Mr Riggs 2021 The Chap

Everything about this wine says "premium" or "special occasion". Heavy bottle, classy packaging, special box. Ben Riggs describes his flagship red wine as the "creme de la creme" of his output, and it is easy to see why he is proud. This is blend of 55% shiraz from Riggs' own McLaren Vale vineyard and 45% cabernet sauvignon from a well-regarded vineyard in Coonawarra. The Chap is a serious fellow. Bold and and assertive but still blessed with impressive balance. Lashings of new oak on an opulent palate. Released at five years of age, it is dark and profound with the polished shiraz fruit an impressive foil for the structure of the cabernet. I paired this classic "claret" with a burger and Mediterranean vegetables, but it merits finer fare. $120. https://mrriggs.com.au/ 

 

Angullong 2023 Fossil Hill Montepulciano

 

Montepulciano is an indigenous Italian red grape planted throughout central and southern Italy. This well-priced new release is one of a trio of Italian varietals made by Jeff Byrne for Orange-based Angullong. The others are an equally impressive barbera, and a sangiovese. Montepulciano produces fruity, immediately enjoyable reds that are food friendly - and this one certainly ticks that box. It would pair well with anything from simples pizzas to pastas with a rich ragu. Think generous cherry/plum flavours and just a hint of mixed dried herbs adding a savoury note. Nice balance; soft tannins. Ready to enjoy right now. $30. https://www.angullong.com.au/    

Vasse Felix 2024 Chardonnay

 

World-class chardonnay from one of the premier producers in Margaret River for under $50? That's a huge win. There is plenty of palate complexity here; but also immediate accessibility - not an easy trick to pull off. This is a thoroughly modern chardonnay veers more to elegance than power but still has enough weight to satisfy with food. The palate offers a concerto of melon, stone fruit and spice, savoury/nutty elements and some zingy fresh minerality. Palate interest has been added by wild ferment and maturation in French oak barriques (30% new). This would be a great match for pork belly dishes, or a Portuguese roast chicken. Top notch. $46. https://www.vassefelix.com.au/

Ekin 2024 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir

 

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find quality pinot noir for which you don't need to take out a mortgage. Make a note of this one: juicy, fresh and loveable pinot from the Adelaide Hills that won't cost an arm and a leg. It is floral and red fruited with some deli hints on the impressively complex palate. Ekin Wine Co, was only founded five years ago, but the fruit used here comes from 25-year-old vines. Ten months in mature oak barrels has added complexity without intruding on the vibrant joie de vivre in the fruit. Pair with Chinese roast duck or some pork belly. This is a serious bargain. $25. https://ekinwineco.com.au/  

Grosset 2025 Piccadilly Chardonnay

Jeff Grosset may be best known for his superb Clare Valley rieslings, but he is also very much at the top of his game with a brace of chardonnays from the Adelaide Hills: the Piccadilly and the new-release Lenswood. In the 2025 vintage the Piccadilly was my pick; impressively Burgundian with compelling youthful vivacity. A floral nose leads on to a classic cool-climate palate where citrus and stone fruit have combined harmoniously. There is length here, and a nifty combo of structure and immediate drinkability. Partial malo and quality French oak maturation for 10 months have added to the palate appeal. I'd pair this with roast pork and lashings of crackling. Only 500 cases were made so moving quickly may be advantageous. 96 points from me. $90. www.grosset.com.au.  

Mumm Marlborough NV Brut Rosé

 

Champagne House GH Mumm - which dates back to 1827 - made a good choice when it selected talented and much-travelled Trina Smith to make its Terroirs sparkling wines across Australia and New Zealand. This pretty pink sparkler certainly impressed my tasting group this week with its vivaciousness; an ideal choice as an aperitif, or with finger food. Made from 100% pinot noir grapes from Marlborough, this is both floral and fruity, but finishes dry with intense, tight red berry/currant flavours to the fore, along with just a hint of shortbread biscuit. Plenty of length here, and plenty of fun. $45. 

