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Best Buy Wines (Feb/Mar 09): $20 and under

2008 First Drop Lush Trincadeira Rosé, Barossa, A$18/NZ$22
This boisterous rosé is made from trincadeira grapes. ‘Trinca-what?’ I hear you ask. Trincadeira is also known as tinta amarella, apparently, and is valued in Portugal for its ability to produce red wines with bold colour, ripe fruit flavour and flowery, even herbal perfume. How did the First Drop boys find this obscure grape growing in the Barossa? No idea – but be thankful, because they’ve turned it into a vibrant, vinous, velvety pink wine, with raunchy raspberry fruit and a full, mouthwatering but dry finish. MA

2008 Heggies Riesling, Eden Valley, A$20
In tasting wine, perspective is all. I tasted this among two brackets of 30 of Australia’s best riesling and a few overseas gems. It was only when reviewing the tasting that I fully understood what a stellar white this Heggies is. It was among the top wines of the tasting and $10 a bottle cheaper than any wine with comparable scores. There’s the trademark Eden Valley lemon blossom fragrance, intense pure lemon grass and lime juice flavours, powerful zesty mouthfeel, with finesse and balance to finish. PF

2008 Chalkers Crossing Riesling, Hilltops, A$13
Chalkers Crossing winemaker, Celine Rousseau, won the first Qantas Medal for up-and-coming talent at the 2002 Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year awards. Six years on, her latest Hilltops riesling won the Best Young Dry White at the 2008 NSW Wine Awards. It’s a distinctly floral style with an underlying minerality. The palate oozes with sweet citrus and white blossom flavours enhanced by a rich almost creamy texture. A zap of lemony acidity gives both a lift and length to the finish – oysters, please. PB

2007 Deep Woods Ebony Cabernet Shiraz, Margaret River, A$15
It’s astonishing that a wine this good is so well priced – and from Margaret River, a region where they know how to charge! Deep Woods is part of the Peter Fogarty stable, which includes Millbrook Winery and Lakes Folly. It shows the quality of the 2007 vintage for Margaret River reds. Smoky, toasty and blackberry aromas of cabernet are welded to appealing oak. The palate is deep, smooth, rich and nicely textured. It holds together with harmony and length. Probably best drunk within six or seven years. HH

2008 Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, A$20/NZ$19
In a normal vintage I would pick this as an Awatere Valley wine for its typical pea-pod and tomato-leaf flavours. It is however from the lower Waihopai Valley, a cooler branch of the Wairau Valley. The wine has reasonable concentration with an appealing mineral/slate character adding a distinct touch of class. The flavours show good focus and purity while knife-edged acidity overcomes an initial hint of sweetness to give a satisfyingly dry finish. BC

2008 Leo Buring Clare Valley Riesling, Clare Valley, A$20
Yet again, riesling makes Australia look like the Lucky Country, and the 2008 South Australian vintage has delivered us all an unexpected bonus. This classic regional expression reveals restrained aromas of lemon rind, stone fruit, herbs and yellow flowers. Luscious, juicy and concentrated, its pleasing length of fruit is underpinned by a fine, schisty texture, finishing long and austere with a fresh, vibrant acidity. JO