Huon Hooke's wine guide: Moorilla Muse Pinot Gris is wine of the week

Under $20

Invivo Sophie's Pinot Noir Rosé, Marlborough 2014 $18

Score 91/100 Value Excellent

This dark-coloured rosé is at the big end of rosé style, and a beautiful drink. Powerful aromas of cherry and raspberry lead into a very flavoursome palate with a slight grip at the finish. It's more a light red than a rosé: a great summer quaff. Very fridgeable. (13.5 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Now to four years.

Food Tuna tataki.

Stockists Mosman Cellars, Sydney; Cloudwine, Melbourne.

Under $20

Peter Mertes Gold Edition Mosel Qualitatswein, Mosel Valley 2013 $9.99

Score 93/100 Value Outstanding

This is the real McCoy: a typical Mosel riesling at an extraordinary price. The poached-apricot, herbal and citrus-peely aromas have an exotic appeal. It has tightness and focus in the mouth, with good intensity, length and balance. An eye-opener. (11.5 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Now to six years.

Food Fish and seafood entrees.

Stockist All Aldi stores that sell liquor and aldiliquor.com.au

$20-$35

Pepperjack Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2013 $30

Score 91/100 Value Very good

Youthful purple-rimmed deep red colour leads into a spicy, plummy, youthful aroma with a twist of star anise. In the mouth there's lush fruit and masses of soft tannins. It's a little young but has all the right ingredients. A great cellar starter. (15 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Best in two to 20 years.

Food All red meats.

Stockists 1st Choice; Dan Murphy's.

$20-$35

Billy Button The Feisty Friulano, Alpine Valleys 2014 $25

Score 93/100 Value Excellent

With its medium-full yellow colour and buttered toast and honey bouquet, this deliciously interesting dry white is soft, round and dry finishing. There are hints of lemongrass, honeysuckle and barrel maturation. This is different. (12 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Now to five years.

Food Stuffed calamari.

Stockists differentdrop.com; Decanters by the Bay, Port Melbourne.

Indulge yourself

Bay of Fires Chardonnay, Tasmania 2013 $43

Score 93/100 Value Very good

Struck-flint, reductive notes combine with straw, grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas and flavours. The trademark smoky oak is less obvious than in earlier vintages. It's tight, firm and lively on the palate with racy acidity and clean lines. A stunning chardonnay to drink or cellar. (13 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Now to nine years.

Food Fresh crayfish.

Stockists Prince Wine Store, South Melbourne; Dan Murphy's, Alexandria, Sydney.

Indulge yourself

Voyager Estate Project U12 North Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River 2010 $90

Score 95/100 Value Good

This is a most impressive cabernet, displaying beautifully ripe fruit with red and dark-berry, and tobacco aromas, and benefiting from a couple of extra years bottle-age. Oak is tucked in the background and the tannins are smooth. (13.9 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Now to 20 years.

Food Aged cheeses, from cheddar to Comte.

Stockist Cellar door and website only: 08 9757 6354; voyagerestate.com.au

Wine of the week

Moorilla Muse Pinot Gris, Tasmania 2013 $30

Score 95/100 Value Very good

This is an impressive gris, tremendously intense, focused and fine, with complex gunflint, smoky, smashed-rock aromas leading into a tight, firm palate with what seems a rather stern aftertaste, until you taste it with food. Great intensity and length. (13.6 per cent alcohol.)

Ageing Now to six years.

Food Sushi and sashimi.

Stockists Armadale Cellars, Melbourne; Mosman Cellars, Sydney.

Brew

4 Pines Brewing Kolsch $6.50/500ml

Score 93/100 Value Good

This delicious, light-bodied beer is one I could drink a lot of. It has a clear mid-amber colour and is very bright, aromatic and refreshing, with lots of fragrant hops to sniff and a clean finish that lingers on and on. (4.6 per cent alcohol.)

Stockists The Belrose Hotel Liquor Store, Sydney; McCoppins Fitzroy, Melbourne

Something different

Lark Distillery Classic Cask Single Malt Whisky, Tasmania $159 / 700ml

Score 94/100 Value Good

This is a seriously good scotch malt-style whisky, distilled in Tasmania using Tasmanian produce. The bouquet is superbly aromatic: fruity, oaky and lightly peaty; the palate intense and lively and almost a touch fiery, but very fruity with great flavour and balance. (43 per cent alcohol.)

Stockists The World of Whisky, Double Bay, Sydney; Nick's Wine Merchants, Melbourne; Dan Murphy's.