Sun, clear air, cool elevated vineyards and great winemaking skills give Argentina all the ingredients for world class wines. Joanna Simon says: "As a wine country, Argentina has everything going for it" (The Sunday Times). The Waxed Bat is a triumphant creation from our good friend Opi Sadler, winner of two international Trophies to date, and winemaker at Andean Vineyards. The wine's name was inspired by memories of his grandfather's cellar - wine bottles sealed with heavy red wax and an occasional bat fluttering in the lamp light. Spicy, liquorice scented Shiraz, cassis laden Cabernet and dense Malbec create power and complexity. Smooth enough to drink on its own and terrific with spare ribs, steak or kebabs. Decant an hour in advance.

With an impressive award-winning history, this densely flavoured, spicy champion comes from the Padró family cellar founded in 1898, in Spain’s Tarragona region. Combining concentrated, old bush vine (up to 70 years old) Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre or Mataro) from Tarragona with a little from warm Jumilla for extra richness, plus a portion of strawberry scented Tempranillo, this rich and spicy red is spot on with barbecued, lamb or beef, or try it with a range of Spanish tapas-inspired delicacies.

As Richard Baudains of Decanter notes, "Everybody's talking about how fantastic today's best Sicilian wines are." That's certainly true of this crisp, fruity Pinot Grigio from Scipione Giuliani, the genius behind the bestselling Il Papavero range. It's laden with sunshine crispness and light, bright fruit. A sensational match to fresh seafood!

Everyone loves good Rioja. Now take a step up to Reserva level. This is from the 2012 vintage, officially classified as ‘very good’. It was aged for at least a year in barrel and two in bottle to produce a Rioja of perfect balance and depth. Pagos de Tahola comes from the Chavarri family – Francisco and daughter Ruth form a winning partnership with winemaker Miguel Lopez Nuñez. Their exemplary wines are based on exuberant fruit harvested from mature vines in some of Rioja’s highest vineyards then infused with the signature fragrance of quality French and US oak. Rich aromas of dried berries and vanilla, hallmark red berry and sweet spice flavours and silky texture – impressively smooth. Serve with Spanish style rice dishes or grilled meats.

Barrel Monkeys Shiraz sums up the very essence of RedHeads – an innovative winery in the heart of wine country, inspiring the brightest young talents to craft mind-expanding wines that really set a pace. Smooth, luscious rich and velvety, this McLAren Vale beauty is lush with spicy blackcurrant fruit and smoky liquorice notes.

Bold blackberry fruit and spice suggest classic McLaren Vale Shiraz, while rare depth and complexity reflect premium, old vine fruit. A class act, this moreish red is ready to be enjoyed right now – ideally with a juicy rump steak, lamb cutlets, pork sausages or hearty moussaka.

The 2015 Shotfire Quartage is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. These are the classic grapes of France’s Bordeaux region, but this is definitely a Barossa wine – there’s no mistaking those intense, ripe fruit flavours. The fruit comes from three of Thorn Clarke's prime Barossa vineyards: St Kitts in the northern part of the Barossa, Kabininge on the Barossa floor near Tanunda, and Milton Park in the Barossa’s elevated Eden Valley. It's rich and full-flavoured, a lavish melange of ripe red and black fruits, delicious spice and creamy, toasty oak on a long, luscious finish.

"Intensity is the key. The burst of tropical fruit flavour is impressive. It's cool and pure like driven snow, a tickle of lemongrass-like flavour helping it all to extend out through the finish. Value almost goes without saying."