Artis Mazza Hastwell & Lightfoot Rusty Mutt Farmer’s Leap Showblock Growers Gate Evans & Tate Barristers Block Heirloom Vineyards 2023 Best Wine Deals

A meditation on all things red that aren't Shiraz or Cab. We've got Touriga, Grenache, Tempranillo, Mataro, Montepulciano, Negroamaro and Aglianico happening here, and a smidge of Shiraz in the Kilikanoon GSM and the Purple Hands GSM. All things alt red, all offering a very different pathway to pleasure than straight Shiraz and Cabernet. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

If alternative whites are your jam, butter up! Here's a selection of 6 slippery suckers with nary a Chardonnay or a Sauvvy Blanc in sight. All tasted and retasted by our panel and all given the thumbs up. Langmeil’s gold medal winning blend of Rhone varietals Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. A couple of superb Fianos from McLaren Vale. A magic Sem from the Hunter and a couple of gorgeous PGs- one from the Clare and the other from the Adelaide Hills. All drinking beautifully, right now!

A premium alternatives pack which we think is a bit of a no-brainer. We kick off with the following four Aussie alternatives. After Five's 5 trophy winning Barossa Montepulciano, which is as good a Monte we have ever seen. From Kilikanoon, their stunning, $96, 96 point, flagship Grenache. Artis brings us a magnificently perfumed Nero and Songlines, an old vine, 100% whole bunch Barossa Grenache. Then we have a Riserva Chianti from the low yielding and fabulous 2020 vintage, and a densely powerful Rioja, made by one of just 2 producers who are more than a century old. These are all excellent and we've no doubt you'll have as much fun with them as we do..

Big Reds & Pizza? Not Always a Match…

But that doesn’t mean you have to drink plonk either.

We’ve rounded up mid-weight reds that punch well above their weight in aromatics and flavour — wines that play nicely with a slice (or three). Think:

Old vine Barossa Grenache

Adelaide Hills Nero d’Avola

Turkey Flat GSM — a stunner

And more

The kind of bottles that cuddle up to a Margherita or that prosciutto/rocket/buffalo mozz combo like they were made for it.

Plus, in place of slinging you a garlic bread, we'll send...

A bottle of Dandelion’s flagship Grenache —

Smart, delicious, pizza-friendly reds — and one absolute baller bottle for good measure.

Ready to order?

Stunning 7 clone Barossa Shiraz, made by the Lienert Brothers, who used to sell fruit to St Henri, before deciding to keep the good stuff for their own bottlings. Multiple trophy winning Shiraz from Forester Margaret River, Claymore's consistently slurpable Dark Side of the Moon Clare Shiraz. Gold winning SB from Barristers Block and trophy winning SBS from Willowbridge. All this makes this a great value pack, but just in case you needed convincing, we added in a $250 a bottle Barossa Shiraz to help you over the line!

6 magical Chardies here. Evan's and Tate Redbrook, which picked up gold at the Adelaide Show, is creamy and complexed with stunning French oak. The Hirsch Hill is this Yarra winery's Flagship Chardy - with powerful fruit and assertive acidity, it will cellar well. The Picardy is one of the best Chardonnays made in Oz. Made entirely from clones imported from Burgundy, it offers complexity, depth and class. We can comfortable recommend all of these for your consideration!

We wanted to build the best pack we’ve never made before...

And after tossing around a few ideas, inspiration struck:

What if every wine in the pack had someone say,

"That’s one of the best wines I’ve ever had"?

So here it is — a lineup of 4 incredible Shiraz, all with serious pedigree, rave reviews, and a stack of repeat customers.

Yaldara Grand Shiraz – RRP $250

A powerhouse Barossa red — bold, black and luxe

Two Sisters Shiraz – Barossa Valley

From a family that’s been growing grapes since the first vines were planted in the region. Pure, classic, intense Barossa.

Lone Palm Hillside Shiraz – Barossa Valley

Compared to Grange more than once. Silky power, serious structure.

Showblock Shiraz – McLaren Vale