Basket Range 2017 Adelaide Hills Red Blend

Back in the 1980's Phil Broderick started planting  a humble selection of Bordeaux varieties nestled in the Adelaide Hills.  Though his sons took over in 2016 and started to create a series of fun, modern, and experimental wines, Phil still makes a small amount of his original line of elegant, classic, Bordeaux-inspired bottles and we get them for an incredible value. This blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot aged in neutral oak, and  at only 13% ABV this is no fruit-bomb. The palate is full and silky, sun-kissed  plums, black cherry, roasted pepper and herbs. It is meant to the perfect companion to a range of heartier fare, or keep this in your cellar for 5-10 years to  see how it evolves! Michelle DeWyngaert

Bella Ridge 2017 Western Australia Tempranillo/Grenache

Though Western Australia is known as one of the hottest regions in the country, the winemakers at Bella Ridge seem to defy the odds by making fresh, balanced wines like this Tempranillo-Grenache blend. By picking early, and using a light hand in the cellar, this wine manages to be perfectly ripe without being jammy. 60% Tempranillo from 60-year-old vines fermented and aged in used American oak for 18 months, then blended with 40% Grenache from 70-year-old vines aged in used French oak barrels for 18 months. It is unfined, very lightly filtered, and bottled with minimal SO2. Notes of ripe and roasted cherry, hibiscus, dried herbs, and crushed stone. This was perfect with just a slight chill, but not too cold! Michelle DeWyngaert

Good Intentions Wine Co. Charmeleon Chardonnay 2018 South Australia Mount Gambier, Coola Vineyard

Good Intentions Wine Co. is led by Andrew and Louise who moved their family to Mt. Gambier to create minimal intervention, organically grown wines that represent the incredible volcanic terroir of this coastal mountain. While they have recently planted vines of their own, they also lease and help farm three other parcels. For this bottling the fruit comes from the Coola Vineyard which sits on a  combination of limestone limestone and flint, with the recent Gambier eruptions lending volcanic ash as well. The fruit is direct pressed, fermented in stainless steel, then aged in old French barriques for 15 months, followed by 4 months in bottle. The wine is left unfined and unfiltered to capture the most of the unique texture and minerality imparted from the vineyard. The nose is earthy and rustic, with ripe tangerine, cantelope, and dusty chalk, and the palate has a rich, creamy texture with a vein of bright acidity keeping the wine in balance, followed by a long stony finish. Michelle DeWyngaert

Sam Vinciullio 2018 Margaret River, Western Austra Cow Town Red

This is the Australian Shiraz I always hoped for! Sam Vinciullo has been making wine under his own label since 2015, and as of last year is farming all of the vines himself. His vines are own-rooted, dry-farmed, and farmed with the use of chemicals only as a very last resort. The vineyard is located in Margaret River, near the town of Cowaramup (hence the name "Cow Town") on mostly sandy soil with pockets of gravel and ironstone. The "Cow Town Red" is a bottling of 100% Shiraz fermented and aged, like all of his wines, with no oak used, no additives (including sulfur), and no filtering or temperature control. The nose of this wine sends you immediately to Australia with notes of eucalyptus and sandalwood, followed by ripe plum, violets and crushed black pepper. Because of the use of concrete barrels instead of oak, and without using pump-overs, the wine remains vibrant and clean, while retaining density and a silky texture. There is plenty to contemplate in this wine on its own, but it will also make an excellent pairing for charred, grilled proteins and herbaceous sauces. Michelle DeWyngaert 

Wildman Wine 2020 McLaren Vale 'Piggy-Pop' Nero d'Avola Pet-N

Tiny quantities of this exuberant Pet-Nat were made this year from Wildman Wine! For this vintage of the very silly named "Piggy-Pop", winemaker/Master of WIne Tim Wildman, sourced the fruit from  Sue Trott's organically farmed vineyard, Five Geese, in McLaren Vale. This year is a blend of mostly Nero d'Avola grown on iron-rich, alluvial soils, with a bit of Mataro to add some lift and freshness to the ripe Nero.  is fermented with 25% whole clusters with just 4-5 hours on the skins making this a lighter ruby rosé than the previous vintage. Fermentation was halted mid-way, bottled under crown-cap and continued fermenting through the winter until dryness.