10 BEST WHITES $20 or under

TRENTHAM ESTATE ‘THE FAMILY’ PROSECCO NV $15

There’s been a huge surge of support in Australia for Italian or Italian-inspired prosecco thanks to the soft finish. From Mildura comes this well-priced, clean and fresh prosecco with purity of flavour, a hint of tropicals, a softness on the palate, and a touch of sweetness on the finish.

2017 ALKOOMI WHITE LABEL RIESLING $15

A staggeringly good vintage in Frankland River has delivered this remarkable riesling. There are striking, multi-layered perfumes of lemongrass and lime juice, a palate that is pure and fresh with impressive depth of flavour, before a crisp, fine and dry finish. White bargain of the year!

2017 ROCKY GULLY RIESLING $20

This is another success story for Frankland River riesling at a modest price. It’s the cheapie from the riesling specialists at Frankland Estate: gently floral, delicate and fine with pleasing freshness and lemon/lime flavours that are intense and long, before a vibrant, zesty finish.

2017 PRIMO ESTATE ‘LA BIONDINA’ COLOMBARD $20

Joe Grilli and the team at Primo Estate have made this unique McLaren Vale style a regular among Australia’s best value whites. There’s alluring fresh sweet pea and green bean aromatics, a vibrant, clean mid-palate and a clean, dryish finish.

2017 BREMERTON ‘MOLLIE & MERLE’ VERDELHO $17

Langhorne Creek is known as a producer of classy reds, usually at modest prices. Here’s an example of a wine that is helping improve the reputation of the region’s whites. The aromatics are clean and fresh while the texture is a vibrant delight. Finishes with taut, crispy acidity.

2017 SKUTTLEBUTT SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON $18

This is from Stella Bella, which is in Margaret River’s southern reaches and so has access to fruit from chillier vineyards: perfect for this enticing blend. It has gentle yet ripe tropical fruit aromas, green pea and fresh garden herb flavours with lingering, zingy acidity to finish.

2017 DEAKIN ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC $10

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to source quality wines with a recommended retail price of $10 a bottle or less. Here’s a wine from Mildura for everyday drinking. It is fresh, clean and lively with bright tropical fruit flavours and a soft, gentle finish. It’s uncomplicated, pleasant drinking.

2017 PIKES FIANO $20

Pikes, from the Clare Valley, has been looking at new varieties for some time. This is the first commercial release of its Fiano, and it’s a ripper: arguably the best yet made in Australia. It’s wonderfully aromatic, intense and fresh with a lively textural quality and a vibrant zippy finish that lingers.

2017 MR MICK PINOT GRIGIO $18

The Tim Adams ‘Mr Mick’ wines represent one of the most consistently good ranges of budgetpriced wines in the country. This is fresh, clean and bright with juicy, pear-drop flavours, heaps of power and drive from the mid-palate, and a finish that is crisp and zippy.

2016 LITTLE YERING CHARDONNAY $18

This budget-priced offering from Yering Station shows that the Yarra Valley’s reputation with chardonnay is well deserved. It is fresh, clean and uncomplicated with white peach characters, good weight in the mid-palate, and concentration of flavour that lingers on a crisp, dry finish.