Punnets of strawberry, blackberry and raspberry flavour are miraculously shoehorned into a standard size bottle, while ageing in American oak adds a spicy, toasty finishing touch. 'Big Mac' McPherson grew up in the world of wine, tutored by his father Jock, who had established a winery in the Hunter Valley. Andrew went on to set up wineries at home and abroad and work for some Australia's top names. These days he crafts characterful wines by himself at great value prices. The Full Fifteen is perfect with roast beef or lamb and a wonderful companion to barbecues.

Classic cool climate Bordeaux blend exhibiting precise definition of fruit flavors, tannin backbone and the complexity of a Bordeaux blend of four grape varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon (47%), Petit Verdot (26%), Cabernet Franc (17%), Merlot (10%). 24 months in French and Russian Oak.Hand crafted in small batches from grapes grown using sustainable practices with no pesticides or herbicides.Blackcurrant, dark cherry nose with hints of cigar box, tea leaf and mint adding complexity. The palate is medium bodied with richness and intensity supported by finely cut, soft integrated tannins. Allinda Cabernets will continue to improve with careful cellar maturation in the bottle for 10 to 15 years.

For the Marauding Vintners, real wine is not a commodity, but an expression of people, place and time, where art and nature merge. They know the real deal is often found off the beaten track, and devote time to tracking down the genuine characters. Lady Chardonnay is quite the actress. Born, it's said, from a liaison between a French aristocrat and an uncultivated 'peasant'. She appears the world over in many guises, winning rave reviews in Burgundy, Champagne and select Aussie venues – appearing luscious and well-rounded where the sun shines most, lean and elegant in cooler climes. You'll adore the fresh, modern, beautifully balanced performance she gives here.

20 years ago, a lightbulb moment resulted in the creation of RedHeads by Tony and Tom Laithwaite. It was a no-gimmicks, no-rules cellar where young, talented (and rebellious) winemakers could moonlight and make small-batch wines that really rocked their boat. Growers started bringing in pick-up loads of their best grapes they wanted 'rescuing' from the mega-blends. RedHeads winemakers began to gain a reputation as the ‘Robinhood of grapes’ – saving parcels to make into handcrafted wines. So popular, the cellar outgrew its original home and, for a few years, it moved from shed to shed. Finally it bought its own vineyard and built a state-of-the-art, off-grid, solar-powered eco winery. RedHeads by name, green by nature, with awards galore.

This gorgeously refreshing white is made by the talented John Quarisa, who – aside from winning a coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy – has enjoyed a “distinguished career as a winemaker spanning over 20 years” (Halliday). John likes his wines to express big personality, juicy fruit and value for money. They also have a magic knack of winning Gold – often several times over! Mouthwateringly fresh and bursting with citrus. Lemon and lime run across the palate, with subtle green apple hints. This Gold winner would happily pair with a platter of fresh prawns.

A charm filled Rioja that makes lovely easy drinking. Hand harvested to select only the ripest Tempranillo grapes from the old vines, the 2020 is complex and elegant with luscious, subtle spice notes and velvety smooth tannins. Bursting with high-spirited summer berries and fragrant vanilla oak, and tinged with the charisma of ripe strawberries for a tantalisingly delicious mouthful. You’ll enjoy the Rioja most when paired with authentic tapas, grilled lamb or rabbit stew.

As Robert Parker says, “Spain leads the world for sensational wine bargains of character and soul”, none more so than its mature reds. Nowhere else produces mellow, barrel-aged wines of such remarkable quality and price. Take Palacio del Conde – a gorgeously complex, oaky 2015 from Valencia. Part of this region is close to the coast, while the more southerly part is inland, up in the hills, and dry. It’s there that winemaker Marta Martínez selects the finest, hand harvested – from 50 year old vines – Tempranillo grapes for this Gran Reserva, then ages the wine for three years in oak barrels. A wonderfully fragrant, silky red with mature redcurrant and strawberry fruit and a rich, toasty character. Sublime with roast lamb or tapas. Its three recent Gold wins show its drinking beautifully now.

Lovely fresh Riesling from the pioneering Seifried family estate, who set up in the super-sunny coastal region of Nelson in 1973 (way before most of Marlborough next door). In the 1970s Hermann Seifried, then a fresh-faced Austrian wine nut seeking adventure, travelled to New Zealand. It was a final stop-off on a world tour, mainly to see where the All Blacks came from. There he fell in love with a local primary school teacher, Agnes, and has never left. In 1973 the couple realised their shared dream – to plant a vineyard – and have since racked up a host of awards. Today their three children, Chris, Heidi and Anna, help run the property in Nelson – a region with over 2,400 hours of sunshine, it's the sunniest in New Zealand.