First Ridge 2025 Uova Bella Fiano Vermentino

Having tried impressive First Ridge 2025 fiano and vermentino releases just a few weeks ago, I was surprised to see this blend of the two varieties arrive from the same Mudgee winery. Having now tasted the blend I understand the reasoning. While the two single variety wines were fresh and crisp - fun wines for summer - this marriage of Sicilian and Sardinian flavours was fermented in an imported terracotta egg - a modern take on ancient amphorae. That has resulted in a blend that is more than the sum of its two parts; altogether more structural and potentially longer lived. The lees contact adds complexity without any oak involvement. The blend is 60% fiano and 40% vermentino. Impressively different. $45. www.firstridge.com.au.

Curly Flat 2024 Pinot Noir

Curly Flat is a Macedon Ranges producer of stellar pinot noirs and chardonnays. The new release of their estate pinot noir lives up to expectations with a wine of power and balance that is grown, vinified and bottle on site outside the hamlet of Lancefield. So a family-owned producer with total control. While this producer's Williams Crossing 2024 is designed for casual sipping, this one is stylish and dinner party worthy; perhaps matched with roasted quail or Peking duck. A tip. Let this one breathe for a few minutes after opening to enjoy it at its best. $72. https://curlyflat.com/

Henschke 2025 Julius Riesling

 

Six generations of the Henschke family have been making wines in South Australia for over 150 years - and their immense range really does offer something for everyone.  All their wines come with class and style and I was particularly impressed by this benchmark Eden Valley riesling - an exemplar of the family expertise with the grape variety. Named in honour of a family ancestor, this is a pale, aromatic example with citrus and floral on the nose with lime/grapefruit flavours to the fore on a zesty palate with impressive flinty minerality and lively acid. A perfect after-work libation, or ideal for pairing with seafood or lightly spiced Asian dishes. Fine and focussed. $56. https://www.henschke.com.au/

Wirra Wirra 2022 The Angelus Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Serious and stylish, the is exactly the sort of the red wine you want to serve when seeking to impress. There is complexity and intensity here, as you'd expect from this standout McLaren Vale producer, but there is also impressive flavour balance. The fruit comes from two differerent vineyards and has been open fermented and spent time on skins before being basket pressed and then matured for 18 months in quality French oak. Match this with a fillet steak and mushrooms, or maybe a goulash casserole. Very classy $80. www.wirrawirra.com.au  

Hoddles Creek 2025 Pinot Gris

 

A surprise package from the d'Anna family, who produce outstanding wines in the Yarra Valley. It is not a wine for everyone but will certainly be a hit with lovers of skin-contact wines. It is salmon coloured,  but not to be mistaken for a rosé. It is a blend of fruit from two blocks, one picked early for freshness, the other picked later for tannin ripeness from the skin contact. It is a wine of impressive vibrancy, with a savoury, dry finish. It is treated like a red wine in the winery and that gives it added tannin structure. Versatile, too. Pair with anything from a mushroom quiche to a tapas plate. $26. www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au

Moss Wood 2024 Amy's

Calling all lovers of Bordeaux-style red blends. This is cabernet-driven wine from one of Margaret River's best producers that offers an excellent each way bet: drink now or cellar for a decade or more. It is a blend of 72% cabernet with the remainder of the blend made up of merlot, malbec and petit verdot. A wine of impeccable balance with classic currant/berry/plum notes allied to violet, dark chocolate and cedary oak characters. There is impressive structure here, but also bright acid that aid immediate accessibility. Concentrated but beguiling. $40. www.mosswood.com.au 

Pizzini 2024 Verduzzo

 

Verduzzo eh? I can honestly say that I haven't drunk a lot of wine made from this white grape variety. This one comes from the Pizzini family in the King Valley, masters of many Italian varieties, and it turns out it is a very sharp wine - texturally interesting and very food friendly. Verduzzo can be traced back to the 1400s in north-east Italy, but is has always been a fringe grape despite its appealing chalkiness. With 50% fermented in stainless steel and 50% in oak, this has an impressive minerality/acidity balance and is drinking well at one year of age. The bad news: I got to this one late. THis vntage is sold out at the Pizzini cellars, but you might get lucky and find some in retail land. Pair with food as as you would a Chablis. $35. https://www.pizzini.com.au/