Happy new year peoples! These wines rock and are well worth checking out  (in no particular order). They’re all Australian

Trentham Estates Petit Verdot 2003
Lush cranberries, nice acidity, low tannins. About $15 bucks. Good with Chicken or Turkey.

Tahbilk (Central Victoria) Reserve Shiraz 2001
Easily one of the best Shiraz’s in Australia. About $60 if you can find it.  Good with bloody anything.

Goundrey Estates (Margaret River) Unwooded Chardonnay 2004
Dry, crisp white wine with a little citrus in the pallete. Great with fish or just to drink in the sun. About $15

Brokenwood Estate (Hunter Valley) 2005 Semillon
I’d believe claims that it’s one of the best Semillons from Oz. Words can’t describe how well this goes with salmon. Just try it. About $16.

Angoves Estate Limited Release Petit Verdot
Quite easily the biggest surprise of the year. This was one of James Halliday’s ‘top reds under $10′ picks for 2006. I didn’t know that at the time but it was fantastic. Actually cost around $15

De Bortoli Sacred Hill Cabernet Merlot 2004-2005?
Don’t pay more than $6. Cab merlot is already a fantastic mellow blend, but De Bortoli got this blend perfect. Great quiet night drinking wine.

D’arenberg D’arry’s Original (McLaren Vale) Shiraz Grenache 2003
D’arenberg can’t put a foot wrong. This is about $15 and is just the right amount of gruff and fortitude thanks to the grenache.  It’s spicy and tannic but not overpowering. if it was music it would be Kiss’ ‘Detroit Rock City’, in other words a great standard song every rockin’ band should know.

If I can think of any more, I will add them. but so far, they’re the most memorable wines so far. And look! Most of them are cheaper than a six pack of beer. Only one is more than $50. So give some wine a try some time. There’s never been a better time to get started than now,