Winter warmer 
Mount Horrocks 2015 Nero d’Avola
Crafted in the Clare Valley from a variety that is the most important red wine grape in Sicily and one of the most famous in all of Italy, this is a delicious 100% organic wine for winter warming. It is hearty but mellow with plum and spice notes to the fore and beautifully balanced; an excellent companion for red meat dishes ranging from spaghetti bolognaise to a rabbit casserole. It is young and juicy and drinking extremely well. $40.
Something different 
Down The Lane 2016 Rosé Gris de Gris
Down The Lane is a new range of wines from De Bortoli with a funky series of labels that pay tribute to Melbourne’s vibrant laneway culture and offer excellent value everyday drinking. The Pinot Grigio/Arneis blend is also a standout. This is a pale and dry style of rosé, vegan friendly, and made from a blend of pinot grigio and pinot noir grapes grown in the Riverina. 10 months on lees have added complexity, as has a touch of old oak, but this is essentially a fun and food-friendly wine best enjoyed chilled. $15.
Crisp and refreshing 
Soumah 2016 Savarro
Soumah, which means South of the Maroondah Highway, is a winery making some excellent cool-climate wines in the chilly Yarra Valley in Victoria. Savarro is Soumah’s take on the savagnin grape variety, which originally comes from the Bolzano region of northern Italy but thrives in the Jura region of eastern France. It is a late-ripening white with immediate appeal. This is a straw colour with enticing citrus aromas, and a chalky and citrusy palate with bright, refreshing acidity and crispness. $28.
