"Strike up the music, the band has begun - The Pennsylvania Polka"

Punxsutawney Phil has stuck his little head out, smelt the air, peered around at the outside world, saw his shadow, and scampered back inside. We should follow suit. And with that, he's predicted a long winter to come. Ok. Not quite how it works but we are setting the scene wtih some delicious drinking for the cooler weeks and months ahead. If you don't get the reference here, well, I don't really know what to say.

Here we go with a great pack of winter-warming wines. We have got this well sorted!

Given the chill in the air, we've skewed this towards lush and warming reds that are perfect to warm you from the inside out. Plush malbec and cerbenet from Margarete river - CHECK! Something lush and ready to melt our heart from Italy's south - CHECK!. Some spicy shiraz and plush rhone blends - CHECK! A little Spanish goodness perfect for a fireside set - CHECK! Plenty more to keep you warm - CHECK!

Of course, we didn't want to leave you white drinkers high and dry, so we made sure to include lush and textural whites for the ultimate winter fair. You're going to be happy with some great Bourgogne Blanc from our mates at Bellene, as well as a cracking Rhone-style white blend from John Duval that we are pretty smitten with. Gris is a winner for winter in our minds plus a little touch of Italy and some Alsace pinot blanc is sure to please. 

Whether it's fireside sitting or Netflix at home with mates, we have got you covered for cooler days ahead.

SPECIAL VALUE - A new wine from a single vineyard in Yarra Junction. Seriously, how do these guys do it? Continually turning out wines of this quality for the price? A light, bright onion skin. You'll find a touch of nectarine and sandalwood on the nose while the palate is dry and sapid, finishing with a refreshing touch of grip. (92) PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion

New wine, from Bulong Estate in Yarra Junction just over the hill. Made the same way as HCE Pinot Gris’, says Franco D’Anna. I should have opened it next to the 2025 Hoddles Creek to compare. Oh well.

Rose gold or copper colour. Pears, musky perfume, strawberry, a light earthiness and spice. Good flavour, pear and tangerine, a bit of zip to acidity, fine chalky grip, with tangy finish of good length. Nicely done. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

The D’Anna family continue to prove just how good affordable Australian wine can be. Under the Wickhams Road label they produce remarkably characterful, single-vineyard wines at prices that almost seem impossible given the quality in the bottle. Bright, expressive and unpretentious, these are some of the smartest value wines in the country.

A classic family producer in Soave, Tamellini has long been admired for wines that show the purity and mineral freshness great Soave can achieve. Working primarily with Garganega from volcanic hillside vineyards, the wines are crisp, textured and wonderfully detailed. Traditional, understated and deeply authentic examples of the region. 

Tamellini Soave is beautifully classic in style, offering lifted aromas of white flowers, citrus peel and fresh almond. The palate is crisp and finely textured, with notes of lemon, green apple and subtle stone fruit carried by a gentle mineral edge. Bright, refreshing and quietly complex, it’s everything great Soave should be which is pure, balanced and effortlessly drinkable. 

Based in the village of Bergheim, Gustave Lorentz is one of Alsace’s historic family producers, with roots dating back to the 1800s. The wines capture everything we love about the region: purity, aromatic precision and wonderful food friendliness. From crystalline Riesling to textured Pinot Gris and spicy Gewürztraminer, the style balances richness with freshness beautifully, making them benchmark examples of classic Alsace.

Great pinot blanc are such a great joy. They always that little extra fat on the bones that gives them so much up-front appeal while remaining fresh and zingy. This is the perfect example of that with peachy, white pepper, and cirtus fruit on the nose that leads into a long and easy-going palate. Mid weight style here, not too heavy not too light, just right. A little citrus edging adds interest and as the fruit slowly drops away you are left with a gentle minerally core of freshness ready for the next sip. Great stuff. 

SPECIAL VALUE - A bright savoury blend of 53/28/19% Marananga marsanne/Kalimna roussanne/Eden Valley viognier. Citrus, stone fruits and poached pear with hints of crème fraîche, meadow flowers, crushed stone, slivered almonds, ginger spice and ozone. There's a light ache of umami and the twang of brine as the wine sails across the palate, the fruit and acidity showing an appealing tension. There is no doubting it's slinky drinking appeal. (94) DAVE BROOKES, Halliday Wine Companion

Marsanne 41% Roussanne 34% Viognier 25%.

