Spring is ready to spring, so here is selection of affordable wines for enjoying over the next few weeks – including a couple of French standouts – suggested by wine writer Winsor Dobbin.
Classic red
Tahbilk 2021 Shiraz
A new vintage of one of the most reliable reds around – from Victoria’s oldest family-owned winery with a pedigree dating back to 1860. This is a complex and delicious shiraz released at three years of age that can either be enjoyed now or be cellared for a few years. It is a lovely mellow wine with a nifty combination of complexity, tannin structure, flavour, and spice notes. A very versatile food wine, too, so it would be well worth having a couple of bottles on hand for when wine-loving friends drop by. $24.
Low alcohol
In The Middle 2023 Pinot Grigio
No- and low-alcohol wines are well worth avoiding. They either taste like wine that has been watered down, or of nothing in particular. This lively pinot grigio, part of a new range from Newcastle-based Fourth Wave Wines, is thankfully in a quite different bracket and is a fun summer drink. Weighing in at 6.5% – half of the level of most white wines – it has some crisp citrus and apple flavours and brisk, refreshing acid on the finish. I showed it to a couple of seasoned drinkers who did not identify it as being low alcohol. The tech magic has worked here. $16.
Brand new
Gundog Estate 2024 Hunter’s Semillon
White wines from the 2024 vintage are starting to hit bottle shop shelves and this is an impressive Hunter Valley semillon from Matt Burton, who specialises in the Hunter’s benchmark white variety. This comes from one of the best growing seasons in many years that Burton says may rank with “the greats.” It is made in a crowd-pleasing drink-now style with plenty of lemony goodness on the palate. Pair with shellfish dishes, or sashimi. $32.
Bold red
Hank 2022 Shiraz
So, you are an adventurous wine drinker who enjoys reds with plenty of power? This red from mother and daughter winemaking team Kim and Margo Longbottom should be right up your street. Rather than being matured in standard oak barrels, the juice spent a short stay in aged bourbon barrels, adding even more richness to the already big McLaren Vale flavours. Not for everyone, but definitely a wine with a serious point of difference. It would pair well with a big juicy steak. $24.
French style
JP Drouet 2022 Loire Valley Cabernet Franc Rosé
What a treat – and at a bargain basement price. I shared it with a tasting group who loved its summery appeal. It is a crisp and lip-smacking rosé from the Loire Valley, one of the regions of France known for outstanding pink wines. Exclusive to ALDI stores, it is impressively elegant with summer pudding and strawberry aromas and flavours to the fore. This would be a lovely wine for a spring picnic, or paired with some Portuguese roast chicken. $10.
Brilliant blend
Chateau des Cres Ricards 2022 Oenothera
This is one of several premium labels from Jean-Claude Mas, better known as the Arrogant Frog, and a man who exports some very stylish Languedoc wines to Australia through Dan Murphy’s stores. From a highly regarded vineyard outside Montpellier, it is a seriously good blend of shiraz and grenache, two of the star grape varieties in the region. Soft and smooth but with impressive layers of flavours. $32.
See more of Winsor’s wine reviews at www.gourmetontheroad.com
