92 points

Maude 2006
Sauvignon Blanc
Drink now
New Zealand
$24.00
Not your average Marlborough sauvignon blanc, this is a belter from renowned winemakers Dan and Sarah-Kate Dineen. Fresh, vibrant fruit is matched with some very well-handled oak, giving a perfectly balanced offering of lovely length and complexity.

94 points

Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV

Drink now-2012
France, Champagne
$80.00
How good is this Roederer NV? Always dependable Roederer’s Brut Premier is now absolutely fantastic, with every box ticked and with balance to die for. It is not a full-on, in-your-face style, rather it is on the reserved side, slowly revealing intricate layers of flavour in the glass. Brilliant, just brilliant.

91 points

Ata Rangi 2006
Crimson Pinot Noir
Drink now-2010
New Zealand
$35.00
It is good to see such a smart second label coming from this venerable name, with the Crimson Pinot Noir showing some slightly stalky summer fruit characters on a soft and silky palate with a little fine-grained tannin to finish. It won’t age like the estate label, but it’s still a very good effort indeed for consumption over the next couple of years.

91 points

Carpineto 2006
‘Dogajolo’ Vino da Tavola di Toscana
Drink now-2013
Italy, Central
$14.00
It is almost immoral to pay so little for a wine this good that has travelled halfway around the world. Just brilliant value and full to the brim with beautifully balanced dusty, savoury cherry fruit plus some powerful cassis thrown into the mix.

93 points

Vinedos Organicos Emiliana 2005
Coyam
Drink 2010-2015
Chile
$45.00
This uniquely Chilean blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, carménère, syrah and mourvèdre is a full-bodied style rippling with intense blackberry and blackcurrant aromas with a little pepper. Backing the fruit is a sturdy and dense palate which gives this wine great ageing potential.

86 points

Domaine Lafond 2006
Roc-Epine Côtes-du-Rhône
Drink now
France, Rhone Valley
$18.00
If there was ever a wine that proved you can’t judge a book by the cover it is this little beauty from Domaine Lafond, which is always smartly priced. Leather and red fruit aromas lead onto a soft and supple medium-weight palate. An outdoor drinking wine for sure and perfect for a tower of barbequed sausages.

93 points

Castello di Gabbiano 2005
Bellezza Toscana IGT
Drink 2010-2022
Italy, Central
$48.00
There’s only one thing really to say about this wine, and that is it’s absolutely brilliant and a serious example of the modern Tuscan pure sangiovese style. Dense with layered red and black fruit, the palate is full and generous and there are plenty of chewy tannins underneath. Keep this for a decade and then pair it with beef cheeks.

92 points

Russolo Ronco Calaj 2006
Pinot Grigio
Drink now
Italy, North-east
$35.00
This would have to be the best pinot grigio I have had all year. Not only does it have true varietal character of pear and apple but also good concentration of fruit that is perfectly balanced with fine acidity. If only all grigio tasted this good!

93 Points

Dr Loosen 2006
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling
Drink now-2018
Germany
$39.00
Dramatically fresh and exuberant this low (7.5%) alcohol riesling is super-moreish with intense youthful and graceful fruit reminiscent of green apple, lime and white flowers while it is streamlined in the mouth with very fresh acidity and finishing with brilliant length. Delightful.

87 points

Luis Pato Vinhas Velhas Branco 2006
Bairrada
Drink now
Spain
$28.00
A fascinating wine. Aromatically, you would swear it was viognier due to the apricot, blossom and peachy aromas. But then the palate kicks in – almost austere with delicate mineral and citrus fruit flavours driven by a steam train of acidity. It needs a good plate of seafood and then it will be lovely.

90 points

Allegrini 2006
Valpolicella Classico
Drink now-2010
Italy, North-east
$28.00
The baby brother of the Amarone, Allegrini’s Valpolicella is a juicy and very clean style rippling with red cherry, plum and raspberry fruit with a savoury edge. The palate is fresh and juicy, with layered fruits supported by fine tannins. A lovely style for simple tomato-based pastas.

