Angullong 2023 Fossil Hill Tempranillo

 

Angullong is a family-owned wine producer in the cool-climate region of Orange in the Central West of New South Wales - a location producing increasingly impressive wines across the board. Here we have a Spanish grape variety - most famous for its key role in the great wines of Rioja - crafted in Australia by a Canadian winemaker, Jeff Byrne. Bright and immediately engaging, this offers a nice balance between savoury fruit notes and quality oak. We paired it with chilli con carne and rice, and it proved a most amiable pairing. Outstanding value at $30.  https://www.angullong.com.au/

Ask The Elephant 2025 Pinot Grigio

 

A tenner? You don't get much wine for a tenner nowadays, do you? Well this new brand release from Fourth Wave Wines delivers good everyday drinking across the five wines in the range - with this one my favourite. Ask the Elephant is an offshoot from thes crowd-pleasing Elephant in the Room label - using keywords to make buying easier for novice wine buyers. Friendly is the word in question here and this is certainly a white with wide appeal. Red apple and pear flavours lead the charge with fruit sweetness and nutty hints in support. It sits midway between gris and grigio in style and there are plenty of $25 wines that this puts to shame. The sauvignon blanc in the same range is also pretty cool. Coming to Dan Murphy's and BWS stores soon. $9.99.

Cullen 2024 Diana Madeline

What style of wizardry is this? Tasted blind you could easily mistake this for one of the stellar left bank cabernet-driven red blends of Bordeaux - wines that fetch stratospheric prices. This isn't cheap, but it is bargain compared to other Australian flagships now pushing over $1000 a bottle. This benchmark comes from the earliest, driest, and hottest vintage on record in Margaret River, but the biodynamic, dry-grown vines sailed through the test. Still aromatic, still powerful, still balanced, still elegant. Dark with cassis flavours to the fore, along with nutty/vanilla characters, impressive tannin structure and stupendous length. The blend comprises 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% cabernet franc, 3% malbec, and 2% merlot. Pair with a lamb roast for maximum pleasure. Released this week. I think this is my favourite wine of the year so far. 98 points. $160. https://cullenwines.com.au/

https://cullenwines.com.au/

Vasse Felix 2025 Filius Sauvignon Blanc

A quarter of a century ago, sauvignon blanc was all the rage. It is less fashionable nowadays but that means it represents terrific value for those who like the style. This release from a pioneering Margaret River producer is a case in point - a very well-made dry white for under $30. This is less overt than its Kiwi cousins, food friendly and savoury without too much herbaceousness. A portion of skin fermented juice adds interest, as does some fermentation in quality French oak. A very pretty, brisk, aromatic drink with fresh pear flavours to the fore and with a bitey acid finish. Lovely everyday thirst quenching here. Pair with poultry dishes, or maybe some salt and pepper squid. $28. https://www.vassefelix.com.au/

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot

Many merlots in Australia are made in a soft and simple style; as easy quaffers. Not so his one from the cabernet masters at Moss Wood in Margaret River. It is full of verve and texturally complex, a nod to the great merlot-led wines of Bordeaux's right bank. More structured than fleshy, this one is firm and impressively complex with some bright acidity allied to serious tannins, aided and abetted by time in French barriques.  We paired this with roast lamb en croute and were well rewarded. $87. https://www.mosswood.com.au/

Tapanappa 2025 The Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay

 

Great vineyards show their mettle in the most difficult of years. The Tiers Vineyard - one of the first planted in the Adelaide Hills - is in the coolest, wettest location in South Australia and is perfectly suited to chardonnay; with a micro-climate similar to that of Burgundy. It generally produces elegant, subtley shaded wines. Except that 2025 was the warmest, driest and earliest vintage veteran winemaker Brian Croser has seen in his 56-year winemaking career. The result is a wine slightly bigger than normal but still reflective of the vineyard. Think nectarine/white peach notes, barrel ferment, subtle oak and yeasty/lees notes - but still with a vibrant acid finish. With the help of early picking, the vineyard conquered the season. Pair with roast pork and crackling. $110. https://tapanappa.com.au/   

Mount Horrocks 2024 Nero d'Avola

Nero d'Avola is a Sicilian grape that is very much at home in Australian conditions. Stephanie Toole planted the variety at Mount Horrocks in the Clare Valley almost 20 years ago - well ahead of the curve - and this new release is bundle of juicy fruit flavours with a savoury edge. Mostly older oak is used to elevate the fruit-forward style. This single-vineyard wine is certified organic and biodynamic, and Toole is obsessive about quality. She says this is "equally compelling now or later". I'd pair with pasta and a hearty ragu, or a beef casserole with herbed dumplings. Excellent quality, $45. https://www.mounthorrocks.com/