit while 100% French oak (15% new) adds to the mouthfeel. If you have a special occasion to celebrate, then this will step up to the plate and hit a home run. 97/100. $500. www.brokenwood.com.au    

Hesketh 2024 Small Batch Pinot Blanc

 
We don't grow, or drink, a lot of pinot blanc in Australia, which is a pity, as it is a good choice for our outdoor lifestyle. There is a lot of it grown in Alsace, Germany and Hungary and it appears well suited to the cooler Adelaide Hills. This displays a nifty balance between fresh fruit vibrancy and textural palate interest, with some of the fruit fermented in stainless steel and a portion in older oak on yeast lees. There are apple and pear orchard flavours here with brisk acid,  but also some richer palate structure. It is hard to imagine any white wine lover not enjoying this given its versatility. An excellent wine for the price. Match with fish or poultry dishes, or maybe some Thai fishcakes. $28. https://heskethwinecompany.com.au/

Elderton 2023 Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon

Power and poise come together in this flagship Barossa cabernet from family-owned Elderton. It's a substantial wine, but it is also elegant, not always an easy trick to pull off. The tiny Ashmead block, planted in the 1940s, has consistently produced small parcels of excellent quality fruit and is named after the family. Hence the Ashmead. The historic property was purchased by the late Neil Ashmead and his wife Lorraine, who made their first wine under the Elderton label in 1982. Today their two sons run the business and produce excellent wines at a range of price points. This is dark with chocolate and spice notes and a luscious long finish. Bring on a roast lamb and all the trimmings. $125. To be released on September 1, so worth getting on the waiting list. https://eldertonwines.com.au/

Angullong 2024 Fossil Hill Pinot Noir

 

The Crossing family has been making wines for almost 30 years under their Angullong label, but this is the first time they have released a pinot noir from their vineyards outside of Orange, in the Central West of New South Wales. Not only is is a very good wine - it also offers exceptional value. You don't find many quality pinots for $30 or under. It's an aromatic number with florals and red fruit aromas to fore. They lead on to a juicy red-fruited palate with bright acid and hints of spice and herbs. You won't find many better reds at this price point. $30. www.angulllong.com.au. 

Kooyong Estate 2024 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

 

Talented winemaker Tim Perrin continues to produce some outstanding, Burgundian-accented chardonnays and pinot noirs using fruit from the Kooyong vineyard at Tuerong on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. All the Kooyong wines are made from domain-grown, hand-picked grapes at the estate winery. This brand-new release is disturbingly drinkable. I was sure I had only had a couple of sips, but the bottle was suddenly half empty. Kooyong boasts of sustainable viticulture and low-impact winemaking and this offers classic cool-climate chardonnay citrus/stone fruit flavours, hints of cashew and stony minerality, along with very bright acid. Beautifully balanced and charmingly assured for a wine so young, this paired amiably with some pork chops/aubergine and potato bake. $55. https://www.portphillipestate.com.au/

Clonakilla 2025 Viognier Nouveau

Here they come: just a few weeks after vintage the first wines from the 2025 season are hitting the market. Clonakilla, based at Murrumbateman, outside Canberra, is best known for its benchmark Shiraz Viognier blend, where a small portion of the viognier grape softens shiraz. Here the Rhone white variety stands alone, fermented cold and released young; strutting its stuff as a fresh, vibrant and flavoursome wine for immediate enjoyment. Think stone fruit, minerality and bright acid. Pair with vegetarian or poultry dishes. $35. www.clonakilla.com.au.   

Hay Shed Hill Block 8 2023 Cabernet Franc

 

Cabernet franc must be one of most under-rated grape varieties around. Often used as a minor element in Bordeaux blends, the variety also produces medium-bodied red wines with immediate appeal. This one found favour with my tasting group for its soft, easy style. A wine for sipping and savouring, preferably paired with dishes showcasing chicken or quail. The Hay Shed Hill Block Series wines are made from small parcels of fruit from individual blocks on the vineyard at Wilyabrup in Margaret River. This is soft and lifted with a fascinating blend of complexity and elegance. $45. https://hayshedhill.com.au/

Wynns 2024 Black Label Messenger Chardonnay

This a very impressive addition to the Wynnsday collection of wines released earlier this week by winemaker Sue Hodder and her team at Wynns Coonawarra Estate. It is a composed, very varietal cooler-climate chardonnay that also offers formidable value. The Messenger Vineyard has 32-year-old chardonnay vines, which produced stellar fruit in 2024. This is a very classy wine with plenty of flavour and a brisk acid finish. Hand-picking, whole-bunch pressing, barrel aging, and malolactic fermentation all play their role in a release that is complete and very varietal with stone fruit flavours, youthful enthusiasm and waves of texture producing a very smooth customer indeed. $45. https://www.wynns.com.au/

