This Yarra Valley chardonnay has hints of citrus and melon, and a touch of oak. Not the big honey, butter, oak variety of chardonnay from others in the area; but with enough substance to make the purchase worthwhile.

http://www.mandalawines.com.au/
Write-up by Lachie

This was a stab in the dark that really paid off. After tasting some great Spanish sparkling at Anada, I asked around in King and Godfrey and was pointed towards this. Having never heard of the grapes, I can't tell you any more than wikipedia, but the palate is rich and creamy, with just a hint of fruit on the nose. A great drop, well worth the price.

http://www.agustitorellomata.com/torello3.html
Write-up by Dave

Claymore wines is one of the smaller producers in the Clare region, but recently their wines have been distributed into more of the mainstream retailers - definitely a good thing. This wine is fruit driven, with good structure and a solid finish. Not as big and heavy as those from the Barossa, this (and it's Cabernet Sauvignon brother, "Graceland") are great food wines, and won't break the budget, either. Highly recommended for this price bracket, I've seen it in Dan Murphy's and King and Godfrey usually have a good supply.

http://www.claymorewines.com.au/
Write-up by Dave

The $50 price tag is a tad more than what I would generally spend on Chardonnay, but this one I think is worth the money. The beautifully toasty oak nose, and the lingering buttery finish make this an outstanding wine in my book.

http://www.coldstreamhills.com.au/
Write-up by Lachie

Sarah's favourite rose. A dry yet refreshing summer wine.

http://www.dominiqueportet.com/
Write-up by Lachie

Shake:
- shot of light rum
- half a shot of coitreau
- tropical juice
- ice

pour into glass and layer dark rum on top.
Adjust amount of juice and dark rum depending on how strong you like it.
Sit back, and pretend you're in Hawaii.
Write-up by Lachie

Possibly Australia's best sparkling. On lees for around 9 years, it is a stunning wine. I put it on equal footing to French champagnes in the same price range. If you're not a real sparkling fan and can't really justify the expense then the cheaper Macedon NV Brut Cuvée XII NV is a great option at $49 cellar door (though seen much cheaper at some bottleshops).

http://www.hangingrock.com.au/wineshopdetail.asp?ID=78
Write-up by Lachie

Certainly in the handful of "great" Australian wines, this is a bottle which will benefit from a good few years in the cellar. Big full fruit flavours on the palate, with a finish that never seems to end. Mind you, at this price, it'd want to be pretty awesome. This is one of the few wines in this price range which is worth it. Forget Grange - buy a couple of bottles of this instead!

http://www.mosswood.com.au/
Write-up by Dave

Peach, nectarine and stone fruit on the mid palate, but a fresher nose hinting towards underlying complexity. Long dry finish with plenty of stick, but not overpowering by any means. Well integrated oak leaves you wanting another glass. Great wine, surprisingly good value.

http://www.petaluma.com.au/
Write-up by Dave

These Coonawarra whites are great value - have a listen to our second podcast for a bit of a rant about them during a vertical tasting. The '02 is a bit more refined, with higher acid on the finish, while the '03 brings out the malolactic fermentation for a more creamy, buttery palate. Interestingly, these were both matured in Russian oak, supposedly quite similar to French, but much cheaper. Tastes pretty good in my book!

http://www.punterscorner.com.au/
Write-up by Dave

A particularly good example of what Clare does best, it went very well with the Thai spiced quail we had on podcast number 10. Slightly floral on the nose with lime and citrus flavours on the palate, but not so much that you feel like you're drinking lemon juice! One to keep an eye out for.

http://www.skillogalee.com.au/
Write-up by Dave

Surprised me. I'm generally not a fan of Victorian riesling (without a recommendation I tend not to try them, I've been hurt too many times), but this one is great value and extremely drinkable.

https://www.tahbilk.com.au/wines/index.php?view=detail&id=17
Write-up by Lachie

Something for when you get tired of Barossa and Heathcote, this is a big Shiraz for big Shiraz lovers. Plenty of dark fruit flavours, hints of chocolate and a long dry finish. Enjoy with a good cut of beef.

http://www.warrenmang.com.au/
Write-up by Dave

Bill Downie was named young wine maker of the year in 2007 (I think it was '07) and with good reason: he only makes Pinot, and it's good stuff. The Mornington version is a more fruit driven wine than his Yarra Valley wine, but don't dismiss it as a "watery pinot" - it's got plenty of spine to back it up. Bright berry flavours on the palate go well with gamey foods, or rich sauces - we enjoyed it with the Stuffed chicken with truffle and pomegranate that we did on the first podcast. Highly recommended, and worth watching in the future.

http://www.williamdownie.com.au/
Write-up by Dave