Zonte’s Footstep Organic Range Lady of the Lake Viognier 2020, Fleurieu ($30) – Fresh and aromatic, nice juicy palate weight and complexity with fresh acidity

Zonte’s Footstep Organic Range Magrugador Tempranillo 2020, Fleurieu ($35) – Vibrant red cherry aroma and savoury palate; great chilled for summer meals

Zonte’s Footstep “Canto” Sangiovese Lagrein 2019, Langhorne Creek ($30) – Maraschino sweet and sour cherry aromas which follows through onto the palate; very versatile with food

Moss Wood Pinot Noir 2018 ($70) – Intense fragrant berry aromas with a savoury dark herbal edge (from the whole bunch and stalks component) followed by a juicy fleshy palate shape. A lovely Pinot Noir from an area better known for other varieties.

Tyrrells Winemakers Selection Vat 47 Chardonnay 2018 ($90) – Such a famous Chardonnay – and this vintage lives up to the reputation. It has lots of flavours (melon, stone fruit, ripe pear with sweet light nuttiness) but the effect is an utterly seamless silkiness that glides effortlessly by.

Tyrrells Winemakers Selection Vat 1 Semillon 2015 ($98) – Lemon pith freshness with steely palate and great persistence; will mature for many years if you can keep your hands off it. An icon Australian white wine.

Tyrrells Winemakers Selection Vat 9 Shiraz 2018 ($120) – Powerful intense grippy palate, spicy raspberry rhubarb aromas; quite savoury acidity equipping it with great cellaring potential. Try 10 years!

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Flagship Series “JFR” Shiraz 2018 ($50) – Sweet aromatic dark red berry aromas with dark cedary leather complexity followed by a full but rounded palate – such a full and complete palate yet elegant. A really great example of McLaren vale Shiraz at its best.

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Flagship Series “Burnt Block” Shiraz 2018 ($50) – Really intriguing aromatic characters of plums and violet flower arrangements with a notable fleshy rich mid palate – a powerful lingering red

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Flagship Series “The Chap” Shiraz Cabernet 2013 ($100) – When you want all powerful and maybe a touch over the top in flavour, this was blended of McLaren Vale and Coonawarra to craft an incredibly silky rich red

Schild Estate Barossa Valley Shiraz 2019 ($20) – On the drive into the Barossa Valley, at the southern end just after Lyndoch, most drives see the Schild Estate signs that have been there for years. But don’t be fooled that the wines are ubiquitous, this Shiraz has a lightness and spiciness to match the blueberry and fig aroma; a great example of Barossa Shiraz character with elegance at an affordable price.

Blue Pyrenees Estate Midnight Cuvee 2016 ($34) – One of Australia’s reliable and best sparkling wine producers; this vintage was cold and the wine is not initially as creamy as usual but 6 months or a year or two bottle age will round out a wonderful fizz.

Backline “Block Raiders” Shiraz 2018, Langhorne Creek ($24) – A new wine brand by retired Australian Wallaby Rugby players Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell and made by McLaren Vale high priest wine maker Ben Riggs; dark berry and chocolate aromas and clean refreshing acidity – I realised how cold a region is Langhorne Creek and how it contributes great acidity to reds

Deep Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2019, Margaret River ($55) – Complex flavours, rich full bodies but great balance of freshness; epitomises full flavoured satisfying Margaret River Chardonnay.

Bests Great Western Riesling 2019 ($25) – So fresh, so lime juice in aroma; just terrific for a hot weather refreshing white.

Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Chardonnay 2018 ($28) – Complex rich style, the cold climate acidity allowing such great richness of style.

Hayshed Hill Chardonnay 2018, Margaret River ($26) – Generous honey dew melon aromas and palate roundness; full flavoured Margaret River Chardonnay at a great price.

Pipers Brook Estate Pinot Noir 2019 ($50) – Much awarded Pinot Noir. Savoury and firm in acidity but with great length anc complexity of flavour.

Tim Adams Clare Valley Shiraz 2017 ($26) – Sweet scented mulberry cherry aroma and lovely roundness and length; such good value.

Seville Estate Yarra Valley Old Vine Reserve Cabernet 2018 ($80) – Cabernet Sauvignon was an early quest of Yarra Valley pioneers such as Seville Estate. The wonderful attraction can be seen here with this scented blackcurrant sweet cedar aroma and long juicy palate with a clean acidic refreshing finish.

Pemberley Chardonnay 2018 ($30) – I visited the region recently and now appreciate well that the travel distance from Margaret River across to Pemberton means a complete change of climate to colder temperatures and crisper mineral tasting whites. The chardonnays are wonderful in the region. Particularly Pemberley 2018 is a sophisticated complex flavoured wine with white peach aroma and reductive complexity.

Elderton Shiraz 2017, Barossa Valley ($25); A big juicy deep coloured Barossa style and at the moment a little jangling in its components but a wonderful proposition for cellaring for 2 years. Quite noticeable oak but well matched with intensity and length.

Alkoomi Frankland River Shiraz Viognier 2017 ($25) – another experience for me on a recent trip to this southern WA region – so much colder than Margaret River. This wine has such wonderful perfume, the Viognier dimension not detectable itself but the co-ferment with Shiraz caused a lifted ester exotic aroma followed by a juicy taste.