Mercer 2023 Picpoul Blanc

You don't find a lot of picpoul in Australia. The white grape, sometimes called piquepoul blanc, or folle blanche, or gros plant, is one of the older varieties in the far south of the Languedoc, adjacent to the Mediterranean. This is very good take on the variety from Hunter Valley-based winemaker Aaron Mercer using fruit from the cooler Central Ranges of NSW. It is a vibrant wine that is alive with the joys of youth and would pair brilliantly - as does the French original - with freshly shucked oysters. This has some vibrant citrus notes, bright, crunchy structure, lively acid and immediate drinkability. Don't both waiting for this one - enjoy it as soon as possible, well chilled, either with shellfish or dishes with some spice. $30. https://mercerwines.com.au/

Yalumba 2019 The Signature

The Signature is one of Yalumba's benchmark wines, a classic South Australian blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz that since 1962 has borne the signature/s and story of individuals who have made a significant contribution to the culture and traditions of the family-owned winery. For 2019, veteran winemaker Kevin Glastonbury and viticulturist Robin Nettelbeck are honoured and they will be very proud of the wine. It is inky and precocious but finishes immensely soft and smooth on the palate. Dark berry flavours, fine tannin structure, hints of minerality, freshness and astutely judged oak combine to produce a wine with both immediate appeal and cellaring potential. This is both serious and stylish.  $65. yalumba.com

Snake + Herring 2022 Bizarre Love Triangle

 

You've got to love this one for its name alone. The Snake + Herring winery may be only just over a decade old, but the Margaret River-based producer has made a big impact for both quality and value, sourcing fruit from vineyards across Western Australia. This is a very tasty blend of pinot gris, gewurztraminer and riesling made using fruit from the Great Southern. It's a wine with a lively palate, mineral and spice hints, and plenty of palate interest while also delivering a lot of dry, fruity but textural refreshment. A perfect choice for daytime quaffing on the back deck, or pairing with spicy Asian flavours. But maybe not a BLT. $27. https://snakeandherring.com.au/

Cullen 2022 Kevin John Chardonnay

 It is a strange anomaly that Australia's finest white wines are far more affordable than our top reds. This is one of our star chardonnays, named in honour of the Cullen family patriarch. Made from fruit farmed organically and biodynamically from the family's Wilyabrup estate in Margaret River, it is absolutely luminescent with intense fruit but impeccable balance. The juice spent six months in 50% new French oak puncheons and was bottled without fining or filtration, retaining as many vineyard elements as possible. Impressively varietal, but with a special something. If this was a song it would have been produced by Phil Spector - and was even better after having been opened for 24 hours. Length, concentration and drive. 97 points from me. $180. https://www.cullenwines.com.au/

Vintage Logbottom 2021 H Adelaide Hills Syrah

 

There are so many choices when you enter a bottle shop these days. It is often easier to opt for a familiar brand. But there are so many small, family-owned businesses who offer something a little bit different and deserve support. I've been tasting through some excellent recent releases from Adelaide Hills-based Vintage Longbottom in recent weeks and they are a case in point. A mother/daughter operation, Margo and Kim Longbottom are crafting delicious - and affordable - wines under their H label. This is a very savoury shiraz, released under the French name syrah, with elegant red fruit flavours, astutely judged older French oak and hints of cool-climate pepper. Impressively retrained, this is a versatile food wine, and it offers terrific drinking for around $30. https://www.vintagelongbottom.com

Parker Estate 2022 SBW King Kong Fumé Blanc

 

Looking for a lip-smackingly good white wine that doesn't break the bank? Coonawarra-based Parker Estate - best-known for its high-quality red wines - also has this small-batch oaked sauvignon blanc in its portfolio, and it's a ripper. Made from 100% sauvignon blanc from the volcanic soils of Kongorong, 26km south-west of Mt Gambier, it is reminiscent of the wines of Pouilly-Fumé in the Loire Valley. Open fermented, it was given oxidative treatment, underwent natural malolactic fermentation and was maturation in French oak for seven months on lees. Vibrant with intriguing palate complexity, it is well worth trying at $28. Pair with pan-fried fish, or even with fish fingers. https://www.parkercoonawarraestate.com.au/

Leeuwin Estate 2019 Prelude Cabernet Sauvignon

 

This was the standout value red wine at a recent trade tasting - a high-calibre Margaret River cabernet sauvignon from one of the best producers in Australia. I understand the 2020 vintage has been released, but there is still some of this available in retail outlets and it is well worth looking out for. It is a very sophisticated wine for its price point, very varietal with oak in a support role to the cassis-led fruit flavours and Asian spice hits. There is an impressive tannin structure, too, with 2% of merlot in the blend. A very good choice for your next dinner party. $35. https://leeuwinestate.com.au/