Winsor's Choice

Wither Hills 2011 Sauvignon Blanc

2012-02-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

OK wine snobs. Time to get over yourselves. The reality is a lot of people really enjoy Marlborough sauvignon blanc. A lot of them like to enjoy a bottle or two on a sunny day, or pair some savvy with fresh seafood. Much as you'd prefer them to be drinking arneis, or albarino, the reality is they relish the style of wines the Kiwis make. So if you are looking for a classic and consistently reliable Marlborough sauvignon blanc, nicely put together, with plenty of zing and zest and a good balance between tropical and leaner herbaceous characters you'll almost certainly enjoy this vibrant young wine from one of the region's style leaders. $22. www.witherhills.co.nz.

Lark Hill 2011 Dark Horse Viognier

2012-02-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Several Australian wine producers have had a crack at the white Rhone grape variety viognier - with decidedly mixed results. Far too many end up tasting like an alcoholic version of canned apricot juice. This is a welcome counterpoint to those wines; made with restraint and passion. Lark Hill is a proven success with other aromatic white varieties, including riesling and gruner veltliner, and this wine continues in the same vein. It is floral with appealing fresh stone fruit characters, ginger notes and a hint of citrus. Wild yeast ferment has helped add complexity and texture but the key here is balance - it has only 12.5% alcohol with a refreshing slatey finish. Definitely one of Australia's better viogniers. $25. www.larkhillwine.com.au.

Highland Brae 2010 Pinot Noir

2012-01-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

Richard Tyler's ultra-neat Highland Brae vineyard is tucked away at Braeside, in the hills above Franklin, overlooking the Huon River in southern Tasmania, where he also farms Highland cattle. This new-release wine offers almost comical value for money given the wine (made by talented Nick Glaetzer at Frogmore Creek) has delightfully clean fruit flavours, varietal savoury notes and some impressive textural elements. It has already collected a silver medal at the Royal Hobart Wine Show and is extremely food friendly; we paired it with a rich mushroom soup. It's equally impressive without food, a wine for sipping and contemplating. $20. Email: richard.tyler41@bigpond.com or (03) 6266 3411.

Louee 2011 Nullo Mountain Riesling

2012-01-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

Mudgee-based David Lowe, vice-president of the Winemakers Federation of Australia, seems able to turn his talents to fruit from just about any region. Having made his reputation in the warmth of the Hunter Valley, he's now producing some of his best wines from the cool-climate, ultra-high altitude vineyards of Nullo Mountain, outside Rylstone, which stand at 1100 metres above sea level. This is a very lean, austere style of riesling, dry with some cracking natural acidity from a vineyard that is unlike any other within the Mudgee appellation. This is a wine of real character and intensity that weighs in at just 10% alcohol. Lowe predicts it will be potentially long-lived. I love it in its youth. We'll just have to agree to disagree. $25. www.lowewine.com.au.

Derwent Estate 2010 Chardonnay

2012-01-15T00:10:00.000-08:00

The chardonnay fruit from the Derwent Estate vineyard in southern Tasmania is second to none, much of it being used in Penfolds' ultra-premium Yattarna blend. This is a delightful new release with the quality and tension of that fruit shining though. Classic stone fruit and citrus flavours work harmoniously but the use of French oak by Julian Alsorso of Winemaking Tasmania hits the dial maybe one notch too hard for my taste. That said, I have no doubt the wine will become tighter-knit as time goes by. Wild yeast barrel ferments, lees stirring and malolactic fermentation all give poise and structure and it is already a lovely drink that can only get better over the next couple of years. $35. www.derwentestate.com.au.

Two Hands 2010 Gnarly Dudes Barossa Shiraz

2012-01-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

Made from gnarled old shiraz vines, this is a quintessentially Barossa Valley wine that offers excellent drinking and great value. It's a powerful wine, no doubt, but it handles its 14.8% alcohol with aplomb. There are all the black plum and dark berry characters you'd expect but the volume knob has been turned down in terms of oak and it is the fruit that is singing. It's an elegant wine when compared to many of its contemporaries, soft, easy to drink and very nicely balanced. We drank the whole bottle, which is rarely the case with Barossa shiraz nowadays. $27. www.twohandswines.com.

Hahndorf Hill 2011 GRU Gruner Veltliner

2011-12-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late out of the blocks reviewing what is arguably Australia's finest example of the Austrian grape variety gruner veltliner, known as Gru Vee to aficionados. This Adelaide Hills offering is a wonderfully aromatic wine with fresh greengage, nectarine and nashi pear notes notes and a silky texture on the palate which finishes with Granny Smith crispness and oyster shell minerality. It's a hugely food-friendly wine and would pair spectacularly well with spicy Asian cuisine. I understand it quickly sold out at cellar door, but you might find a bottle or two in up-market wine stores. $28. www.hahndorfhillwinery.com.au.

Hungerford Hill 2009 Hilltops Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-12-25T02:28:00.000-08:00

The high-altitude Hilltops region, in regional New South Wales near the town of Young, is rapidly building a reputation for quality cool-climate fruit and Hungerford Hill winemaker Michael Hatcher has certainly created a very classy wine here; inky in colour with tremendous depth of dark berry/blackcurrant fruit flavours and a hint of chocolate, this is also a wine of considerable elegance and finesse, weighing in at just 13% alcohol. A beautifully textured red, it has plenty of length and is silky, suave and beguiling; a vinous James Bond. $35. www.hungerfordhill.com.au

Capital Wines 2011 The Whip Riesling

2011-12-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

A stunning little wine from a fast-rising producer well worth keeping an eye out for. Mark and Jennie Mooney (well known for being perhaps the most prolific Tweeter in the wine industry) grow the grapes in the Canberra region and Andrew McEwin is the the winemaker. They are a proving quite a team and this is a downright delicious and zesty riesling; cooler than a mountain stream and just as refreshing. This is floral, minerally, citrusy and has great acid - and excellent length. While Jennie Mooney says this a great wine for cellaring, I say phooey. Its zesty lime sherbert characters make it just too drinkable right now to even consider putting any away. $19. www.capitalwines.com.au.

Hurley Vineyard 2009 Hommage Pinot Noir

2011-12-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Kevin Bell and Tricia Byrnes make only pinot noir from their boutique vineyards (there are three distinct sites on their property; all producing individual vineyard wines) at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula. The wines are made in tiny quantities; there are only 150 cases of this wine, 150 of the equally impressive Garamond ($70) and just 50 of the Lodestone ($60). All three wines are individually impressive but this was my favourite - just. It is a bright colour, with juicy dark plum fruit. It's supple but muscular, like a teenage gymnast, with notes of redcurrants and Asian spices and some earthy, mushroomy hints. A beautifully balanced wine with great length and structure on the palate, silkiness and bright acidity. Really lovely. $60. www.hurleyvineyard.com.au.

Chrismont 2011 La Zona Arneis

2011-12-02T21:29:00.001-08:00

Arnie Pizzini and his team at Christmont in Victoria's King Valley turn out an excellent range of wines, all at emininently reasonable prices, but this one leapt out at me. It's a delightfully different style, made from the northern Italian grape arneis, that is beautfully fresh in its youth with crisp green apple and pear notes, the merest hint of honey and some some attractive crispness and minerality on the finish. A lovely understated wine for enjoying chilled, it's one for sipping and savouring. From a winery that has a reputation for "alternative" varieties, this is one of the most impressive Australian versions of arneis I have seen; from a grape that can sometimes be a little nondescript it is nice to see a wine offering such interest. $22. www.chrismont.com.au.

