Pikes 2024 Luccio Fiano

 

Meet a splendid summer drink at a very reasonable price point. Clare Valley vignerons Pikes - best known for their stellar rieslings - having been making wines using the heat-resistant Sicilian grape variety fiano for over a decade now, and they have hit the bullseye for refreshing drinking and compatibility with a wide range of food styles. Lively fruit flavours are the key to the appeal - the wine is unwooded and made in a similar style to riesling. It is floral and citrusy. Pair with picnics, seafood dishes, fish fingers, pizzas. Just about anything really. For those wondering about the name, Luccio is the Italian word for the pike fish. $26. www.pikeswines.com.au. 

Zema 2019 Estate Shiraz

 

A couple of months ago I reviewed the 2019 Zema Estate cabernet sauvignon and found it offered superb value. Good news for shiraz lovers; the 2019 shiraz from this Coonawarra producer is equally impressive, and offers similar affordable drinking. The Zema team don't rush to release their reds. They start to sell them when they think they are at their peak: in this case at five years of age. This is a delightful medium-bodied shiraz with soft tannins, fleshy fruit and well-judged French and American oak. The family says this will repay cellaring for at least 10 years. But it is terrific right now. $27. https://www.zema.com.au/

Becker Landgraf 2022 Trocken Riesling

There is something ethereal about classic German rieslings; a sense of place, but also a sense of style. The Becker Landgraf’s estate history in Rheinhessen dates back to the 17th century and is family owned and operated. This is a captivating wine, very different in style to Australian rieslings. With its sea spray minerality, it is ultra food friendly; finishing dry and slightly spicy with lots of light and shade and textural complexity on the palate. Pair with anything from roast pork knuckle to spicy chicken dishes. Imported by Single Vineyard Sellers. $50. https://www.singlevineyards.com

Jacob's Creek 2023 Le Petit Pinot Gris

 

Looking for an affordable, all-purpose white wine for casual summer enjoyment? This recent release from Jacob's Creek fits the bill. It is lively and zingy, designed to be enjoyed chilled on a warm day. It's a wine for quaffing, not pontificating about, and would pair with anything from freshly shucked oysters to fish fingers in a roll, or a green salad. The sibling of the popular Petit Rosé, winemaker Dan Swincer describes it as "fresh and fruity" and that's all you need to know, really. Think citrus and pear notes and freshness, designed for a younger demographic. The RRP is $18, but look for it on special. https://www.jacobscreek.com/

Evans & Tate 2021 Redbrook Estate Cabernet Merlot

 

Margaret River producer Evans & Tate is now part of the Fogarty Wine Group, which also operates producers like Dalwhinnie in the Pyrenees, Lake’s Folly in the Hunter Valley and Lowestoft in Tasmania, among others. Evans & Tate senior winemaker Matt Byrne has been on a winning streak recently with this one of two E&T wines to pick up trophies at the recent Royal Sydney Wine Show. Medium-bodied but with a palate full of flavour, this is a classic Margaret River red blend; ready for immediate enjoyment but also cellar worthy. Fragrant, stylish and savoury with plenty of length. Pair with a lamb shank casserole, says winemaker Byrne. $45. https://evansandtate.wine/

Pitchfork 2024 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

 

You've fired up the barbecue and have some fresh fish, or prawns, ready to grill. All you need to do now is pull a bottle of this from the fridge and you are set for a feast. This blend of 65% semillon and 35% sauvignon blanc from younger vines under the entry-level label of Hay Shed Hill in Margaret River is one the best wine bargains around right now. It is fresh, crisp and full of youthful ebullience. Its unoaked to allow the vibrant fruit to be the star of the show. Zippy citrus and fatter tropical fruit flavours combine for a refreshing finish with bright acid and a dry white wine you can enjoy all summer long. Snap up a few bottles at $17 (yes, you read that right!). https://hayshedhill.com.au/    

Cullen 2022 Diana Madeline

 

I am fortunate enough to taste hundreds of new-release wines each year, but there are few I look forward to as much as this one. Vanya Cullen's tribute to her Margaret River pioneer mother, this is a benchmark cabernet blend from an outstanding vintage. Farmed and made biodynamically, the fruit spent 30 days on skins then 14 months in 55% new oak. The blend comprises 89% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% malbec. A symphony of flavours brilliantly conducted. Length, structure, deliciousness. 98 points from me. $160. https://www.cullenwines.com.au/