Taché is one of the first bottles on my list when I’m chasing bargain sparkling rosé. There’s not a dud vintage in the past five years, and the new season is as finely balanced as ever. A pretty, pale salmon hue and aromas of rose petal and wild strawberries anticipate a crisp and refreshing palate […]

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The ever-reliable, party-starting JC rosé is much more sophisticated than its vibrant hue and miniscule price might suggest. The cool 2011 vintage has infused more spicy appeal than ever, adding notes of pink pepper to its familiar strawberry ice cream and raspberry flavours, finishing off-dry and refreshingly textural. $7.50 at Dan’s.

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2010 was South Australia’s best red wine vintage in years, and it’s lifted this label to new levels of blueberry, plum and pepper definition. Oak tucks neatly into its folds, giving poise to its tannins and a finely textured mouthfeel to its long finish. $9.50 at Dan’s.

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Fresh, fruity, zesty and perfumed, this cool season has manifested a lemon-zest-accented chardonnay that’s ready to step in for a riesling or semillon to kick off any summer lunchtime seafood extravaganza. White lily perfume, spicy pears, fresh lemons and golden delicious apples conspire in a clean and finely structured style. $11 at Dan’s.

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Not since De Bortoli Windy Peak 2008 has any sub-$15 grigio looked more refined than this. No corners have been cut in the recipe, and oh how it shows! Whole bunch pressing preserves its luscious poached pear generosity and taut lemon and grapefruit crispness, while wild yeast fermentation and aging on lees build texture and […]

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We all need more R&R. Introducing the epitome of delicacy in Barossa rosé, which the cool 2011 season has toned it to hitherto unheard of restraint. You’d never imagine that hand picked old vine Barossa grenache, wild yeast fermented in barrel, could produce such a gorgeously pale salmon hue and such subtle nuances of pink […]

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Late harvest anything in 2011 faced a looming threat from rot, but not this wine. A particularly pristine release for Pauletts, singing with lifted lemon blossom, fresh, juicy white peaches and pears, accented by lime zest, cool season acidity and perfectly-tuned sweetness. $18 at WineSeek.

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If you’re hunting for bargain chardonnay for the cellar, 2011 Hyland sets a new benchmark. It may not have not hit the stratospheric complexity of 2009 and 2010, but such is its pedigree and sheer longevity that it outplays virtually all others at this price. True to the season, the 2011 is more tightly strung […]

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The way this wine’s zippy energy and vibrant acidity lifts its waves of complexity and flavour is nothing less than captivating. A little touch of oak multiplies its complexity in hazelnut cream, lifting the ginger, lantana and nashi pear of its fruit. A tightly defined cut of lime juice acidity flows through a palate of […]

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The four 2011 releases of riesling specialist Auburn present a compelling case that there’s more to the subregional distinctiveness of Central Otago than pinot noir. They have learnt from the styles of the Mosel, while unashamedly portraying the unique fruit flavours, acid profiles and mineral expressions of their distinct sites. Crafted in tiny quantities from […]

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