Contentious Character is a modern and quirky brand based out of the ACT, but with vineyards across many areas of NSW. Their Organic Cowra Verdelho is impressive.Delicate green straw. Plush Verdelho aromatics of full-ripe yellow melon, guava and green pineapple. Bright, positive and opulent throughout, delivering tropical fruit, good balance and gentle length. A confident modern example of the variety.

Sitting atop a high hill in the heart of the Hunter Valley, Bimbadgen have been producing quality wines like their Verdelho since 1968. Pineapple and tropical fruits arise on the nose followed by a citrus and troplical palate with lovelly herbal notes on the finish.

The Audrey Wilkinson Verdelho shows lifted tropical aromas with hints of spice and ripe melon.The palate has lashings of fruit salad and hints of apricot and citrus zest.

Bleasdale is “one of the most historic wineries in Australia... in 2015 celebrating 165 years of continuous winemaking by the direct descendants of the founding Potts family.” (Halliday). Among many major awards, they’ve won the Jimmy Watson Trophy and they recently made the 2023 Shortlist for the Halliday Wine Companion's Best Value Winery. Winemaker Paul Hotker, a “master blender”, was named Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year 2018. This fine red is another example of why Langhorne Creek Shiraz is regarded by many as delivering Australia’s best-value reds, vintage after vintage. Intense aromas of blackberries, plums and Asian spice. Juicy dark fruits define the medium-to-full palate, with clove and liquorice notes dancing up back. Soft tannins.

Temple Bruer continues to be one of the standout Organic producers in Australia with flavoursome and richly textured wines. This Cabernet Merlot has the great bonus of being Preservative Free for those with sensitivies to Sulpher Dioxide.

In the glass: Pale and bright.On the nose: Fragrant citrus and tropical fruit lift.On the palate: Ripe and juicy, strongly varietal with tropical pineapple and ginger spice notes. Shows a sweet fruit core but remains clean and dry with fresh yet soft acidity. Classic Hunter Verdelho.

The nose is spritely and fresh showing fresh lemon, cypress and crushed shell. The palate is fine and long with fresh acidity providing drive and texture, flavours of citrus blossom and wet stone. Piquepoul has long been a favourite of the Lloyd Family and was selected as having potential as a new variety for McLaren Vale. We imported the cuttings in 2009 from a nursery in southern France and some years later had our first release in 2015. The variety has proven itself to be well suited to our Mediterranean climate and has found a new home in the Vale. Its fresh acidity and lively texture make it a great accompaniment for seafood, particularly oysters and other shellfish. Coriole was founded by Hugh and Molly Lloyd in 1967, and they released their first wine in 1969. The Estate is still owned by the Lloyd family and is now managed by Mark and Paul Lloyd. Coriole is situated in the undulating hills of the densely planted McLaren Vale region just within sight of the sea and less than an hour from Adelaide. The original farmhouses were built in 1860 and are now the epicentre of the garden and cellar door at the winery. The original vineyards were planted in 1919. The Lloyd family are considered pioneers in the McLaren Vale region, and visionaries in the planting of Italian and French varieties. Long before it was fashionable, Mark Lloyd developed vineyards of Sangiovese, Picpoul, Chenin Blanc, Nero dAvola, and others, plus of course, Shiraz. They are considered one of the leading lights of the region.

Chapel Hill's 'The MV' range celebrates an exploration of some of McLaren Vales finest vineyard sites. Sourced from a terraced block that is perched above the picturesque Onkaparinga Gorge, resembling a natural amphitheatre for Chardonnay to proudly express both complexity and varietal finesse. Crafted with a gentle patience, using entirely by-hand winemaking techniques, this wine demonstrates the beauty, complexity and character of place, varietal and vintage. To preserve purity and character, this wine is made with minimal additions and is allowed to clarify naturally without the use of fining or filtration - meaning it's suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Varietal aromas of mint and cassis are well matched with subtle vanillin oak on the nose. The palate is supple and smooth the blackcurrant flavours framed by fine ripe tannins. Try it with roast lamb.