Lyons Will Estate 2024 Gamay

 

What a ripper! One of the best gamays in Australia, and an example of why we should see more versions of wines using the Beaujolais grape made here. This is wonderfully juicy and fresh, gloriously gluggable and ideal for serving after a short chill should that be your preference. Wild fermented and matured in older oak barrels for nine months, this has emerged as such a fun drink with dark cherry flavours to the fore. The juice had four weeks on skins to give it some vibrancy. 60% whole berry, 40% semi carbonic maceration, 100% pleasure. Unfined, unfiltered, and Vegan-friendly, this might already be in short supply given only 380 cases were made. 93 points, if points are your thing. $49. https://www.lyonswillestate.com.au/        

Henschke 2022 Keyneton Euphonium

 

Henschke makes some of Australia's most sought-after wines, including the $1000-a-bottle Hill of Grace, regarded as the best single-vineyard wine in the country. But the Henschke family - six generations in - also offers a range of far more affordable wines; like this red blend that would grace any dinner party table. A blend of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, along with small amounts of cabernet franc and merlot, it is a very stylish amalgam of fruit from the Barossa and the cooler Eden Valley. The name pays tribute to an instrument used by the former Henschke Family Brass Band. This is a very sophisticated drop that be enjoyed now, or cellared for decades. Bright and beautifully balanced with oak playing a role in creating impressive structure. $67. https://www.henschke.com.au/ 

Angullong 2022 Cossing Reserve Harriet

 

This is a pretty spectacular reserve release from a small producer in the NSW Central West. The vineyard is in the foothills of Mount Canobolas outside Orange. The property has been in the Crossing family since 1950 and was a sheep and cattle station before grape growing and winemaking started in 1998. The wines are made by the talented Canadian Jeff Byrne and this is a smooth but assertive blend of Italian varieties sangiovese, montepulciano and sagrantino that is named in honour of the family matriarch. It is a lovely, food-friendly release that is drinking very well right now; fruit and oak are in impressive harmony. Decidedly moreish. 94 points from me. $50. www.angullong.com.au.

Hesketh 2024 Rules of Engagement Pinot Grigio

 

I'm not sure how they produce a wine this good at such a low price, but lovers of fresh, vibrant young white wines are definite winners here. Made from fruit grown on the Limestone Coast, this has citrus and fruit salad notes to the fore alongside zingy natural acidity on the finish. This is a wine for enjoying in its youth, chilled, whenever you feel like it. Refreshment with a capital R given the freshness and varietal character. Check out this range: the line-priced Los Weekend Chardonnay and the Midday Somewhere Shiraz are also very impressive. Pair this with anything from ham and pineapple pizza to fish cakes, or a veggie omelette. $16. https://heskethwinecompany.com.au/

Wynns 2022 Childs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

 

The annual Wynnsday releases from Wynns Coonawarra Estate are always among the the highlights of the wine year - and this year's single vineyard selection is an absolute ripper: a classic Coonawarra cabernet that is brilliantly balanced and offers serious value, even at $80 a bottle. It is definitely one of the stars of the year so far. Planted in 1969, grapes from the Childs vineyard have consistently been a component of top releases from Sue Hodder and her winemaking team. There's plenty of length here, classic cool-climate cabernet flavours (dark berries, hints of cedar and spice) and impressively supple tannins. Enjoy now or cellar for up to 20 years. Super impressive. Pair with a veal schnitzel. $80. 

St Hugo 2022 Barossa Shiraz

 

Wine lovers are always looking for the next big thing, while often ignoring old favourites in their search. St Hugo is a label that has been delivering quality red wines for several decades, and this is an exceptional good Barossa shiraz with all the flavour and power that you'd expect, but also with some sophisticated style and swagger. A brambly/herbal/spicy nose leads on to a palate where there is perfect harmony between fruit and oak and a whole lot of length and grippy tannins. Perfect for pairing with just about any red meat dish, or taking to a dinner party. $55. The website, however, is downright annoying. https://www.sthugo.com/  

   

Riddoch Coonawarra 2022 The Representative Cabernet Merlot

 

There are few regions of Australia that produce consistently excellent cabernets and cabernet blends than Coonawarra, and this new release from Riddoch winemaker Matthew Reimann offers excellent weekend drinking at a price that might allow you to also enjoy the occasional bottle midweek. This is a wine that manages to combine both power and elegance, with dark berry flavours allied astutely judged oak that aids and abets rather than dominating. There is plenty of flavour here, plenty of length and lots of drinking pleasure for $40. A nice foil for calves' liver and onions. www.riddochcoonawarra.com.au   

Domaine Jean Defaix 2023 Chablis

 

