Topper's Mountain 2012 Gewurztraminer

Remote Tingha in rural New England, northern New South Wales, may seem an unlikely source of top-notch gewurztraminer but the world of wine is full of surprises and this was a pleasant one. This has much in common with its Alsace counterparts; it has the telltale musky and Turkish delight bouquet and flavours, smoothness and silkiness on the palate and a refreshingly fresh palate with lashings of spice lychee notes and tingly acid. The alcohol level is just 12.6% and this would be just lovely with some sauerkraut, or - alternatively - some fiery Asian stir-fry dishes. $35. www.toppers.com.au.

Wickhams Road 2012 Yarra Valley Chardonnay

If there were to be a competition to find the label offering the best value wines in the land then Wickhams Road would be a very serious contender. Wickhams Road is the budget label of respected Yarra Valley winery Hoddles Creek, which embraces sustainable agriculture and organic methods. This is an excellent chardonnay from a serious cool-climate wine region at a price that beggars belief. It is a lip-smackingly delicious, thoroughly modern chardonnay in the style of Chablis with white stone fruit, citrus and mineral notes to the fore along with crisp acidity. Try it with flathead and chips. There is also a Gippsland chardonnay in the range that is equally excellent. $18. www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au. 

Coldstream Hills 2011 Pinot Noir

The 2011 vintage was a problematic one for red wines in the Yarra Valley - and Coldstream Hills produced no reserve or individual vineyards reds. The good news, however, is that all that premium fruit went into the standard pinot noir - which while still tightly wound is a wine of immense promise. A recent online tasting hosted by founder James Halliday and winemaker Andrew Fleming underlined that the Coldstream Hills wines are very much "in the zone" right now and I enjoyed this pinot for its medium-bodied elegance, dark cherry and cranberry flavours, stalky elements, earthy delicatessen notes and well integrated French oak. It's a wine that will evolve in time, but its a classic cool-climate vintage wine right now for those who enjoy the style. $35.   

Alta by Sarah Fletcher 2012 Sauvignon Blanc

The trendies have already started chuckling at the mere thought of drinking sauvignon blanc; a variety that has become almost laughably unfashionable among the industry set. Their loss. Sauvignon blanc is popular with the general public for a reason - and this is a beautifully crisp, precise and intense wine without any overt herbaceousness. Gooseberry, fresh grass, passionfruit and grapefruit characters rule the roost here, aided by some subtle oak to add interest on the palate, which finishes crisp, dry and downright delicious. Pair it with Thai seafood dishes. $22. 
www.altavineyards.com.au.

Swinging Bridge 2011 Reserve Chardonnay

The wines from Swinging Bridge, which sources fruit from both Orange and the Central Ranges, are invariably offer both high quality and good value - but this is one of the best I've seen, a cracking, thoroughly modern Orange limited-release chardonnay (in provenance, not colour) that more than held its own alongside a Chablis from a very reputable producer. The elegance and balance underline the quality cool-climate fruit used in a wine that has beautiful texture with hints of citrus, stone fruit and minerality, along with restrained oak that plays a judicious support role. Lovely stuff. $32.  www.swingingbridge.com.au. 

La Prova 2012 Aglianico Rosato

La Prova is the name of a new range of wines from Adelaide Hills winemaker Sam Scott. The label means the trial, or experiment, and the range features Italian grape varieties. I was very impressed by both the pinot grigio and this pale rosé made from aglianico grapes. It doesn't pay to be colourist when it comes to either rosé or pinot noir; some of the palest wines are the most textural and savoury. Such is the case here, with this plump, tangy and dry number that went brilliantly with some Lebanese dishes. $23. www.scottwinemaking.com.au

Soumah 2012 Yarra Valley Savarro

Soumah is a funky new producer based at Gruyere in the Yarra Valley (the name stands for South of the Maroondah Highway). This is its third release of savarro, the rather peculiar name it chose for its savagnin after it turned out that what Australians thought were albarino grapes were not (a long and complicated story). Fortunately there is nothing either funky, or peculiar, about the wine, which is made in the style of Northern Italian pinot grigio; fresh, crisp and clean and ideal for drinking young - and appropriate as savagnin dates back 10 centuries to the Alto Adige region, where pinot grigio also thrives. As Australians increasingly look for alternative grape varieties, I suspect this will be extremely popular - and most punters won't give a damn that there is no such grape as savarro. To cut a long story short, I very much like the citrus and gentle spice notes of this unwooded wine and recommend drinking it chilled. Lots of it. $26. www.soumah.com.au