Hollick The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: From the Coonawarra, South Australia, Hollick, The Bard 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Coonawarra Cab and amazing value at $15. Dry, medium-plus-bodied, this Cab is rich and generous with dark cherry, cassis, plum, minty, cedar brush spice and herbal flavours spicy and zesty on the palate. Hollick, The Bard honours Australia's famous lyric poet, John Shaw Neilson, who was raised in the cottage on Hollick's Neilson's Block vineyard. Drink: 2026-2030. 18525 13.50% XD 750 mL  $16.95 Score: 91/100. January 10, 2026 Best Value Red Wine. Delightful Duck Wine Full Review

Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay, Clare Valley, Limestone Coast, South Australia, Australia: The Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay is a dry, medium-plus-bodied wine with a rich, creamy mouthfeel. It bursts with flavours of ripe apricot, honeyed melon, toasted nuts, and a refreshing lemon zest, all balanced by vibrant acidity. This wine is a fantastic expression of the cool-climate Clare Valley, offering great value and drinking beautifully at present. Pair it with turkey burgers, crab cakes, or shrimp. Drink: 2025-2027. 711556 14% XD 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 92/100. February 18, 2025 Best Value White Wine. Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review

Paringa Shiraz 2023, South Australia, Australia: Paringa South Australia Shiraz is a dry, full-bodied red that pours a deep, inky purple and captivates with a generous, fruit-forward nose of macerated black fig, stewed boysenberry and roasted plum, lifted by warm hints of five-spice, toasted coconut and a ribbon of dried violet that gives the wine unexpected elegance for its price. The palate is plush and mouth-filling, with velvety, ripe tannins and a juicy, supple core of dark fruit underpinned by refreshing acidity, finishing with satisfying length and a faint trail of smoky oak. Serve it at room temperature and enjoy from now through 2029. Winemaker David Hickinbotham, whose family has shaped the Australian wine industry for over four generations, crafts this wine from the fertile soils nurtured by the legendary Murray River, and the name Paringa itself is drawn from the local Aboriginal language meaning "place at the river," a nod to the ancient waterway that sustains these vineyards. The family's winemaking DNA runs extraordinarily deep: David's grandfather, Alan Robb Hickinbotham, was Australia's very first wine science lecturer, founding the Oenology programme at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1929, the same institution whose graduates shaped the modern Australian wine industry. Try this alongside a slow-roasted game bird with wild mushroom stuffing, where the wine's dark fruit intensity and spicy warmth are a natural match, or pair it with veal scallopini in a mushroom cream sauce for a richly satisfying weeknight dinner. Drink: 2026-2029. 632083 14.70% XD 750 mL  $15.95 Score: 92/100. May 16, 2026 Glorious Game Wine Full Review

Escudo Rojo Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Maipo Valley, Chile: Escudo Rojo Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon offers concentrated aromas of dark plum, tobacco and toasted oak. It's dry and medium-to-full bodied with a silky texture. Serve it at room temperature with slow-braised blade roast in a rich wine reduction where the wine's depth mirrors the sauce's complexity while its supple tannins complement the tender meat, or cellar it through 2028. Chief winemaker Emmanuel Riffaud crafts this wine for Baron Philippe de Rothschild's Chilean venture, established in 1999 when Baroness Philippine de Rothschild named the brand "Escudo Rojo"—the Spanish translation of the family's German name "Rothschild" (meaning "red shield")—to honor her heritage while pioneering a distinctly Chilean expression of Bordeaux expertise. This versatile wine also pairs wonderfully with wild mushroom and leek risotto, where the wine's earthy character echoes the fungi while its fresh acidity balances the dish's creamy richness. Drink: 2026-2028. 13434 14% XD 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 92/100. January 10, 2026 Best Value Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review

Masi Modello Prosecco Doc Brut, Veneto D.O.C., Italy: Masi Modello Prosecco DOC Brut, Veneto, Italy is a lively, refreshing sparkling wine that bursts with aromas of green apple, white peach, and lemon zest, followed by a playful hint of almond on the finish. It’s dry, light-bodied, and gracefully effervescent with 11% alcohol. Serve it well chilled to let those crisp bubbles sparkle at their brightest. Fascinating fact: Winemaker Raffaele Boscaini—part of the seventh generation of the Masi family—brings the same precision and passion to this Prosecco as he does to their iconic Amarone wines. Notably, Masi was named "Winery of the Year" by Gambero Rosso, one of Italy’s most respected wine guides. Pair it with lightly salted popcorn and a movie night—because elegance and Netflix aren't mutually exclusive. Or serve it with sushi rolls, where its zippy acidity lifts the flavours and its bubbles refresh the palate between bites. Drink: 2025-2027. 27001 11% D 750 mL  $18.95 Score: 93/100. June 21, 2025 Best Value Sparkling Wine. Happy Hawaiian Pizza Wine Full Review

Beronia Rueda Verdejo 2023, Rueda D.O., Spain: Beronia 2023 is a vegan-friendly Verdejo from the Rueda wine region and great value at $16. Dry, medium-bodied and vibrant with apple, pear, white-fleshed stone fruit and lime zest flavours on the palate, chill and enjoy it with salads or fish tacos. Drink: 2024-2026. 461327 13% XD 750 mL  $16.95 Score: 92/100. January 4, 2025 Best Value White Wine. Splendid Salad Wine Full Review