McLaren Vale and Shiraz - the perfect match. Steve Maglieri is the icon behind the Serafino name and his Shiraz is a typically wonderful full-flavoured and full-bodied red with the black and red fruits you can handle. A rich and voluptuous palate with a silken, textured finish that is a perfect match to big, rich beef dishes or a robust lamb ragu.

Leconfield regularly produce fine full flavoured Shiraz. This release from McLaren Vale shows spicy berry-like varietal character with some minty-chocolately regional hints balanced tannins and well judged oak.

Leconfield Merlot has big and juicy dark fruits, soft tannins all supported by lovely French oak. Paul Gordon continues to produce a serious Merlot for a great price, year in, year out. His Merlot is also one that will benefit from a little sit in the medium term cellar.

This latest release from Petaluma Croser is a non vintage sparkling wine. The classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay offers a delicate bouquet of fresh citrus and white peach with a light yeastiness on the nose. Persistence bubbles with a dry long finish.

The Toi Toi label offers some of the best value wines produced in New Zealand. Always true to region and varietal, this great Pinot Gris is fresh and clean. A fruit forward style, it shows loads of pear and apple with a touch of bread crust. Enjoy with seafood or friends.

Fulcrum is the fantastic new venture from Pinot Noir rockstar, William Downie and long time friend and colleague, Jason Searle. Wonderfully fresh and vibrant with varietal characters of plum and earthen spice, Fulcrum Pinot Noir continues to develop in the bottle and is simply a premium wine steal at this price.

Famous for their popular and flavoursome Sauvignon Blanc, Giesen produce an enticing and pure Riesling from the same region, Marlborough. Displaying notes of citrus, white flowers and ginger on the nose, this attractive off-dry Riesling shows subtle sweet flavours of lemon curd, mandarin and orange peel. Those flavours are then balanced beautifully with a structured acid backbone and minerality that keeps the succulent flavours dancing on the palate for an age.

Knappstein Shiraz displays rich, ripe, plum and berry flavours with fine velvety tannins. Medium term cellaring will be rewarded.

Giesen's Estate Chardonnay is wine that's very approachable in youth and suitable for any occasion. The fruit is sourced from a premium Hawkes Bay vineyard, producing a Chardonnay with good fruit intensity and a touch of complexity through lees contact and restrained use of oak. Sweet stone fruit and citrus aromas with excellent textural viscosity, subtle oak characters and focussed acidity on the palate. A balanced and lengthy finish rounds off an ideal NZ Chardonnay for seafood dishes.

David Hook's Shiraz is medium bodied, some vibrant characters of spicy red berries and soft rounding tannins with hints of vanilla oak on the palate. Ripe fruits richness with a lengthy finish. A great number to have handy when friends drop by.