Wine Spectator calls Portugal “the most exciting wine place on the planet”, with its terrific range of native grape varieties and wines that always offer standout value. The rich, mouthfilling Lobo e Falcão fits firmly in that category. It’s made at a 17th century estate owned by the Lobo de Vasconcellos family, once the location of the king’s falconry. Special barrels of wine were kept for the king when he visited. Today, talented winemaker Joana Lopes makes this red specially for us, blending Syrah with Portugal’s exciting native grapes. Previously awarded a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Award, the 2018 has lovely intensity of flavour due to another low yield year. Generous wild berry fruit and spice with a velvet texture – a very moreish red.

Pinotage defines the unique character of South African reds with its smoky berry character, while Shiraz adds a little more spicy oomph. In Grill House, Trophy winning Gerhard Swart has created a gorgeous, punchy rich red – but then he is known locally as ‘King of Pinotage’. As the name suggests, it's looking for a grill or barbecue (or 'braai' as the South Africans would say).

Angove make wine from all over South Australia, but McLaren Vale is one of their favourite stomping grounds. They have access to some of the finest vineyards in the vale and the best parcels of special fruit. Their hand-crafted wines show off the region’s expressive style to perfection.Here, dark chocolate, plum, and morello cherry flavours meld with delicious spice and creamy oak ... this is intensely dark and deliciously smooth. Great with a char-grilled steak.

The 2018 Shiraz is full of brambles and blue/black fruits with a spicy lift. Layers of brooding dark fruits, spice and savoury characters are framed in fine oak. The sinewy tannin profile pulls the wine through to a long and moreish finish.

This Shiraz is uniquely Margaret River, with an incredible combination of fruit, spice and lingering fine-grained tannins. For the 2019 harvest, only the best blocks of Shiraz were harvested to make this limited production wine.

In 1847, the people of Krondorf began a wine industry that helped lay the foundation for what the Barossa is today. As custodians of this legacy, their winemakers craft modern expressions of signature Barossa varietals. Look for fresh aromas of raspberry and dark berry, bright and textural redcurrants with a hint of spice. Elegant and refined with subtle oak, a persistent length and a supple tannin finish.

Allinda is a tiny Yarra Valley estate, and you won't find their wines in too many places, because the quantities are so small. But when you do find them, make sure you stock up, because they are really wonderful. This sumptuous Syrah really impresses with medium to full bodied intense ripe flavour and natural acidity. Ripeness of fruit in the warmish 2016 February has lifted the flavour profile into the mulberry and plum zone so expect less white pepper than other Yarra Valley Syrahs. Allinda has kept it simple with healthy soils, healthy vines, some of the better old school practices, a dash of modern technique and a whole lotta good old winemaking sense. High-quality boutique wine with stacks of Gold wins!

Angove is one of Australia's oldest family owned wineries, founded in 1886. They have access to some of the finest fruit in the 'big red' regions of South Australia's Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. This Barossa beauty is powerfully rich, plush, velvety and intense ... serve it with your finest cuts of meat.

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.

Full of finesse and flavour. Fresh mulberry, dark cherry and violet aromas rise from the glass and flow through to the palate, where blue fruits dance with olive, coffee and wood spice flavours. Medium-bodied, balanced, with power to burn. New French oak used to mature 20 per cent of the wine, with the remainder aged in neutral French oak. Only 240 dozen produced. Unfined, unfiltered, vegan, low sulphur.