Kooyong 2009 Faultline Chardonnay

2011-11-24T22:38:00.000-08:00

There are dozens of great chardonnays out there from the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley right now, but this one stands out from the crowd with its sheer purity of fruit and delicious minerality. If you are looking for a buttery blockbuster, then go elsewhere, but if you enjoy the Chablis style of chardonnay then I reckon this will ring your bell. An individual vineyard wine from chardonnay maestro Sandro Moselle, it is beautifully integrated with grapefruit and stone fruit flavours in perfect harmony with the restrained oak, which merely adds texture. An elegant wine with just 12.5% alcohol that has immense length and is an absolute pleasure to drink. $60. www.kooyong.com.

Kelvedon Estate 2011 Sauvignon Blanc

2011-11-20T13:58:00.001-08:00

One of the stars of the recent White Wine Weekend in Hobart, this Tasmanian East Coast wine has to be regarded as one of Tasmania’s (and the mainland for that matter) best sauvignon blancs. Made in a thoroughly modern style, this is a vivacious young wine, clean and fresh with bright fruit flavours but also some intriguing complexity on the palate thanks to six weeks on lees. Soft and delicate with hints of restrained tropical fruit, it finishes with crisp, appealing acidity. www.kelvedonestate.com.au. $28.

Giant Steps 2010 Arthur's Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

2011-10-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

I love the way Giant Steps releases a series of single vineyard chardonnays and pinots noir; demonstrating clearly the differences in terroir across the Yarra Valley. Winemaker Steve Flamsteed has done an excelllent job across the range but this was my favourite chardonnay, but only marginally ahead of Sexton and Tarraford vineyard releases. This is a delicate, modern chardonnay from a cool site planted in 1976. It's been through the gamut of modern winemaking techniques; whole bunch pressing, natural yeast, lees stirring, partial natural malo and 25% new oak. Despite, or perhaps because of, all that effort, the end result is a chalky, elegant wine with restrained stone fruit and delightful texture on the palate, finishing with vibrant acid. $45. wwww.giant-steps.com.au.

Grosset 2011 Polish Hill Riesling

2011-10-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Vintage after vintage Jeffrey Grosset produces a range of rieslings that are stunning in their purity and clarity – but this has to be one of his best ever; dry, tight and beautifully constructed, it has brilliant, pristine fruit characters with classic lime, lemon and grapefruit notes and some intense minerality. There's a lovely linear acid finish, concentration, persistence and a beguiling tang. I swear I had only had one glass, but my bottle was suddenly empty. Mysterious! A benchmark dy Clare Valley riesling. World class. $48. www.grosset.com.au.

Eden Road 2010 The Long Road Shiraz

2011-10-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Nick Spencer is making some very impressive wines at Eden Road and this shiraz underlines his talent. It's made from fruit grown at several vineyards down the road from Murrumbateman at Gundagai, which has soils that produce perfumed, gravelly and minerally wine styles. There's some lovely bright fruit here that has been matured in 3-4 year old French oak puncheons for 14 months prior. The oak is barely perceptible in the finished article, however, merely adding structure and interest to the palate. A delightful wine with delicate tannins and great value for the price. $22. www.edenroadwines.com.au.

Dominique Portet 2011 Fontaine Rosé

2011-10-21T00:53:00.000-07:00

Another impressively dry new-wave rosé from father and son team Dominique and Ben Portet in the Yarra Valley - the ninth and 10th generations of family winemakers. This is worthy wine for inclusion in the second Rosé Revolution, a blend of merlot, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon from the Yarra and Pyrenees. It's a disturbingly drinkable wine with intense red fruit aromas and flavours but with a dry and savoury finish. Chill this down, serve it with a picnic and watch it disappear at breakneck speed. $20. www.dominiqueportet.com

Lock & Key 2011 Hilltops Riesling

2011-10-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

If you love classic dry riesling but are on a tight budget, this is a name well worth remembering. From the Moppity vineyard outside Young in New South Wales, it is an absolute bargain at a recommended retail price of around $16 - more so given it can sometimes be found discounted to considerably less. It has lemon zest fragrance, oodles of lime and grapefruit character on the quite austere palate and delightfully zingy racy acidity on the finish. A pristine and appealing partner for oysters, pan-fried seafood or Thai cuisine. $15. www.moppity.com.au.

De Iuliis 2009 Steven Vineyard Shiraz

2011-10-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that Mike de Iuliis is among the brightest young winemaking talents in the Hunter Valley. His 2011 semillon was one of the standouts of a recent Twitter tasting and this is another excellent offering made from the Hunter's other key grape variety. Inky, with intense black pepper and wild berry aromas, it is full bodied on the palate with dark, rich fruit flavours, hints of earthiness and considerable poise and elegance (and only 13% alcohol). A singe-vineyard wine from one of the Hunter's best blocks, this will almost certainly cellar well for a decade or more. $40. www.dewine.com.au.

DiGiorgio Family 2008 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-10-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

The DiGiorgio family are unsung heroes of the Limestone Coast wine region, producing nicely balanced wines at very fair prices. This is a classic - and affordable - Coonawarra cabernet with ripe, supple and sweet dark fruit characters matched by black olives notes, soft tannins and unobtrusive toasty French oak. Made by veteran Coonawarra winemaker Peter Douglas in the historic former Rouge Homme winery, this ticks all the regional boxes and will probably cellar well for a decade or more. But my bet is most of it will be drunk relatively young - it's a hard wine to resist. $26. www.digiorgio.com.au.

Bests Great Western 2011 Riesling

2011-09-24T01:19:00.000-07:00

What a stunning wine this is; a real crowd pleaser with fresh, vibrant citrus flavours leaping out of the glass at you. Riesling has been grown in the Great Western region of Victoria since the 1860s with the diurnal variations ideal for the variety. That said, few recent new releases have shone as brightly in their youth as this, which combines both power and finesse. It's the pure, crystaline fruit that shines with floral, zesty lemon and lime aromas and flavours, excellent minerality and delightfully zingy acidity, along with a couple of grams of residual sugar to add interest, and sensible alcohol levels at 11.5%. A brilliant buy for the price. $24. www.bestswines.com.

Glaymond 2009 ASIF Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-09-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Glaymond is a second label for Barossa Valley "alternative" varieties specialist Damien Tscharke. While shiraz is king in the Barossa, this rather bolshy cabernet impressed me as the best of the new Glaymond releases. It's extremely concentrated with a range of dark berry and currant flavours on the palate, violets, hints of mint, soft, almost plush, tannins and an extremely long, mouthfilling finish. Big, but very stylish and not to be trifled with, if this wine were an actress it would be Christina Hendricks from Mad Men. $32. www.tscharke.com.au

Ocean Eight 2010 Pinot Gris

2011-09-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

There is a wide variation in both style and quality among Australian pinot gris/grigio. This Mornington Peninsula wine is undoubtedly one of the best with plenty of stone-fruit flavours to the fore, pears and white peaches, but also impressive textural complexity as a result of barrel fermentation. There’s a good balance between savoury notes and fresh fruit, and a refreshing acid finish. Winemaker Mike Aylward recently won the 2011 Young Guns of Wine award. $38. www.oceaneight.com.au.

Margan Limited Release 2009 White Label Barbera

2011-09-04T01:35:00.000-07:00

Hunter vigneron Andrew Margan has an afinity with the Italian grape variety barbera, even though it comprises only a tiny proportion of his total output. This was made from the first barbera vines planted in the region; from Italian root stock. It's a very aromatic and savoury red, medium-bodied with fine tannins and lots of acid. Very food friendly, I'd pair it with a rich rabbit casserole. $30. www.margan.com.au

Skimstone 2011 Sangiovese Rosé

2011-08-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

Josh Clementsen handcrafts some very good estate-grown wines in tiny quantities using fruit from the Skimstone vineyard at Apple Tree Flat, just outside Mudgee. He has a definite bias towards Italian varieties and this sangiovese rosé is outstanding. Very much made in the new-wave style, it is bright pink and bone dry with with impressive savoury notes along with some assertive cranberry, strawberry and red cherry characters and impressive linear acidity. This outshone several bigger name rosés in a reecent tasting. A terrific food wine and great value for $22. www.skimstone.com.au.

Mount Langi Ghiran 2008 Billi Billi Shiraz

2011-08-20T02:35:00.000-07:00

This is the budget shiraz from renowned Grampians winery Mount Langi Ghiran and it gets a capital V for value from me even if the fruit is drawn from three different regions; home soil, Bendigo and Swan Hill. The whole cool-climate shiraz thing is going on here with plenty of pepper and spice on the medium-weight palate with some fine tannin action, but there's also plenty of sweet dark fruit flavours (and 14.5% alcohol). A terrific wine for affordable everyday drinking pleasure.$18. www.langi.com.au.

Dopff au Moulin 2008 Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg

2011-08-13T00:28:00.000-07:00

The aromatic white wines of Alsace are often sadly overlooked but when they shine, like one, they are absolutely outstanding. Mind you, Dopff au Moulin has been making wines in the fairytale village of Riquewihr since 1574 and is still a family business, so they've had a fair bit of practice. Made from fruit grown on a grand cru hillside site, this is a pleasant enough wine on its own, but it blossoms with food (in our case a Thai green chicken curry). It has a lovely floral bouquet and the palate is dry, flinty and minerally with beautiful balance and structure. And the good news is it is bottled under screw cap for the Australian market. Available at Dan Murphy's stores. $30.

Tyrrell's 2011 Fordwich Verdelho

2011-08-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

The Portuguese grape verdelho has found a home away from home in the warmth of the Hunter Valley, where it produces wines that are undoubted crowd-pleasers if not much loved by aficionados. Made from fruit grown in the Broke-Fordwich sub-region, this is an early-release, early-drinking style of wine that is unashamedly fruit driven with hints of pineapple, guava and tropical lime on the palate. It's a lifted, uncomplicated quaffer with lashings of sweet fruit but it finishes quite dry with some nice zingy acid. Unoaked, it is a crisp, clean wine designed for serving well chilled. Pair it with Thai stir-fries, or perhaps crab with avocado. $17.

Majella 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-07-29T02:12:00.000-07:00

There are certain small producers whose wines have the X-Factor that makes them stand out from the crowd. Cullen, Clonakilla and Grosset are among those that come to mind and to that list I am tempted to add Majella, whose Coonawarra range, right from its budget The Musician release to the high-end Malleea blend, are beautifully constructed wines, always a pleasure to drink. This has plenty of ripe, juicy berry fruit characters but it is also beautifully knitted together with complexity and elegance. Despite being a young wine it has some very attractive softness on the long. lingering palate with French oak very much in the background. It's a bargain for the price and I'd be ashamed to admit just how quickly this bottle was emptied. www.majellawines.com.au. $36.

Curly Flat 2008 Pinot Noir

2011-07-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

Curly Flat winemaker Philip Moraghan is an avid pinotphile - a student of the grape variety in all its many guises and styles. So when he says he considers this to be the best pinot noir he has produced that's a pretty bold statement. This is certainly a wonderful wine; indisputably varietal, with impressive length and textural elements on the palate. It's surprisingly complex, too, for a wine made from fruit grown on vines in the Macedon Ranges that only have an average age of 12 years. The vineyard is treated biodynamically, which might explain the quality. You'll find cherry/plum characters on the nose and palate, spice, forest floor earthiness, hints of stalks but most of all terrific balance given the low alcohol levels (12.6%). Delightful drinking. www.curlyflat.com. $54.

Hewitson 2009 Old Garden Mourvedre

2011-07-11T02:11:00.001-07:00

Dean Hewitson always makes wines that perk interest, whether they be fresh-as-a-daisy sauvignons blanc, or far more serious wines like this extraordinary mourvedre (or mataro) made from grapevines planted in 1853 - the oldest mourvedre vines in the world. Where you might expect some density and concentration, this is a medium-bodied wine, lithe and athletic. There are dark fruit notes, hints of chocolate and earthiness, more than a hint of assertive oak but the finish is silky and long with plenty of potential for ageing. An elegant, graceful wine, even in its youth; if this were an actress it would probably be a classic beauty like Catherine Deneuve. www.hewitson.com.au. $120.

Domaine Bellegarde 2008 Cuvee Tradition Jurancon

2011-07-11T01:41:00.001-07:00

If you love wines with that sweet/savoury combination that Jurancon does so well, you'll enjoy this classy little number that offers sensational value for money. The balance between sugar and acid is spot on here, so that while the initial impression is of ripe pineapple, the finish offers some surprising dryness, roundness and length. A blend of petit manseng and gros manseng, this would be superb paired with calves' liver, pates and terrines or blue cheeses, as an aperitif or as a dessert wine. Imported by www.discovervin.com.au. $10.99 for 375mls.

Dandelion Vineyards 2008 Lion's Tooth of McLaren Vale

2011-06-23T23:46:00.000-07:00

Zar Brooks is one of the wine industry's leading marketers and his wife Elena is a talented winemaker. Their Dandelion Vineyards wines, produced in conjunction with several partners, tend to offer something a little out of the ordinary, as is the case with this unusual blend of shiraz and riesling. The good news is that it works, with the riesling lifting the shiraz fruit much as viognier does, without intruding as much as viognier can. Hand-plunging, basket pressing and maturation in older French barriques has resulted in a very stylish wine that even has some delicacy and elegance; a rare thing in McLaren Vale reds. Imagine a fruit salad of red berries, cherries and currants, spicy oak and a soft, supple finish and you'll have some idea of this wine's attributes.
$30. www.dandelionvineyards.com.au.

Bonny Doon 2006 Le Cigare Volant

2011-06-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

This is leading Californian winemaker and funster Randall Grahm's homage to the great red blends of the Southern Rhone - the name is a reference to the fact that a local ordinance bans UFOs from landing in Chateauneuf du Pape. It's a stunning wine, too, funky, earthy, complex, intriguing and a lttle bewildering in its many layers of flavours. It's gamey and little tannic - but I loved it. It's a blend of shiraz, grenache, cinsault, mourvedre and carignan and, unlike many Californian reds, it is bottled under a screwcap. Serve this one blind and you'll have a whole lot of fun as your guests try to guess what it is and where it came from. $79. Imported by Brad Wehr. brad@winebybrad.com.au

Mount Riley 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

2011-06-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

I was recently a guest of Mount Riley at a very special dinner where I was impresssed by the wines in their "reserve" tier Seventeen Valley range. But as good as these wines are, the major focus of the family-owned Marlborough winery is its standard sauvignon blanc - a very tempting wine for the price and very nicely put together with plenty of flavour but without some of the overtly herbaceous characters that can be offputting in Kiwi savvy blancs. There are some delightful citrus and passionfruit notes on the bouquet and a purity on the palate that sets it apart. Racy, zingy and very dry, this is a lovely drink. Good value, too. $16. www.mountriley.co.nz

Stonier 2009 Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay

2011-06-13T00:53:00.000-07:00

There are certain labels that are reliably good vintage after vintage. If those labels also offer value for money, so much the better. The entry-level, fruit-driven Stonier chardonnay from the Mornington Peninsula ticks both boxes. Often overshadowed by the Reserve and KBS Vineyard releases, this is a darn good drink for the price with impressive stone fruit and citrus flavours, toasty notes and a bright, clean acid finish. There's just enough complexity to make it interesting and there is no doubt it is beautifully balanced. Anyone looking for a good cool-climate chardy to take to a BYO or dinner party should mark this one in their notebook. $25. www.stoniers.com.au.

