Wine On

Under $100

Stellenzicht

$64

Remember the song Mellow Yellow? Drink this 2000 chardonnay and you'll be humming; it's a slow, easy, summer wine and very relaxing. There are hints of butterscotch and lime and there's a tangy after-taste. This winery in the Helderberg Mountains of Stellenbosch, founded in 1692, has a colourful history, entwined with the early settlement of Cape Town. The taut, modern style of this powerful white makes it anything but old fashioned. It's good value drinking.

Northeast Wines & Spirits: 2873 5733

Under $200

Chateau Haut-Gayat

$110

Bordeaux tends to be expensive, so it was a nice surprise while browsing in the Espace Wine Boutique in Elgin Street to find this estate-grown and estate-bottled red. The 1999 is made with the classic merlot-cabernet-sauvignon blend of the region, smells like a rose and tastes like a dream. And you can afford it. The only trouble is that this little number needs to grow up for a few years - it's too young to drink. However, if you can't wait, open it and enjoy the plummy softness with a crust of French bread and brie.

Espace Wines: 2525 6408

Over $200

Hollick Wilgha

$264

Mother Nature created a miracle in the coolest region of South Australia - a narrow strip of striking red earth known as the Coonawarra. