The wine world has seen its fair share of new trends and weird fads in recent times, but at Christmas, tradition stands centre stage.
Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2017 Barossa Valley, $90-$100
Penfolds' classic reds make impressive gifts, but the price tags of the most desirable are frightening. This shiraz offers much of what makes them tick, but for much less. Full-bodied and firm, it's a deep, dense, powerful essay in ripe black fruits and berries, charry oak, vanilla and spice. Very ageworthy.
Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Muscat NV 500ml Rutherglen, $85-$90
A masterpiece from Rutherglen's Morris family, this exquisite piece of award-winning Australian wine tradition has deep aged colour with a super-complex nose of raisins, toffee, toasted nuts and sweet spice. It's incredibly luscious and profound, yet fresh and vibrant, with a delicious aftertaste that seems to last forever.
DCB Wine Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 Mornington Peninsula, $33-$36
Pinot is great with Christmas fare and it won't weigh you down too much. This example offers lovely fruit purity in its aromas of cherries and spice, with threads of smoky, gamey complexity. It's superfine in texture, medium-bodied, and intense with balanced tannins in appealing harmony.
Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red NV South Australia, $85-$90
Sparkling red and Christmas fare are a bit of a cliche, but they work. This clever blend uses young and old red wines and mature fortifieds to make a deep red bubbly with aged berry fruit characters, earthy and chocolatey complexity, and toasty-sweet oak. Seamless and mellow, but with enough tannin structure for Christmas meats.
Shaw + Smith Riesling 2019 Adelaide Hills, $30-$32
This style of riesling is a delicious thing to sip with friends. Very pale and silvery in appearance, it smells delicately of blossom, lime zest and green apples. It's elegant and fine, with a palate that counterpoints a hint of sweetness with zesty acidity in succulent, tangy balance.
Cape Mentelle Rosé 2018 Margaret River, $25-$28
Made from a fruit salad of six red varieties and one white, this blushing pink drop from Margaret River is a modern dry rosé style. Delicate aromas of blossom, red berries and talc lead through a fresh, fruity palate that's attractively soft but also very dry. Great on a warm afternoon.
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