Value is what everyone is looking for right now, so wine writer Winsor Dobbin has selected six wines that deliver at various price points.
Summer red
Chateau Tanunda 2022 The Chateau Grenache
Many wine drinkers associate the Barossa with big red blockbusters, high in alcohol and heavily oaked. There are still some of those around, but this is a food-friendly medium-bodied alternative that delivers plenty of flavour. It is nicely balanced and perfect for enjoying with dishes ranging from a Thai beef salad to some barbecued lamb chops. From a producer with a history dating back 130 years, there is lots of juicy fruit with plenty of interest across the palate. Think dark red fruit aromas and flavours, with oak playing an unobtrusive support role. Delicious. $40.
Tassie triumph
Jansz NV Cuvee
Cool-climate sparkling wines from Tasmania are very much in fashion and this one certainly delivers plenty of quality without a scary price tag. It’s perfect for an intimate pre-Christmas gathering, or as an aperitif before a function. Sourced from vineyards across the Apple Isle, this is a classic blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. It has spent time on lees, creating toasty aromas, but the key element here is fresh citrus and apple flavours with some brisk and refreshing natural acidity. This would be excellent with oysters or a seafood platter. Lovely stuff for around $30.
Impressive quaffing
Bremerton 2021 Coulthard Cabernet Sauvignon
The Willson sisters always produce wines that are sensibly priced, as this cabernet from Langhorne Creek shows. It offers dinner party quality at a barbecue price. You’ll find a nice amalgam of dark currant flavours and savoury notes and it is ready to be enjoyed right now. This would match well with pizzas, pasta dishes or a cheese platter. The Coulthard in the name is a family ancestor, not a racing car driver. $22.
Seasonal standout
Mitchelton Preece 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
This is a quintessential summer wine from Nagambie in Victoria, full of freshness and vibrancy with intense varietal characteristics. There is cut grass on the nose, with snow pea and tropical fruit flavours on the lively palate. Made by talented winemaker Natalie Cleghorn, this would be perfect served well chilled at a picnic or paired with fish and chips. I like the liveliness and bright acid here, and I drank more than a couple of glasses without a care in the world. It’s also Vegan friendly if that concerns you. $22.
Serious Chardonnay
Kooyong 2021 Faultline Chardonnay
Sometimes you want a wine for which you must pay a premium, perhaps for a dinner party, or maybe a special occasion. The chardonnays and pinot noirs from Kooyong on the Mornington Peninsula always deliver something special, so are well worth the asking prices. Richer and rounder than some of its stablemates, this single block wine nonetheless has a precise, crisp palate with grapefruit and stone fruit flavours along with plenty of length. Pair this with a traditional roast pork and crackling. $75.
Italian Accent
Castel Firmian 2019 Teroldego
Italian red wines have a real swagger and style about them with savoury notes you rarely find in Australian wines. If you are into experimentation and willing to try something a little bit different, how about this one from Trentino, made from the quite rare teroldego grape and imported by Single Vineyard Sellers. Castel Firmian is one of Trentino’s most famous castles. Located in the town of Mezzacorona, it was built in the 13th century to guard over the Piana Rotaliana plain, where the grapes are now grown. Intense, firm and savoury with charcuterie notes, this would be perfect for taking to a BYO Italian. $45.
See more of Winsor’s wine reviews at www.gourmetontheroad.com
