Gamay is the extremely attractive grape that makes France’s Beaujolais so very appealing. You don't often see it in Australia but when you do you wonder why. Chris Coulter practices minimum intervention with his Coulter Wines enterprise, sourcing grapes mainly from the Adelaide Hills. This is “… charming and inviting on the nose with raspberry, sweet strawberry, floral and subtle spice aromas, leading to a silky-smooth palate offering youthful fruit flavours with silky texture and fine-grained tannins, making it delightfully drinkable.” (Sam Kim Wine Orbit). “… simply a delicious lightweight fresh red, a perfect summer drink. Gentle, supple texture, the wine has crisp acidity and a lingering persistence… a first-class Gamay and will provide pleasure for the next several years.” (Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot).

The southern Rhône’s cru villages deliver remarkable richness as well as value – all nine of them well worth discovering. One of the best is Vacqueyras, the village watched over by the towering Dentelles de Montmirail (google and you'll find some impressive images of these iconic rugged landmarks) . Cuvée Préstigieux is from the Guillot family. In 1911, great grandfather of the current owner forsook his birthplace of Burgundy and headed south to the Rhône valley. There he bought his first vineyard. Today, Laurent Guillot is in charge, working the family plots both in Burgundy and the southern Rhône. This Cuvée Préstigieux is a full-bodied style with ripe raspberry fruit from the Grenache, while the Syrah brings herbal aromas and blackberry and a touch of Mourvèdre adds spice. Ace with roast lamb or a rich casserole.

Andrew McPherson has a well-deserved reputation for being a great brilliant technical innovator and made wine all over the world before settling back in Australia. He was chief winemaker for many years, but that honour now belongs to Jo Nash. Wild Daisy is as lively as its pretty label – Cabernet with a portion of cherry-fresh, Italian inspired Sangiovese, so what you enjoy is an Aussie version of one of Italy’s pricey, ‘super Tuscans’. It’s a delicious drop, a top choice at a barbecue, with pizza or pasta. Great solo too.

Sauvignon Blanc meets Semillon and Riesling in a rare blend, a portion of which is then matured in new French oak. "Scents of lemon curd and quince, nashi pear and almonds. The palate is much more keen and quick, a zesty shiver of lemon-lime with pink grapefruit and faint almond/nougat notes. A vibrant, tightly wound and thirst-quenching expression on hand. Very pleasing."

Hentley Farm was established in 1997 by Keith and Alison Hentschke, who had a single vision to craft exceptional single estate wines from the Barossa Valley. Using an old soil map from the 1950’s to strategically locate the best parcels of land, they discovered a mixed farming property set among the rolling hills on the banks of Greenock Creek in Barossa’s west, with remarkable diversity of soil types, and varying aspects and altitudes. In 2004, the estate was extended with the purchase of a neighbouring vineyard which shared the treasured natural amphitheatre of rolling hills that surround Hentley Farm and resultant diversity of site. This single estate of 150 acres is Hentley Farm. Beyond the single vineyard estates, Hentley Farm produce a portfolio of modern wines sourced from select vineyards across the Barossa including a range of wines under the Villain & Vixen label. As villains against convention we favour vixen like elegance, textural wines with enhanced vibrancy of fruit and varietal characteristics.

The month’s top tip? Our Exclusives Special Bulk Deal includes two bottles of each wine in the Great Value and Premium Exclusives Collections + a FREE bottle of d’Arenberg Thunderstep Shiraz 2020. A thoroughbred McLaren Vale Shiraz – from d’Arenberg, founding member of Australia’s First Family of Wines! (worth $40). All bottles found nowhere else in the country!

The quality and sensational value in this fine showcase is testament to the strong relationships we’ve built in the region, and includes stand out wines you’ll find nowhere else in the country. Take home six and save $89. Elderton Estate ranks among the best in Australia and 93pt East Wing is made just for you, delivering “excellent weight and ripe fruit intensity” (Wine Orbit). Trent Burge, son of legendary Grant Burge heads up Corryton Burge and produces wines of enormous charm and approachability. This Shiraz, a case in point, has been awarded a Double Gold by judges, who also commented on its “fruity freshness” and “structured mouthfeel”. It’s delicious! We’ve seen many lovely drops under the popular Patronus label, none better than this 2023; Gold and Double Gold came as no surprise to us. RedHeads King of the Barossa, in its old-school Barossa bottle also sports Gold – on debut too. “Purple Hands captures the purity and elegance possible when the raw materials are in good hands” (Halliday), while Tscharke offers organically grown fruit from three vineyard sites in their “sleek and slinky” (Halliday) 94pt beauty.

Grant Nash is a name coined by an autocorrect of the word Grenache. A group of like-minded Grenache fans produce the wines, largely from McLaren Vale sites and they are very good. Ironically this blend with Shiraz and Mourvedre – puts Mourvedre into ascendancy. "... a mixed spice nose of clove, pepper and other brown spices, the palate full-bodied and deep with good tannin structure and a touch of firmness. The fruit does the talking but it's far from simplistic. The Mourvèdre shows through and it has ageing potential.” (Huon Hooke, The Real Review).