Hahndorf Hill 2010 Rosé

2011-06-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

The team at Hahndorf Hill in the Adelaide Hills can be relied upon to be unconventional and intriguing; whether it be varietals made from blaufrankisch and gruner veltliner, or a cellar door where table wines are matched with chocolate. Their very impressive rosé is a blend of blaufrankisch and trollinger grapes; aromatic and dry with apple orchard and vibrant red berry notes. This would be great with sushi, sashimi, spicy Thai dishes or simply as an after-work pick-me-up. Lovely stuff! $22. www.hahndorfhillwinery.com.au

Water Wheel 2009 Shiraz

2011-05-24T01:48:00.000-07:00

Shiraz does not have to be in-your-face; all macho and snarling. It can also be soft, silky and amenable, as is this case with this old favourite from Bendigo winery Water Wheel. Estate grown, this has a ripeness and softness to it that makes it irresistible; a veritable Lolita. There are also some savoury, earthy notes but it is the vibrant dark berry fruit that leads the way. A real bargain and a great choice for a weekend barbecue. $18. www.waterwheelwine.com.

Hollick 2010 Savagnin

2011-05-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

Savagnin is the grape variety that everyone who had planted it in Australia thought was albarino, a Spanish grape of considerable merit. Owing to an inexplicable mix-up it turned out that the vines had been planted were actually savagnin, a grape from the Jura region of France that has seldom risen to great heights. This, however, shows that savagnin can work well in Australia. Winemaker Matt Caldersmith has crafted an aromatic, crisp, clean and fresh white wine with zingy green apple and pear notes. A wine for enjoying in its youth, it has good acid and nice length and should be served well chilled. www.hollick.com. $21.

Zette 2005 Malbec

2011-05-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Zette is the second label of Domaine de Lagrézette, one of the leading producers in Cahors, south-west France, where malbec is king. This is an attractive and mature malbec and a considerable bargain. It's a plush, ripe red made in a New World style and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The forward dark fruit is matched by some supple tannins, hints of spice and softness on the palate. This medium-bodied wine is from a particularly good vintage and is drinking very well, particularly when paired with red meat dishes. Great buying at $14.99. Imported by www.discovervin.com.au who have an impressive range of regional French wines.

Brokenwood 2009 Hunter Valley Shiraz

2011-05-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

Brokenwood may have extended their reach well beyond the Hunter Valley, sourcing fruit from Beechworth, Orange and McLaren Vale among other regions, but their strength still lies with the Hunter's core grapes; semillon and shiraz. After a couple of difficult vintages, 2009 provided some respite and produced this impressive sibling to the iconic Graveyard Shiraz. This is a typically savoury, earthy Hunter wine from a cooler year with attractive lifted fruit. It's medium-bodied with 13.5% alcohol and very drinkable even if the oak is just a little forward in its youth. I suspect this well-bred wine will cellar impressively but it is already a very attractive proposition. $40. www.brokenwood.com.au.

Under&Over 2010 Tumbarumba Chardonnay

2011-04-29T00:02:00.000-07:00

This one screams out "bargain". For a start it is made from fruit grown in Tumbarumba, one of Australia's best cool-climate grape growing regions. Secondly, its made by the talented team of winemaker Corey Ryan and marketer Nicholas Crampton, who are producing some top-notch wines. And thirdly it is a very good wine that could quite easily retail for considerably more. It's quite lean and elegant, composed and crisp with grapefruit and pear characters to the fore, only lightly oaked with some nice mouthfeel, length and finishing acid. A wine for snapping up by the case and using as your house wine - your guests will be very surprised when you tell them the RRP is $13.99.

Tapanappa 2010 Fleurieu Peninsula Pinot Noir

2011-04-23T00:17:00.000-07:00

What a tempting wine this is. OK, it's very youthful - and comes from young vines, too - planted by veteran winemaker Brian Croser at Parawa; a cool, foggy site on the Fleurieu Peninsula, in 2006. The proof is in the pudding, however, and Croser has been proved correct in identifying this as a special site. It's probably a bigger wine than hoped for - the result of a warm vintage - with plenty of appealing sweet fruit, but there's also impressive tannin structure and some silky elegance on the palate to keep the bold fruit in check. Great news for consumers, too, is that the wine is under screwcap; as is the Tapanappa 2010 Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay. Only 500 cases were made, so it may pay to be quick off the mark. www.tapanappawines.com.au. $39.

Dog Point 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

2011-04-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

Forget what your fashionable friends tell you. The best sauvignon blancs from Marlborough continue to offer delightful drinking - and this tangy little number is certainly in the upper echelons. The first sip confirmed its drinkability and we continued to enjoy it over three days until the bottle was incontrovertably empty. The bouquet is particularly vibrant with citrus and papaya notes while there is plenty of flavour on the palate with plenty of tropical fruit characters, less herbaceousness than you would expect, some complexity added by a portion of natural yeast ferment and refreshing finishing acidity. A very nice package and ideal for enjoying with shellfish. I'd drink it over the next 12 months. www.dogpoint.co.nz. $26.

Capel Vale 2009 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-04-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a delightful young cabernet sauvignon that offers value with a capital V. Quintessentially Margaret River in style, it is a vibrant young thing with hints of cedary oak and mulberries on the nose. It is well-balanced on the palate, where you'll find blackcurrant fruit flavours along with eucalypt, dark chocolate and mint notes and a tannin structure that suggests this will continue develop for at least five years. I found the wine a most agreeable companion to a selection of tapas but it has enough weight and power to accompany a hearty beef stew. A wine offering a commendable combination of power and elegance. www.capelvale.com. $25.

Morrisons 2009 The Siege Shiraz Durif

2011-04-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

Winemaking doesn't get any more boutique. Bob and Dianne Morrison handcraft tiny quantities of wine at their remote hilltop winery in the hills above Glenrowan, most of them rustic and intensely flavoured reds. This blend of 80% shiraz and 20% durif stood out from the pack for me with its appealing dark berry fruit flavours, hints of dark chocolate and serious tannin structure. This is a medium- to full-bodied red that will be an excllent winter warmer. Serve it with roasts, casseroles or hearty pasta dishes. I left the best news for last: it is ridiculaously good value at just $15. www.morrisonsofglenrowan.com

Clairault 2009 Estate Chardonnay

2011-03-15T23:16:00.000-07:00

There are some pretty exciting chardonnays out there at the moment, but this shines as one of the best of the new-style wines that are all about pure fruit flavours. savoury complexity and linearity. This is a million miles away from the blousy, oaky chardonnays of a few years ago. It's a wine with all the bells and whistles: 100% new French oak barriques, whole bunch pressing, lees stirring and partial malo mean it has plenty of mealy, nutty interest along with good acid structure but it is still the pristine Margaret River fruit, with nectarine and peaches and cream flavours, that is the star of the show. www.clairaultwines.com.au. $39.