93 points

Palliser Estate 2006
Riesling
Drink now-2012
New Zealand
$22.00
New Zealand riesling is often undervalued, and this is a perfect example. It is not your typical lean riesling style but shows more weight and texture than you might generally find elsewhere. It also shows great personality, with lime, citrus and slightly floral fruits of excellent length balanced nicely with some good acidity.

89 points

Joseph Drouhin 2005
Morgon
Drink now-2011
France, Burgundy
$36.00
Some people say that Beaujolais doesn’t age. That’s because they have never tried a wine from the villages of Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent with a bit of age in the tank. With dusty cherry fruit as well as good weight and structure, this Morgon from Joseph Drouhin will certainly go for a couple of years. A smart little Beaujolais if ever I saw one!

90 points

Domaine du Parc Saint Charles 2005
Les Moines Hospitalières Côtes-du-Rhône
Drink now-2010
France, Rhone Valley
$22.00
This is really quite remarkable value for money and reminds me a little of some entry-level Châteauneuf-du-Papes. It is juicy and full of red cherry and plum fruit, with some peppery spicy and dusty/meaty characters coming to the fore on a fleshy palate with a little grip to finish. Search this one out.

89 points

Nigl 2006
‘Gartling’ Grüner Veltliner
Drink now-2012
Austria
$28.00
Nigl regularly offers the best value coming out of Austria, and this smart little grüner is a case in point. Peppery mineral fruit dominates the lean and relatively low-alcohol palate with some slightly herbaceous fruit characters emerging right on the finish. This will work well with spicy food.

91 points

Eversham Wood 2006
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Drink now-2014
USA
$37.00
This is a more structural Oregon style that will age well. It teases with lashings of sweet raspberry, cherry and plum flavours lifted by some spice with some surprising weight and sturdy structure coming through on a well-balanced finish.

87 points

Moillard 2006
Brecot Mâcon-Villages
Drink now
France, Burgundy
$23.00
Cheap Burgundy is almost impossible to source, making this little Mâcon a real find. Delicate lemon, honeydew melon and mineral fruit open the account with some nutty citrus fruit of good length on the palate. A great dry white to just sip all on its own.

96 points

Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia 2002
Bolgheri
Drink 2016-2030
Italy, Central
$220.00
Does Italian Cabernet get much better than this? I’m not so sure. From a not particularly well-rated vintage I think the team at Ornellaia has done a sterling job making a cabernet-merlot blend for the ages. Rippling with blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and vanilla fruit, it’s a seamless and charming red wine that is a testament to the potential of the international grapes in Italy. Breathtaking.

93 points

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV

Drink now-2012
France, Champagne
$110.00
Without doubt in the top handful of rosés on the market, this small family-owned company never disappoints with its particularly refined style of Champagne. The colour is the lightest shade of pink, but hiding behind it are waves of concentrated yet elegant fruit flavour.

87 points

Château Raynaud Lacoste 2005
Bordeaux
Drink now
France, Bordeaux
$22.00
Getting good quaffing Bordeaux is a real challenge when you are talking about the most highly priced wine region in the world. So that’s what makes this wine such a find. It’s a youthful, medium-weight style showing juicy blackcurrant and blackberry fruit of good length. You can’t ask for too much more at this kind of price.

88 points

Arrogant Frog 2006
Ribet Red Vin d’Pays Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Drink now-2010
South of France
$10.00
This has got to be the best-value budget import on the market, and by a good distance. Pure gravelly blackcurrant and blackberry fruit with good weight and a little structure behind it make it the perfect accompaniment for lamb skewers straight off the barbeque.

93 points

Isole e Olena 2005
Chianti Classico
Drink now-2016
Italy, Central
$38.00
Isole e Olena is a beacon of quality in Tuscany with a brace of fabulous wines including a wickedly sweet Vin Santo. This is another excellent release of its Chianti Classico with juicy, ripe fruit, beautiful balance and structure and a little herb and spice to finish. It really needs serious Italian fare to show its best.