Such fine balance between zip and gloss, flavor and restraint. Ripe lemon, ginger, green pear, honey florals. Light to medium-bodied, green pear and citrus, almond and ginger, a little chalky grip, with a juicy but tangy finish, a cinch of lemon zest bitterness. Lovely wine, and it seems that 2023 has delivered something extra in the coolness and energy departments. (94) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

After decades as chief winemaker at Penfolds, John Duval established his own winery and quickly cemented its place among the Barossa’s elite. Plexus has become something of a modern classic — a Rhône-inspired blend that perfectly captures the balance between Barossa generosity and finesse. Refined, layered and polished, these are wines made by one of Australia’s true winemaking legends.

The négociant arm of Domaine de Bellene, Roche de Bellene was created with the aim of bringing high-quality Burgundy to a broader audience without sacrificing authenticity. Sourcing from old-vine vineyards across Burgundy, the wines are made with a sensitive, low-intervention approach that emphasises site expression and drinkability. Honest, characterful Burgundy that consistently punches above its weight.

The entry-level white Burgundy comes from old-vine parcels in the Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise. The vines have an average age of 48 years and, as with all the wines, harvesting is done by hand. For this cuvée, about half is vinified in stainless steel and half in used oak barrels. This gives a nice balance of fresh fruit with a light touch of oak. 

Based in McLaren Vale, Inkwell has long been a favourite for their open, generous and effortlessly drinkable wines. Organically grown and handled with a light touch in the winery, the wines capture the warmth and personality of McLaren Vale without ever feeling heavy. There’s an easy charm to the whole range that makes them incredibly easy to love. 

We love these wines, not just because they are by Inkwell, but the style is just spot on and delivered with such pitch-perfect joyousness that it would be hard not to come back and grab a few more for those cool nights ahead. Its red fruit to the fore on the nose with raspberry, dark cherry, and a hint of wild strawberry too, while sneaky little blackberry fruit rolls around in the background. It's soft, a little spicy, a little earthy, and packed with plenty of flavour. There is both density and levity to the fruit here that gives it a lot of appeal. Those that aren't quite ready for blockbuster red are going to love this, while those who are chomping at the bit for some big and bold wintery reds will equally enjoy. 

One of the great historic names of the Rhône, Paul Jaboulet Aîné has returned to brilliant form in recent years. With deep connections across the Rhône Valley and access to exceptional vineyard sources, the quality throughout the range has lifted dramatically. The Parallel 45 bottling remains one of the great value wines of France, everything you could want from everyday Rhône drinking: generous fruit, spice, savoury charm, and remarkable consistency. 

The Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône is everything you want from classic Rhône drinking: open, generous, and immediately appealing. Bright red and dark berry fruit mingle with notes of spice, dried herbs and cracked pepper, while the palate is medium-bodied, supple and savoury. There’s plenty of warmth and charm here, but also freshness and balance, making it dangerously easy to drink.

SPECIAL VALUE - Whole-berry ferments in open top fermenters; seven to 10 days on skins, matured 14 months in French barriques (25% new). Totally accessible young Grampians shiraz with classic fragrant dark berries to the fore, matched evenly, aromatically with lifted minty-aniseed-peppery spice. It is both generous and bright in personality. The palate is delivered finely textured with fruit and spice running long. (93) JENI PORT, Halliday Wine Companion 

Deep plummy red in the glass, youthful and vibrant. Fragrant aromas of Asian spice, white pepper, blueberry, soy, dried herbs and sarsaparilla. Deliciously bright, crunchy and punchy in flavour, with lashings of blue fruits, spice and nutty oak. Textured tannins and perky acidity bring it home very nicely. (93) AARON BRASHER, The Real Review 

One of the benchmark names of Grampians and Australian Shiraz more broadly, Mount Langi Ghiran has long set the standard for cool-climate Shiraz in the Great Western region. The Cliff Edge Shiraz continues that tradition beautifully, delivering spice, pepper, dark fruit and the fine structure that has made the region so revered. Consistency is one of the estate’s great strengths.

A relatively new name on the scene, but one that immediately impressed us after a recent tasting of the range. There’s a real sense of energy and confidence here, with wines that feel thoughtful, modern and incredibly drinkable. Across the board, the quality was high and the value hard to ignore — the kind of producer where you suddenly realise you could happily buy almost everything they make. A project well worth watching closely.