I'm old school in that I prefer my Chablis wines to be crisp and clean with purity, clarity, minerality and acid to the fore. If you are a traditionalist who likes your Chablis vibrant and wood free then this delivers in spades. It was one of the stars of the recent Negociants Imported Wine Odyssey tastings. Made by Daniel Dampt, who also produces his own range. Completely unoaked, as is the tradition with the domaine, this is a thrilling example of unadulterated chardonnay. Pair it with a roast pork and crackling for a winter wine and food treat. $65. https://www.negociants.com/au/home

Ekin 2023 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir

 

It is hard nowadays to find quality cool-climate pinot noir that is affordable, but this one delivers in spades. Ekin is a joint venture between wine industry duo Mark Vella and Brad Case, producing impressive-value wines from Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills. The range also includes a very decent Adelaide HIlls chardonnay but this was the standout for me: a mellifluous, well-mannered pinot that strikes just the right balance between bright fruit, subtle oak and savoury notes. It went down with considerable ease and is well worth checking out at just $25. https://ekinwineco.com.au   

Vasse Felix 2023 Single Plot DHJ1 Chardonnay

 

What a stunningly complete bottle this is. It is the third vintage of this limited-release wine that is a brilliant example of precise, Burgundy-accented, cooler-climate Australian chardonnay. The fruit is grown on a tiny plot in the coolest pocket of a vineyard in Wallcliffe in Margaret River that receives cooling influences from both the Indian and Southern oceans. It is a wine of purity and length that has seen only older, lighter oak to let the elegant characters of the grapes shine through. It's all about the fruit here, largely unadulterated. Unfined, unfiltered and dramatically drinkable. Flinty, citrusy and complex with brilliantly tangy acid on the finish. $80. https://www.vassefelix.com.au/

Port Phillip Estate 2023 Morillon Single Block Pinot Noir

 

Vintage after vintage, winemaker after winemaker, the twin labels of Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate produce reliably excellent wines from a range of sites on the Mornington Peninsula. This stellar, composed and beautifully balanced new-release pinot noir comes from the Morillon block of the Red Hill vineyard, the Gjerga family's oldest pinot block planted back in 1987. The fruit has a distinctly minerally attitude, combined with classic cool-climate pinot flavours and a suave, stylish, smooth finish. We paired this with an Italian style sausage and kidney casserole. Cross cultural but delicious. Good work from winemaker Tim Perrin. $75. https://www.portphillipestate.com.au/   

Curly Flat 2024 White Pinot

Here's something a little bit different from the outstanding Curly Flat winery in Victoria's Macedon Ranges. It's a rosé in disguise: whole bunch-pressed pinot noir allowed a couple of hours of skin contact to give it a very pale pink colour. It was barrel fermented in older, neutral oak for palate interest with texture added by lees contact prior to bottling. The end result is a savoury rosé - made like a white - for chilling lightly. It has a berry/citrus tang and biting, refreshing acid on the finish. It finishes bone dry and would be a very amiable companion to a charcuterie platter. $32. https://curlyflat.com/

Grosset 2023 Gaia

 

Jeffrey Grosset is known for making very fine Clare Valley rieslings that are arguably Australia's finest, but he is far from a one-trick pony. This biodynamic blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc is a wonderfully elegant red; think having a ballerina dancing across your tongue. Volumes were down in 2023 - there were only 400 cases made - but this is a wine that can be enjoyed in its youth, or cellared confidently for a decade or more. It gets 97 points for me for its subtle power and persistence, and would be the perfect match for a classic Sunday roast with the family. $108. https://www.grosset.com.au/  

Hay Shed Hill 2024 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

What a ripper wine this is for enjoying chilled over the dying days of summer. It  is a cracking blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc from Margaret River that that is made from fruit grown on some of the oldest semillon and sauv blanc vines n the region. If you want a white that is full of flavour, vibrancy and texture then this delivers big time; and is a perfect match for pan-fried fish dishes, from flathead to sardines. Think citrusy minerality bursting with tropical fruit flavours and a lively dry finish. The blend is semillon 60%, sauvignon blanc 40% and the verdict is 100% positive. $30. https://hayshedhill.com.au/

Yalumba Y Series 2024 Pinot Noir

 

I tend to avoid cheap pinot noir like I avoid people wearing MAGA caps. It is extremely hard to find anything you'd want to drink for under $30 a bottle. Which is why this is such a good buy: it tastes like pinot noir rather than a generic soft dry red and is made by the team at Yalumba, which has been producing value wines under this label for close to a quarter of a century. Made from fruit sourced across South Australia, it is 100% wild fermented, has a melange of crisp berry flavours and finishes soft and smooth. Juicy, lively and refreshing. Excellent midweek drinking. $16. https://www.smithswinestore.com.au/ 