The Idiot 2009 Shiraz by Philip Shaw

2011-03-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

Purity of fruit is the key to the success of this easy-drinking cool-climate shiraz from Philip Shaw's 20-year-old Koomooloo vineyard outside Orange in Central Western New South Wales. It's a wine designed for enjoying with food and friends, without too much thought, but it has already won three trophies at the Royal Sydney Wine Show - a tribute to Shaw's ability to craft wines that are crowd-pleasers. Ideal for pairing with lighter dishes, it is vibrantly fruity with lashings of peppery spice and a nice soft palate. The alcohol is pretty low, too, at 13.7%. A really lovely wine. www.philipshaw.com.au. $20.

Medhurst 2010 RedShed Pinot Noir

2011-03-11T00:44:00.000-08:00

Former Domaine Chandon chief winemaker Matt Steel is producing some impressive wines under the Medhurst label - using quality fruit from the Yarra Valley vineyards owned by former Southcorp CEO Ross Wilson and his wife Robyn. There is nothing too serious about this bright, attractive, easy-drinking pinot, but it is a wonderful wine for drinking without thinking. Designed for enjoying in its youth, it has some vibrant fruit, nice texture and plenty of youthful exuberance. An ideal picnic wine. $19.50. http://www.medhurstwines.com.au/.

Simonnet-Febvre 2008 Petit Chablis

2011-03-05T15:46:00.001-08:00

Wines like this are the essence of pure chardonnay, offering fresh, tangy fruit along with steely minerality. This is a beautiful wine for the price with classic oyster shell, floral and sea spray aromas. It's on the lighter side of the scale when it comes to weight but has plenty of length and zesty lemony intensity, along with oodles of acid on the finish. You'll find it at Dan Murphy stores. It's uncomplicated. lean like a whippet and tightly wound but offers fantastic drinking at the very moderate RRP of $18.95. Brilliant with seafood.

Capital Wines 2009 Kyeema Vineyard Reserve Merlot

2011-02-26T15:52:00.001-08:00

This is a wine made in extremely limited quantities - my bottle was numbered 0097 - so you'll need to be quick if you want to snap up some of what is one of Australia's best merlots. This a long way removed from your standard monochromatic merlot with lashings of ripe berry/plummy fruit in harmony with some quality oak. Sure it is smooth and soft, as we expect our merlots to be, but it also has some impressive and sophisticated layers of flavour on the palate, integrated tannins and the potential to age for several years. The alcohol level is just 13.3% despite all those rich flavours - a credit to the team at Capital Wines, a small family company that's been making a pretty big splash recently. www.capitalwines.com.au. $46.

Wickhams Road 2010 Yarra Valley Pinot Noir

2011-02-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

A decent quality pinot noir for around $15? "You've got to be dreaming," as Darryl Kerrigan once said in The Castle. Well here is a terrific little pinot, indisputably varietal and very drinkable, from the entry-level label of the Hoddles Creek winery which features no fewer than three regional Victorian pinots (Yarra, Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland). There's plenty of red berry/dark cherry characters, medium body and lots of length. You won't do better for the price. www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au. $15.99.

Yalumba Y Series 2010 Pinot Grigio

2011-02-12T23:10:00.000-08:00

Wine snobs may scoff - but this is an absolutely fantastic drink for the price, as are many of the wines in the Yalumba Y Series range. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to an everyday drinking wine; it is fresh and vibrant, crisp and clean, determinedly varietal, has some compexity added from wild ferment and lees ageing and is dreadfully easy to drink. I believe lively, zingy grigio is more likely to find favour with mainstream drinkers than the more textural - and demanding gris - and it is wines like this, with 13% alcohol and tropical fruit and shortbread biscuit characters on the palate, that can lead the way. The good news is that you often find it for several dollars cheaper than the RRP - which makes it a ridiculous bargain. I'm recommending this to anyone who cares to listen. $13.

Holm Oak 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

2011-02-05T00:42:00.000-08:00

The Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania would not normally be your first destination for a bottle of sauvignon blanc but the last two releases from Holm Oak have been perky little numbers that show the variety's potential in Tassie. No surprise there as winemaker Rebecca Duffy and viticulturist Tim Duffy rarely put a foot wrong. This time around 20% barrel fermentation has added complexity and interest and the wine nicely straddles the grassy/tropical fruit divide. This is delightfully aromatic and fresh, undeniably varietal, with some attractive crisp acid on the palate. $25.

Clonakilla 2009 Hilltops Shiraz

2011-01-23T23:34:00.000-08:00

Clonakilla is a family winery, established in 1971 at Murrumbateman, outside Canberra. Winemaker Tim Kirk is the man who put shiraz viognier blends on the map in Australia and his success with that combination sometimes tends to overshadow the other wines in an impressive portfolio; like a terrific 2010 riesling and this comparative bargain basement red made from fruit grown in the Hilltops region outside Young, which is producing some stunning shiraz grapes. This is a generously proportioned wine with plenty of richness and flavour (dark plums, currants and spice) but also with nicely balanced cedary oak, some elegance and definite aging potential. $30.

Ten Minutes by Tractor 2008 Wallis Vineyard Chardonnay

2011-01-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

One of the very best chardonnays I’ve tasted over the past 12 months, this is a wonderful cool-climate wine from the Mornington Peninsula; lean and stylish, elegant like a catalogue model but with enough meat on its bones. The bouquet tells the story with grapefruit, minerality and a hint of funk. The palate is elegant and poised, with beautifully focussed citrus fruit flavours, crunchy acidity and impressively layered texture. Oak is a mere bit player. This is a wine for supping and savouring – and it is superb with roast pork dishes. www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au $55.

Lark Hill 2010 Gruner Veltliner

2011-01-13T18:50:00.001-08:00

And now for something completely different. Gruner Veltliner is the workhorse white grape of Austria, producing wines that range from vibrant everyday quaffers to textural wines of real complexity. It's a relatively new variety in Australia although Hahndorf Hill in the Adelaide Hills and Lark Hill at Bundgendore outside Canberra are leading the charge impressively. This is quite a spicy, peppery white wine, maybe midway between riesling and chardonnay in terms of fruit profile and texture with green apple, generous tropical fruit salad flavours, figgy, with some bright, zingy acid along with the spice and talcum elements. Very appealing. www.larkhillwine.com.au. $45.

Mitolo 2010 Jester Sangiovese Rosé

2011-01-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

The rosé revolution is in full swing this summer thanks to wonderful savoury and dry wines like this brilliant little offering from a reliably good McLaren Vale producer. This has nothing at all in common with the fairyfloss/bubblegum rosés of the past - it's a serious drink in its own right; pale pink in colour with raspberries and cream flavours alongside hints of spice and earthiness. This is made from sangiovese, a variety which produces stunning rosés, and is nicely balanced with just 13.5% alcohol. Grab a bottle and join the revolution. $24.

Taylors 2010 St Andrews Riesling

2010-12-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

To paraphrase the old Kenny Rogers song: "You've got to know when to hold 'em; know when to drink 'em." And that's where you are likely to run into trouble with this wine. The top-of-the-range Taylors riesling is a delightful drink in its youth with attractive floral aromas and pristine fruit with citrus nuances. The trouble is, though, that this is also a wine that cellars superbly. A recent tasting of the still youthful but brilliantly maturing 2007 vintage confirmed its potential over the next decade. The best solution: Buy at least two bottles. Enjoy one and put one away. $40.

