DING, DING, DING, We have a couple of contenders here. Onannon 2023 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – only $35 each

You would have to go a long way to find three more open-hearted and utterly committed winemakers; the world is their oyster, their ambitions unlimited. JAMES HALLIDAY

Invariably lovely wines from Onannon. GARY WALSH

These Onannon pinot noirs have savouriness as a key feature but never as a dominating one. It’s a fine line and they walk it to perfection. CAMPBELL MATTINSON

Complex and individual. Such a great thing to drink. GARY WALSH

SPECIAL VALUE - Medium bodied, laced with supple tannins and mouth-watering acidity. It fits the bill perfectly for a drink-now pinot. (95) JANE FAULKNER, James Halliday’s Wine Companion

Onanon is a label that has now realised the potential that had us all pretty excited when it launched.

I remember someone, maybe Sam, giving me a bottle of the first release. I didn’t love it.

Stay with me.

Throughout its time I’ve seen some blindingly good wines, flashes of brilliance, but also some frustrating offerings.

Stay with me.

For the last few years the consistency of excellence has backed up those big moments and now I feel like the boys are in their groove. Great vineyards and some of the best talent in oz. Man these 23s are big statements. The kind of quality that is in the bottles here, and the obvious skill in which they have been crafted, is, honestly, quite something.

My, not so secret, goal to find wines that over deliver for that critical hip pocket damage V quality ratio always has me searching for wines like these. When they were mentioned to me during a tasting I asked if I could see a bottle of each (according to Alex, not politely enough… but I was excited). They arrived, I opened them side by side. The general cooing noises and sounds of appreciation was enough for my wife to break an AFD for a glass of each.

These are your quintessential overachievers in the wine game. Everything is done right here. They are slick wines that offer mass appeal and hit the high registers of drinkability, but there is more than enough suave, subtly nuanced, elements to keep even the most serious nerd happy. Certainly worked for me.

When I said they made a “statement” before, I think these are in the realm of the best value things I have drunk, certainly so far this year. They are few, and far between, and this is two contenders, from the same winery and same vintage. Don’t think I have ever had to value wine of the year contenders like that… maybe thise Yalumba Grenache… (stick to the story Roscoe).

Like Holloway standing in the centre of the Octagon on the weekend, ten seconds to go, pointing at the ground. These are a challenge, or should be, to a lot of other producers out there. “Come at em”. Crazy good wines for a real bargain. Gonna have to put on a real show to top these two wines this year.

If you don’t know these lads, here is the final piece to the puzzle, the brand is the collaboration between Sam Middleton (Mt Mary), Kaspar Hermann (now Toolangi Estate) and Will Byron (was at Stonier until very recently but has taken the full time reins here). Three of the best talents in the bizz.

Well played gents.