89 points

Georges Dubœuf 2006
Chiroubles
Drink now
France, Burgundy
$24.00
Georges Dubœuf is the famous name in Beaujolais with his beautiful floral labels well known around the globe. This wine from the village of Chiroubles is a juicy red fruit style with some herbal complexity coming though and a little grip on the finish. It will age for a year or two but is best drunk young.

92 points

Louis Latour 2005
Chassagne-Montrachet
Drink now-2011
France, Burgundy
$75.00
Uber vintage 2005 produces another fine white, this being a rather savoury and generous wine from the famous village of Chassagne-Montrachet. It is full-bodied with some fairly typical nutty citrus fruit flavours with hints of nougat and vanilla. Some good balancing but not fabulous acidity suggests this is best drunk in the short- to medium-term.

91 points

Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial NV

Drink now-2011
France, Champagne
$70.00
Brut Imperial has recently been repackaged, which is a real improvement. The recent release is all soft and cuddly, and certainly made to please. With yeasty, toasty aromas practically bursting out of the glass, the palate is rather creamy with a little zippy acid on the finish.

93 points

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht 2005
Turckheim Riesling
Drink 2011-2022
France, Alsace
$70.00
Olivier Zind-Humbrecht MW is without doubt one of France’s great winemakers with his rare innate feel for vine and soil. This Alsatian riesling, of rare style and class, is a superb example of an almost dry French style with rich mango and guava fruit amply supported by a fine line of fresh citrus fruit and acidity. It finishes creamy and long, with riesling’s taut structure shining through.

91 points

Serge Dageneau 2006
Pouilly-Fumé
Drink now
France, Loire Valley
$40.00
If you’ve ever wanted to try a very different side to sauvignon blanc, look no further than this Pouilly-Fumé with its herbal and smoky aromas. In the mouth the fruit is restrained and pure with herbaceuous and mineral notes dominating on a zesty palate.

88 points

Vina Herminia Tempranillo 2005
Rioja Crianza
Drink now
Spain
$23.00
You can almost smell the dusty plains of Spain in this super-smart tempranillo. Aromatically, it boasts plenty of red cherry and blackcurrant fruit, while on the palate the more savoury dusty elements take over, with a little tannin in the background for structure. Great value.

93 points

Château Graville-Lacoste 2005
Les Fleur de Graville Graves
Drink now-2011
France, Bordeaux
$39.00
This is a pretty serious white Bordeaux with lovely purity of fruit. Fresh and lively, it boasts layers of vanilla, citrus and green melon fruit characters that carry onto the creamy palate with good line and length. It is made for white fish.

94 points

Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron 2001
Pauillac
Drink now-2015
France, Bordeaux
$230.00
Bordeaux, especially from the towns of Pauillac and St-Estèphe, can be a very masculine wine and this character is well and truly on show in the 2001 Pichon-Baron. It has plenty of ripe blackcurrant and black olive fruit matched by a dry and sturdy palate with some gravelly tannins to finish. It will drink for a while but probably at its best over the next five years.

89 points

La Morandina 2007
Moscato d’Asti
Drink now
Italy, North-west
$28.00 (375 ml)
This is a beautifully pure and fine Moscato from La Morandina with vitality to burn. Delicate apple, floral and grapy fruit are present on a beautifully refreshing and gently sweet palate finished off with some mouth-watering acidity.

91 points

Château Haut-Beauséjour 2004
St-Estèphe
Drink 2011-2014
France, Bordeaux
$48.00
A high proportion of merlot goes into this classically styled wine from St-Estèphe. Layers of black fruit and olive open up to quite an austere and gravelly palate. Well proportioned and balanced, it finishes with some dusty and slightly herbal characters.

93 points

Pascal Jolivet 2006
Sancerre
Drink now
France, Loire Valley
$40.00
A beautifully refreshing wine, this Sancerre from Jolivet shows all the finer characters of cool-climate sauvignon blanc, with mineral, lemon and green apple fruit lifted by a little grassy complexity on a fresh, exuberant and lengthy palate. Brilliant summer drinking.