Deviation Road 2010 Pinot Gris

2010-12-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

Hamish and Kate Laurie at Deviation Road have been making some very fine wines from the Adelaide Hills for a couple of years now - I have several enthusiastic tasting notes that have not made it into print. This new release blew me away, however. It's definitely one of Australia's best pinots gris while not being without the freshness and crispness of the grigio style. The fruit was picked at two different levels of ripeness and partial barrel fermentation has added complexity, although the wine is definitely fruit driven. Think crisp, waxy pears and beguiling textures. $25.

Patritti 2010 Jimmy's Hat

2010-12-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a darn good drink that won't break the bank over the holiday period you won't go far wrong with this fresh and appealing blend of Adelaide Hills savagnin, arneis and pinot gris. Along with citrus and apple blossom aromas, there's plenty of character on the palate (with lemon zest and lanolin to the fore), the wine is nicely balanced, food-friendly and relatively low in alcohol at 12%. It is a great summer quaffer, a good match for barbecued seafood, and the price is defintely right. www.patritti.com.au. $12.50.

Zeppelin 2009 Northern Barossa Valley Grenache

2010-12-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

Grenache is just so untrendy right now as a stand-alone varietal which is both bad news and good news. The bad news is it can be hard to track down good grenaches, the good news is that when you do find one the price is likely to be right - and this is a really impressive wine for the price. Made by Corey Ryan and Kym Teusner, it is a rich, opulent red made from 60+ years old vines that was created using minimalist winemaking techniques. This wine really is all about the fruit. It's a juicy, spicy number, vibrant and in your face, but never over the top. A great choice for a summer barbecue with the cricket on the radio. $18.

De Bortoli 2010 La Boheme Act Two Rosé

2010-12-06T00:57:00.001-08:00

The recent 'Rose Revolution' tastings held across Australia were designed to promote awareness of the new style of savoury, textural, dry rosés, which are a million miles away from the old fairy floss styles and far food friendlier. Steve Webber and Leanne de Bortoli were prime movers behind the movement and, as luck would have it, one of their salmon/rust pink rosés came out in front of 24 other new wave rosés I tasted with a group of wine lovers that evening. Made from Yarra Valley pinot noir with just a hint of pinot gris added, this is a sensationally good wine for the price. Aromatic, savoury, spicy, pale and bone dry it was a terrific companion for Lebanese nibbles and dips.$18.

Ducks In A Row 2009 Erect Habit Mataro

2010-11-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

Glenn James-Pritchard spent 15 years as a winemaker with Southcorp/Foster's/Treasury Wine Estates before leaving to focus on his own wine label, Ducks in a Row, which allows him to specialise in lesser-known varieties like fiano, vermentino and this muscular and intense mataro (also known as mourvedre). Made from McLaren Vale fruit from 60-year-old vines, this is quite an imposing wine; uncompromisingly dark and inky with rich black/blue berry and currant fruit flavours and a tannin structure that suggests it will cellar for a minimum of decade, perhaps much longer. Love the colourful Mirka Mora label, too. www.ducksinarow.com.au. $60.

Hidden Talent 2009 Heathcote Shiraz Edition #1

2010-11-19T17:24:00.000-08:00

Several small winemakers have grouped together to retail small batches of boutique wines that are sold - like cleanskins - without details of the producer appearing on the label. That means buyers get great value for money (the wines are all a tenner each) but need to buy in bulk. Among the stars in the first release of Hidden Talent wines are this juicy/savoury/peppery medium-bodied shiraz from Heathcote in Victoria and a 2009 Clare Valley Riesling Edition #1. Both are terrific wines for the price. Available online only at www.hiddentalentwines.com. $10.

Capel Vale 2010 Whispering Hill Riesling

2010-11-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

Move over Clare Valley; step aside Eden Valley. Mount Barker in West Australia's south west is fast emerging as a serious producer of high quality rieslings. An oustanding single vineyard wine from the edge of the Prongorup Ranges, this has gloriously welcoming floral aromas and searingly intense lemon and lime flavours on a palate that is both beautifully fresh and perfectly balanced. This is a wine for sipping and savouring; an elegant supermodel. $33.

Kingston Estate 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

2010-11-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

If you are looking at Australian cabernet sauvignon for under $15 you are generally looking at quaffing wines that while not causing any offence are equally likely not to create any excitement. Here's an exception to that rule; a very well-made blend of fruit from the Limestone Coast and Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia that while offering considerable grunt on the palate (fruit cake, dark chocolate, spearmint) also has quite a bit of elegance with oak nicely measured and impressive length and structure. You could do a lot worse, but probably won't do much better for $14.

Donny Goodmac 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

2010-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've known Stuart "Donny" Gregor since he was a copy boy at the Daily Telegraph a quarter of a decade ago (he made a darn fine coffee). Since then he's morphed into a wine writer of repute and now owns one of Australia's leading wine PR agencies. He, along with Cameron Mackenzie and Kate Goodman, are also the trio behind the Donny Goodmac label (a combination of their names). While I could be accused of bias, I honestly found this a terrific wine, superior to the shiraz and an excellent example of cool-climate Yarra cabernet with elegance, restraint (not seomthing usually associated with Mr Gregor) and immense potential. You'll find blackberry, cedar and mint characters but the wine has knitted together so seamlessly what you really get is a great drink. www.donnygoodmac.com.au. $32.

Dance With The Devil 2010 White

2010-10-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

An unusual blend of sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc from Devil's Lair chief winemaker Oliver Crawford, who is doing some very good things in Margaret River. The tropical fruit characters of the sauvignon prove a good foil for the acidity and green apple flavours of the chenin blanc. While intended as a "drink young" style it also has enough backbone to cellar for a year or two as it is still quite taut and tart. Enjoy this well chilled with grilled sardines or roast pork and crackling $25.

Clairault 2008 Estate Chardonnay

2010-10-17T23:29:00.000-07:00

The 2007 edition of this classy Margaret River chardonnay went on a medal rampage and quickly sold out. Hence the 2008 is in the marketplace a little earlier than usual - and in reduced quantities following a difficult vintage that saw yields dramatically down. It's quite a big, bold wine in a chardonnay spectrum that has swung dramatically towards tight, minerally styles but it has more than enough panache to hold its own against more elegant rivals with its assertive stone-fruit characters, nutty and toasty nuances and a tight acid finish. A wine of structure and complexity that's a bit of a throwback but no less worthy for that. $35.

DryRidge Estate 2010 Blue Mountains Riesling

2010-10-08T17:44:00.001-07:00

Who would have expected to find a vineyard in the Blue Mountains? And who would have considered the possibility it would produce an outstanding riesling? Not me, that's for sure. On a recent visit I stumbled across DryRidge Estate, which is tucked away off the scenic Six Foot Track in the delightful Megalong Valley and has an emininetly suitable micro-climate. Grower Bob Tyrrell (no relation to the Hunter Tyrrells) has his wine made by talented Canowindra-based Frenchman Chris Derrez. It ticks all the dry riesling boxes with citrus aromas, zingy lemon and lime on the palate and plenty of minerality and zesty acid. The perfect wine for an options game, or for enjoying with grilled sardines and other seafood dishes. www.dryridge.com.au. $22.50.

Innocent Bystander 2008 Sangiovese

2010-10-02T01:51:00.000-07:00

It is no wonder sangiovese is growing in popularity in Australia. Bright fruit and savoury notes make the Tuscan grape extremely food-friendly. This is made from McLaren Vale fruit from a difficult hot year, but weighs in at just 13.7% alcohol. It's a blend of 90% sangiovese with 10% merlot added for softness and mouthfeel. You'll find succulent dark berry characters, hints of olives and spice and some down and dirty earthiness (a good thing). It's medium-bodied with great tannin structure and would be terrific paired with rich pasta dishes, or a real Italian pizza. Available online at www.innocentbystander.com.au/order_gsib.php $20.

