This is our buyers’ favourite Alternative Reds pack yet.

Heirloom’s Alcala Grenache is one of McLaren Vale’s best — year in, year out. Intense fruit, articulately delivered, it’ll keep the fresh and funky drinkers happy while earning a nod of approval from the Shiraz crowd too.

The Curtis Small Batch Durif is superb — black fruits, fragrant lift, supportive oak and masses of power.

Briar Ridge’s Malbec could be mistaken for the best of Argentina; superb fresh fruit, minimal oak, and beautiful length. Grab a steak and channel your inner Gaucho.

Willow Bridge’s Tempranillo is spicy, dense and deeply satisfying, while the Colours of the South blend — Montepulciano, Negroamaro and Aglianico — is magnificent. Gold and Top Gold at Adelaide, and could easily have taken the Trophy. So complex, yet so easy to drink.

Finally, the Barbera — from a single high-elevation vineyard in Asti — is sublime. Exceptional fruit intensity here, so give it a decant. Big enough for roast meats, and even better alongside a plate of charcuterie.

Looking to excite your tastebuds with something a little different?

This pack is bursting with brilliant alternative whites — the kind that make you sit up and take notice. You’ll find Briar Ridge’s magnificent Albariño, reminiscent of the best from Galicia, their magical Fiano, and a 95-point, textural and creamy Viognier that’s pure luxury in the glass.

There’s also a glorious 96-point Riesling from Jeanneret, Ollin’s vibrant field blend, and a mighty fine Pinot Gris to round it all out.

All are drinking beautifully now and will see you perfectly through the warmer months — bright, fresh, and full of personality.

Here’s Christmas sorted — gifts or drinks — with an achingly pure 96-point Reserve Cabernet blend from Leconfield, an old-vine 96-point McLaren Vale Shiraz from Curtis, and Jaysen Collins’ magical single-site Grenache, of which the Halliday Wine Companion said: “Beautifully composed, pure ... a bright mineral cadence — it’s a ripper.”

There’s also Cape Jaffa’s $120-a-bottle flagship, Willow Bridge’s top Shiraz (which Ray Jordan reckons is one of the best produced in WA every year), and more.

And to go with the Chrissie pud — or better yet, a plate of lavosh, dried fruit, and hard or blue cheeses — the Willow Bridge Vintage Fortified. We used to call these Vintage Ports, or VPs. This one’s made from flagship-grade Shiraz fruit, fortified and aged in barrel for a couple of years. Decant it and drink it over a few days, just like you would a $100 bottle of Shiraz. It’s magnificent.

Perfect for the Christmas season, this Baker’s Dozen will set you back less than $28 a bottle — yet it’ll sleigh you with wines that retail between $75 and $250 each.

Need a few last-minute gifts? Got you covered. Need a superb bottle (or three) for Chrissie lunch? Got you covered there too.

Inside you’ll find a 94-point Clare Shiraz that normally fetches $75, a 97-point McLaren Vale Shiraz, and not one but two Barossa stunners worth $250 each — both with 97-point scores to their names.

These are superb wines to see you through the intricacies of the festive season, and if you’re lucky enough to drink them yourself, they’ll fill you with the warm, hazy glow that only Christmas — and great Shiraz — can bring.