Inviting nose with creme de cassis, blueberry, ground nutmeg, and a melange of spice overlays this so beautifully. There is a brambly note on the entry here that gives way to a burst of sweet black forest fruit, a creamy, lush palate, and oodles of flavor. It lingers gently over the tongue for ages, and the perfect balance of bold, juicy fruit and savoury spice that closes it out. Such a lovely fireside friend here. Highly recommended. 

Black jelly beans, cherry, dried herbs, raw almond and quite the classic Negroamaro signature here really. It’s medium-bodied, juicy cherry flavour, some bitter chocolate, a little grip and grain to tannin, a little bit rustic, but nice and honest in that way. Some chew and bitterness on a finish of solid length. I like it. GARY WALSH, the wine front

It's an impressively modern affair here with state-of-the-art equipment and winemaking facilities. However, the team here is committed to making what they see as the traditional expressions of the wines of the region while embracing contemporary craftsmanship. That includes very little oak if any at all and steel tank, temperature controlled ferments to preserve freshness and vitality. These are impressive wines that capture the warmth, heart, and soul of the region with modern styling and a nod to the many generations of quality wine producers that came before them.

Not the first time the wines of San Moro have made their way into the mixed packs and we doubt it will be the last. These are absolute ripper that deliver in spades. Try them all. We already dried up our stocks of fiano before the NY so there you go.

For almost half a century, Bodegas Solagüen has been putting its extensive knowledge and experience into making quality wines. Solagüen continues this rich tradition, while also staying on top of the latest advances in vinification. The winemaking cellar, located in Labastida, incorporates the latest technology but also maintains a 15th-century cellar network where wines were made in the olden days. Established in 1964 by a group of local vine growers, there are currently 152 members. All of them apply their experience and know-how to grow the best quality wines from the 1.330 acres of vineyards planted with vines that are on average over 45 years old. With such immense terrain, it is one of the largest winemaking cellars in Riojato control production from the vine to the bottle. Nestled between the Sierra Cantabria mountains and the river Ebro, the climatic conditions of the winemaking cellar's surroundings are unique in Rioja, offering the growers the best conditions for cultivating high-quality grapes.

Lovely young juicy fruits, brambly, black and blue, wild fruits (blackberries, raspberries, and sloes). Gentle floral notes and a soft spice that's so inviting. Lush fruits rush the mouth, fresh and perfectly ripe with sweet spice flecked throughout. So much up front appeal here, but plenty of interest too. Bold but not overblown and blousy, it really ticks the box for those that love these kinds of easy-drinking Spanish reds that you can plonk on any table and guarantee anyone will love. 

SPECIAL VALUE - The final blend ended up 80% cabernet sauvignon (from the Sheoak vineyard), 12% malbec and 8% merlot sourced from two other vineyards; it’s a good combo, plus brilliantly priced so it’s affordable. A dark red hue. Laden with excellent ripe fruit all spiced up with fennel, tobacco, cedary oak and some toasted nori. The palate is fuller-bodied, expanded by plentiful cocoa tannins. While very good today with food, this will garner more complexity in time. (95) JANE FAULKNER, Halliday Wine Companion

From the Sheoak vineyard in Yallingup and apparently picked on the same date as the 2023, which is interesting given the hot dry vintage. 25% new oak here. I tasted this about a month ago, and again now, so I’ve probably got a handle on it. Also, the bottle is way too heavy, although I get that plenty of love has gone on to the bottle.

Blueberry and black fruit, ground spice, shag tobacco, violet, chocolate and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, kind of rustic in its presentation of tannin, though they feel deep and nutritious in a way, and vaguely Italianate, with a sort of Sagrantino thickness. It’s also fresh and quite juicy, a Marasca cherry sourness, blackcurrant, again lots of tannin and chew with an earthy thunder closing out a finish of excellent length. It’s a toss up between 94+ and 95 points, but you know, there’s a certain charismatic charm here that gets me over the line. (95) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

Led by the hugely talented Julian Langworthy, Nocturne has become one of the most exciting names in Margaret River. The SR Cabernet is everything people love about modern Margaret River Cabernet: lush, juicy, and immediately appealing, but still carrying the structure and detail that give the region its reputation. Precision winemaking with plenty of personality.