Mike Press 2009 Shiraz

2010-09-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

Mike Press is a winemaker who has been around the block a couple of times and now makes wines under his own label that represent phenomenal value for money at $150 for a case. This is a lovely fresh wine made from Adelaide Hills fruit with dark berry flavours and a good dollop of spicy oak. There are some nice textures and it’s well balanced – ridiculously good for the price really. The only problem is it might be hard to track down, but you can order it from www.mikepresswines.com.au. Get together with a couple of friends, order a dozen and plan a party. $12.50.

Helm 2010 Riesling Classic Dry

2010-09-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Canberra region has started to establish a reputation for fine, long-lived rieslings – and the pioneer of the movement was Ken Helm, who has long been a believer in the grape’s immense potential in the district and has been making fine wines from riesling for 34 years. Low in alcohol at just 11.5%, this is a stunning wine with brilliant structure. It has a floral bouquet, lifted citrusy palate and beautifully balanced clean acid finish. $28.

Hurley Vineyard 2008 Garamond Pinot Noir

2010-08-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

Victorian Supreme Court judge Kevin Bell and has lawyer partner Tricia Byrnes only make three wines at their Balnarring winery on the Mornington Peninsula – all of them pinot noirs of outstanding quality and reflections of their terroir. This is simply stunning; dark and earthy, complex and plush. Almost Burgundian, it’s one of those wines that seems to evaporate in the glass. But you'd better be quick. Availability is as limited as the distribution. www.hurleyvineyard.com.au $60.

Madfish 2008 Gold Turtle Cabernet Sauvignon

2010-08-19T23:25:00.001-07:00

Madfish may be the second label of Howard Park, but there is absolutely nothing second-rate about wines like this stonkingly good Margaret River cabernet. With blackcurrant, brambly berry and dried herb characters, and a good dash of Fench oak maturation, this come together beautifully. It is fleshy, supple and medium bodied and has that indefinable quality that means one glass is simply not enough. A really lovely wine for around $30.

Los Hermanos 2009 Homenaje a Cataluna

2010-08-19T22:21:00.000-07:00

Rollo Crittenden of Crittenden Estate, named Young Gun winemaker for 2010, crafts a number of excellent wines in the Spanish style. This is a lovely blend of tempranillo, mataro and grenache that is bright and spicy with sweet, plush fruit on the palate and hints of earthiness. This has drinkability with a capital D, is versatile with food and great value for money. $30.

Clockwork 2009 Chardonnay

2010-08-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

There are some hugely exciting chardonnays coming out of Margaret River right now. Recent releases from Cullen, Brookland Valley, Rosabrook and Bunkers are among those to impress but what this has on its side is the fact it's simply great value for money. Clockwork is a new venture for Yukich family, who also operate Oakover Wines in the Swan Valley. This is soft and delightfully easy to drink with melon, peach and citrus flavours, the merest hint of oak and nice refreshing acidity. It's low in alcohol at 12.5% and a darn good quaffer for $20.

Katnook Estate 2008 Merlot

2010-08-16T01:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of Australian merlots generally (we got some dud clones early on) but I really enjoyed this one from winemaker Wayne Stehbens, who has the midas touch with this fickle grape. Unlike many of its siblings this has plenty of character with bold black and red berry flavours in the front row, balanced oak in the second row and soft tannin structure. I really enjoyed the different layers of flavour in the mouth and the assertiveness from a variety that's so often soft and wimpy. Top marks for food friendliness, too. $40.

Derwent Estate 2008 Chardonnay

2010-08-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Derwent Estate Chardonnay was awarded the trophy for best Chardonnay at the 2010 Tasmanian Wine Show - but I'm convinced the 2008 is least as good. The grapes are of proven quality - in the past they've been used in Penfolds' flagship Yattarna. This is a searingly good wine which was brilliant with a spicy roast chicken dish. It has a beguiling combination of assertiveness and delicacy on the palate with citrus and pear notes, French oak used as a mere sideshow, just 13% alcohol, bright acid and real purity. Yet another stunning Tassie chardonnay. www.derwentestate.com.au. $33.

Jack Mattinson's 2009 Deluxe Red Blend

2010-08-01T23:26:00.000-07:00

Campbell Mattinson is one of Australia's best young wine writers and I count him as a friend - but this early foray into wine production wouldn't get a mention from me if he hadn't produced a stellar drop. Made from fruit grown in the Hilltops region - an affordable source of top-notch red grapes - this is a shiraz cabernet blend with dark berry characters and hints of spice. It's medium-bodied, dreadfully easy to drink (what my wife calls a wine with an evaporation problem) and would partner brilliantly with rich winter stews. Take a look at one of the best back labels you'd hope to find and snap up a case. This is ludicrously good value for $15. www.jackmattinsons.com.au.

Fraser Gallop 2009 Chardonnay

2010-07-26T00:41:00.000-07:00

What an exceptional wine this is for the price. Winemakers Clive Otto and Kate Morgan have used all the tricks in the book; barrel fermentation, wild yeast, time on lees and battonage, but the high quality fruit also shines through. This is a complex but elegant wine - always a difficult trick to pull off. It's beautifully structured and well balanced, with flinty minerality, citrus elements and nuttiness all coming together in a most appealing package. A class act, quite Burgundian in style, and a fabulous food wine. $30.

Zonte's Footstep 2009 Lady of the Lake Viognier

2010-07-16T01:38:00.000-07:00

The team behind Langhorne Creek winery Zonte's Footstep are not afraid to push the boundaries and they've come up with a winner here; one of Australia's most appealing viogniers for well under 20 bucks. Along with the customary apricot characters of viognier you'll also discover flavours of citrus peel, juicy pear and nectarine and Asian spice, some crisp acidity and plenty of oomph. This wine is anything but shy but it does offer that great intangible; drinkability. Pair it with anything from gnocchi to fish and chips. $18.

Domain Day 2009 ‘G’ Garganega

2010-07-10T18:59:00.001-07:00

Robin Day was once chief winemaker for Orlando. Today he's downsized to a small vineyard at Mount Crawford, on the cool fringe of the Barossa, making "seriously good cool-climate wines" in boutique quantities. Day is experimenting with varieties like lagrein, saperavi and garganega, a white Italian grape that is used in the classic Italian wines from Soave. This is a distinctively dry white with plenty of palate intensity on the melon/white pear/straw side of the flavour spectrum. It's downright delicious. Don't expect any help from the back label, however. Day writes: "Years of writing descriptions for back labels have left me convinced that this energy is more gainfully employed in growing grapes and making wine." $20.

Mitchell Harris 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Fumé

2010-07-03T00:35:00.000-07:00

John Harris, formerly of Domaine Chandon and now the winemaker for Mount Avoca in the Pyrenees region of Victoria, also makes tiny parcels of wine under the Mitchell Harris label. There are only 100 cases of this beautifully textured wine, so you'll need to be quick off the mark if you wish to snap any up. Low in alcohol at 12%, this is a very modern Australian style of savvy blanc, made using wild yeast fermentation and oak maturation, it has restrained citrus and tropical fruit flavours but also excellent backbone and length. A wine for savouring. $19.95. www.mitchellharris.com.au

Penfolds 2006 St Henri Shiraz

2010-06-28T02:41:00.000-07:00

St Henri is often an unsung hero when it comes to Penfolds' range of premium reds but there's no chance of the 2006 being overlooked - it's an absolute ripper. It's a gloriously out-there wine in which pure fruit flavours are the focus, with oak influence negligible. It has bright, concentrated fruit flavours on the blueberry side of the spectrum, some light spice elements, lovely length on the palate and plenty of weight, while being beautifully balanced. It's drinking superbly right now (our bottled seemed to miraculously evaporate) but this is a proven cellaring prospect. Australian shiraz doesn't get much better. $90.

