Winter Warmer June Pack 2025

Barbera from Italy’s Piemonte often flies under the radar but deserves attention for its vibrant acidity and bright red fruit. This well-crafted Asti example is reliably crowd-pleasing and great value, making it perfect for winter dining.

For meat lovers: grilled lamb sausages with mash, where the wine’s acidity balances the richness.

For vegetarians, spinach and ricotta cannelloni is a perfect match—the wine’s lively acidity cuts cleanly through the richness of the tomato sauce.

Grenache is well and truly back, and nowhere is the revival louder than in South Australia. Winemaker Jayson Collins draws fruit from three subregions (Riverland, Barossa, and McLaren Vale) then blends them into a bright, modern red that proves why century-old bush vines still matter. Mid-weight and lower in alcohol, it delivers pure, energetic fruit without the heaviness of yesterday’s styles.

For meat lovers: Chinese five-spice pork belly – juicy acidity and gentle spice from the wine slice through rich, caramelised pork fat and pick up the star-anise notes.

For vegetarians: Stuffed capsicums with tomato-olive rice – roasted capsicum sweetness, Mediterranean herbs, and a touch of briny olive echo Grenache’s red-fruit core and savoury edge.

One of New Zealand’s leading producers of Bordeaux-style reds, Te Mata delivers a classic Hawke’s Bay blend that’s made for winter. As the slow cookers come out, this is your go-to for rich, comforting meals.

Pair it with a slow-cooked Beef Bourguignon—the wine’s depth is a natural fit for hearty, savoury dishes.

For a vegetarian option, try a rustic Ratatouille. The roasted vegetables bring out the wine’s fruit, and herbs like thyme and oregano tie it all together.

Chardonnay truly wears many hats, and this expression from Patrick Sullivan shows its more refined side. Sourced from the volcanic soils of Gippsland, it’s a mineral-driven, Chablis-style wine with clarity, balance, and subtle texture.

An ideal companion to winter dishes like Miso-Glazed Salmon or a Leek, Potato and Thyme Tart.

Alex Head is a true master of Rhône varietals, drawing fruit from more than 20 trusted vineyards, predominantly in the Barossa Valley. To celebrate this, he has generously released an older vintage of his impeccable 2020 Viognier exclusively for The Drinks List customers. With five years of bottle age, expect a creamy richness and depth that will provide warmth and comfort as the winter winds set in.

For food, this wine is a natural partner to a classic Sunday roast. Imagine it alongside roast chicken with a creamy, herb-infused dressing—an effortless and elegant match.

Vegetarian diners need not miss out; a Butternut Squash Risotto with sage and toasted walnuts offers a luscious, nutty counterpoint that complements the wine’s aromatic richness perfectly.

While Rioja is famed for its world-class Tempranillo, its white wines remain an underappreciated treasure. This blend of 80% Viura and 20% Tempranillo Blanco delivers impressive fruit weight, subtle oak, and a mineral backbone, proof of the region’s evolving white wine pedigree.

It’s a natural partner for Pork Tenderloin with fennel-spiced roast vegetables and apple sauce, where citrus and herb tones align beautifully.

For vegetarians, a Cauliflower and Chickpea tagine brings out the wine’s spice and textural depth in equally compelling fashion.