It’s okay to splurge sometimes

WINES may be on the Government’s hit list but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t splash out

Wirra Wirra 2018 Hiding Champion Sauvignon Blanc Region: Adelaide Hills Best with: Thai baked fish

Wirra Wirra’s three Hills whites, this, a riesling and a chardonnay, are highly recommended. This is designated a single site make, the vineyard named on the back label, and is the kind of modern sauvignon worth seeking out as it’s more subtle in its nosepunch than Kiwi styles, though still with some tropical notes but with grapefruit, lime and even some musk like florals. The palate is all fruit salad tang and flavour with balanced acidity, encouraging a lingering presence.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate 2016 Black Label Old Vines Shiraz Region: Coonawarra Best with: Finest rump, char-grilled

While the Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon is better known, this must not go unnoticed. It starts with a fabulous vibrant dark crimson sheen, then a lifted perfumed nose, and precise balance in the sipping, with medium to full bodied and just 13.6% alc brightness, its spiced plum fruits tapering, supple and pliable in the mouth. The great success here is the way the wine is delightfully generous without any sense of weight or heavy density. And with all that it is simply yet seriously delicious.