Mitolo 2010 Jester Vermentino

2010-06-22T19:40:00.001-07:00

The Italian grape vermentino is creating quite a buzz in Australia with the late-ripening variety, which hails from Liguria, Sardinia and Corsica, producing fragrant, crisp and dry whites which are perfect for enjoying in their first bloom of youth. De Bortoli Hunter Valley and Trentham Estate have also enjoyed success with the grape and this is a really lovely wine made from fruit grown at Willunga in southern McLaren Vale that's ideal for enjoying chilled. Its minerality, acidity and dryness make it an attractive partner for seafood and spicy dishes. $24.

Cullen 2008 Diana Madeline

2010-06-14T19:15:00.001-07:00

Vanya Cullen is an extraordinarily talented winemaker and her top-of-the-range red is always eagerly awaited. This is biodynamic and beautiful; elegant and complex but not at all green and stalky. It’s a million miles away from most Australian reds in style with just 12.5% alcohol, but I like it a lot. If I’d been told it was from a left bank Bordeaux producer from a goodish year I wouldn’t have been at all surprised. If you enjoy big Barossa reds this cabernet merlot won’t thrill you, but if you favour reds that are stylish, medium-bodied and intriguing then you’ll be captivated. And it will almost certainly cellar well for a decade or two. Treat yourself. $105.

K1 by Geoff Hardy 2009 Viognier

2010-06-07T23:36:00.000-07:00

A lot of Australian viogniers are, how shall I put this gently, overtly apricoty. They can resemble canned apricot juice - and not in a good way. Not so this excellent viognier from the Adelaide Hills, which can be considerable cooler than the grape's Rhone home. The nose is white peach and spice, the palate pleasantly rounded thanks to barrel fermentation and with elegant peach and pear flavours with hints of Asian spices and nuttiness. It's a bit like a carnvial in your mouth. There's no doubt this is one of the most accomplished, and interesting, Aussie viogniers I've tried. $25.

Bunkers 2009 Honeycombs Chardonnay

2010-05-31T00:26:00.000-07:00

Bunkers is a new name to me but both the chardonnay and The Box tempranillo from this Margaret River winery offer excellent value for money - and are made by the reliable Brian Fletcher. Named after one of the region's famous surf breaks, the wine is fruit-driven with melon and fig aromas and rich stone-fruit flavours on the dry palate. There's oak in evidence, but it is largely in the background with the brightness and freshness of the fruit definitely dominant. Not too complex, not too rounded, this is a really lovely drink that's seriously good at its price point. $18.

Goaty Hill 2009 Pinot Noir

2010-05-24T00:54:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of Tasmanian pinots noir - and the first 09s from the Tamar Valley, which are just starting to creep into the marketplace, seem to tick all the right boxes. For a start, this is genuinely varietal when so many of its mainland counterparts are generic dry reds. That said, it's quite a big wine, richly textured with dark red berry flavours alongside Asian spices, soft tannins, French oak in balance and delightful savoury characters. It's young and assertive and very appealing. $34.

Whistler 2008 Hubert Irving

2010-05-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

My first reaction when I tried this wine was "it tastes expensive". I was wrong about that, as it happens, but all the more impressed. This is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, mataro and shiraz made for Whistler Wines by the very talented Troy Kalleske. It's medium bodied with characteristic Barossa aromas of dark berries and mint. Luscious sweet fruit, think black plums, dominates the palate which has intensity and soft tannins. A versatile food wine and extremely good value for around $18.

Hewitson 2010 LuLu Sauvignon Blanc

2010-05-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

White wines do not come any crisper, fresher and more enticing than this - which was released before many other wineries had even completed their 2010 harvest. Put aside prejudices again sauvignon blanc for a moment and judge this wine on its merits. Made from Adelaide Hills fruit (arguably Australia's best region for sauvignon blanc) it has vibrant citrus and tropical fruit characters and delightfully zingy acidity. It's a million miles away in style from its herbaceous Kiwi counterparts. I can't remember the last time I guzzled an entire bottle of sauvignon, but this one just disappeared. Team it with grilled sardines or pan-fried flathead fillets. $22.

Clonakilla 2009 Canberra District Riesling

2010-05-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

Tim Kirk is much better known for his reds than his rieslings - and this has been out in the marketplace for several months, but it is so enticing that I feel the need to wax lyrical before it has completely sold out. This has floral/herbal aromas with delightful freshness and purity on the palate, which is zingy and zesty with citrus and stone fruit flavours to the fore. Brilliant. $26.

Atticus 2006 Chardonnay

2010-04-24T01:35:00.000-07:00

From the winemaking team at Chapman Grove in Margaret River comes this stunningly good chardonnay. A single vinyard wine fermented in French oak barrels, this is a chardy with all the bells and whistles. It is beautifully developed and ready to be enjoyed thanks to layer upon layer of flavours. There's great white stone-fruit characters with hints of nuts and toast adding complexity. A beautiful wine made in the Burgundian style - it would be sensational with a roast pork loin. $50.

Baillieu Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir

2010-04-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

Kathleen Quealy is an exceptionally talented winemaker who crafts fine wines for several labels on the Mornington Peninsula. This is a pinot for those who like their wines on the bolder side of the spectrum. It's from a warm year, which is reflected in the intense dark cassis fruit flavours, but it also has lovely balance, with hinuts of earthiness and oak in the background but playing a key role. My wife fell in love with this instantly - I took time to come around but was eventually captivated as well. $35.

Swinging Bridge 2008 Shiraz

2010-04-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

This was one of my favourite wines from a recent trip to Canowindra and Orange in the Central West of NSW - and it's all the more meritorious because it follows in the footsteps of the much-awarded 2007 shiraz, which is all but sold out. Winemakers Chris Derrez and Tom Ward have got it right again with a wine that has excellent complexity but is also very easy to drink. Dark berries and spice characters are prominent and this has already won a gold medal at the Royal Sydney Wine Show. Excellent value for $20.

Paxton 2008 MV Shiraz

2010-04-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

The Paxton vineyards in McLaren Vale are farmed using biodynamic principles and the wines certainly shimmer with bright fruit. This is made from old vines and is a lovely shiny wine with appealing spicy dark berry characters, minimal oak and a delightfully silkly palate. Despite being the product of a warm year, the alcohol is relatively restrained at 14% thanks to the fruit having been picked early. Available from Dan Murphy's stores and a very good buy for $20.

Castagna Allegra 2008 Rosé

2010-03-31T02:20:00.000-07:00

There are many good judges who believe Julian Castagna’s shiraz rosé from Beechworth in Victoria is the best in Australia. I wouldn't argue. It has an attractive fresh nose with plenty of character and texture on the palate. You’ll discover a kaleidoscope of flavours from tangy citrus and stone fruits through to savoury dark cherries. A serious rosé this one. Enjoy with a mezze plate. $38.

Cardinham Estate 2009 Riesling

2010-03-25T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for dry Clare rieslings - and there were plenty of them from the excellent 2009 vintage. This is fresh and fruit-driven; more Germanic in style than most Clare rieslings with a lovely floral nose. That said, there is still plenty of zingy acidity and lashings of green apple and citrus on the palate, but less minerality than you might expect. This would be brilliant with Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. $20.