Pewsey Vale 2025 Riesling

 

Walk into any wine shop and you are likely to be confronted by a bewildering array of choices. Some days you might feel like experimenting; others you might want to be assured you are getting a familiar favourite that always delivers. The Hill-Smith family has been producing the dry Pewsey Vale riesling since 1847 - using fruit from a lovely vineyard in the hills of the Eden Valley in the Barossa. Year in, year out this single site wine delivers excellent drinking for under $30 - think intense aromas with a melange of citrus, leading to bright acid and stunning length on the palate. After a few months in bottle this is sitting in a very comfortable space and would pair with anything from fresh Tassie oysters to salt and pepper squid. $28.

Shaw + Smith 2023 Shiraz

 

Love red wines with flavour and personality but a little over, big, clumsy, over-oaked shirazes? This excellent wine from the Adelaide Hills exemplifies modern, cooler-climate shiraz. It's stylish with a bit of swagger and very food friendly. Shaw + Smith is now in its fifth decade and delivers top-notch wines across the board. This one has bright berry/dark cherry energy, deftly judged oak in the background, and impressive medium-bodied balance with subtle savoury and spice notes. I'd pair this with lamb chops and roasted Mediterranean vegetables. $59. www.shawandsmith.com.  

Port Phillip Estate 2025 Pinot Nouveau

 

Port Phillip Estate makes a whole swag of Mornington Peninsula wines more serious than this one; wines crafted for sipping and savouring, and in many cases for cellaring. This is none of those things. Tim Perrin and his winemaking team have created a fresh, youthful style of pinot noir made to be enjoyed in the style of Beaujolais - perhaps slightly chilled. This is a wine for immediate enjoyment; one to be slurped, perhaps with a barbecue, or perhaps just on an autumn day. Because. Red fruits, juiciness and lots of fun. Pair with a gourmet sausage roll, or a slice of vegetable quiche.  $32. https://www.portphillipestate.com.au/