Tapanappa 2024 Piccadilly Chardonnay

 

The Tapanappa 2024 Piccadilly Chardonnay sits third in the pecking order of the Tapanappa chardonnay range: behind the complex duo of the Tiers Chardonnay and 1.5m Tiers Chardonnay. While that duo are destined for the long haul, this is more immediately accessible; and downright delectable on its release. It is made from grapes grown on three distinguished vineyards planted by Brian Croser in the Adelaide Hills back in the 1980s. There is a whole lot of flavour and concentration across the palate here; citrus, stone fruit, fig and spice notes, allied to quality French oak and lees maturation combine to produce a wine that has a lot to say for itself and is marked by bright, refreshing acid on the finish. Cool vintage: very cool wine. Lovely balance here. Terrific length, too. $60.  www.tapanappa.com.au.     

Turkey Flat 2023 Mataro

 

Mataro is a grape variety with something of an identity crisis. This deeply coloured, high-tannin red grape is sometimes known as mourvedre, particularly in France, where it is a key component of the wines of Bandol. In its native Spain, however, it is known as monastrell. It is also sometimes called trinchiera. Whatever you call it, this is an impressive alpha red that thrives in the heat of the Barossa and deserves to be matched with a juicy steak, or savoury mushrooms. Eight months in French oak puncheons has helped reduce its native rusticity and made it immediately approachable. $50. www.turkeyflat.com.au  

Fuedo Arancio 2020 Hekate Passito Sicilia IGT

Hare's something that is just a little deliciously different: a passito-style dessert wine from Sicily with a nutty, savoury finish. From Feudo Arancio (Orange Grove), this is an intriguing amalgam of floral aromas and sweet and savoury flavours (think raisins and apricots) with those honeyed and nutty notes on the finish. It is a blend of chardonnay, viognier and inzolia (aka ansonica) named after Hekate, a Greek goddess. The secret to the richness of passito wines is that the grapes are naturally dried, adding to the intensity of the flavours. You could enjoy this with a plate of biscotti, or serve it on the rocks with a cinnamon bun. Distributed by Single Vineyard Sellers. $65.

Moss Wood 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

There is a symphony of flavour and texture in this superb Margaret River cabernet blend from one of the region's consistently excellent producers. This an impressive result from what was a cool, difficult year in the vineyards resulting in reduced yields. A blend of 95% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot offers some thrills for lovers of classic Bordeaux styles and carries its 14% alcohol with aplomb. French oak barrels (16% new) play their role in a wine with soft, rounded tannins. This can be enjoyed on its release, but for lovers of aged reds it can be cellared for up 20 to years, the Mugford family says. Floral, with red and dark fruits, toasty oak and spice hints. A lovely, composed and balanced wine. Sold out at cellar door but you might find some in retail outlets. $150. https://www.mosswood.com.au/

Howard Park 2023 Flint Rock Chardonnay

 

This one had been sitting in my tasting stash for a few months - but I think the extra time has done it a favour as it has emerged as a seriously composed and stylish chardonnay at a price that makes it irresistible. From the Burch family's Flint Rock vineyard in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, this has undergone natural ferment and spent nine months on lees in French oak, adding complexity and texture without taking the focus away from the minerality and freshness of the fruit. This is tight, but very pleasurable. Pair with poultry dishes, or spicy seafood. $32. https://howardparkwines.com.au/

Terre à Terre 2020 Crayères Reserve

 
There is a remarkable consistency of quality to the wines made by Xavier Bizot and Lucy Croser under their Terre à Terre label. This one is just entering its drinking zone and offers impressive balance; a classic Australian blend with some added French style. The Crayères Vineyard Reserve is made using the top parcels of cabernet sauvignon (78%) and shiraz (22% ) from the estate vineyard at Wrattonbully on the Limestone Coast. Think a melange of dark and red berry fruit notes with supple tannins on a smooth, structured palate. Pair this with a lamb en croute for maximum pleasure, or cellar confidently for the next few years. $90. https://terreaterre.com.au/

The Little Wine Company 2024 Pinot Grigio

 

This is a quintessential summer wine; fresh vibrant and full of the joys of youth. It is also one of an impressive range of 2024 whites from The Little Wine Company that also includes an albarino and a pecorino. While Ian and Suzanne Little are based at Broke in the Hunter Valley, the fruit for this wine has been sourced from Central Western NSW. It has delicious stone fruit flavours and tangy, crisp acidity on the palate. It would be good to have a bottle of this in the fridge for when friends pop around. Picked early for maximum freshness, it is unoaked but full of personality. One for drinking over the next 12 months. A great buy for $24. https://www.thelittlewinecompany.com.au/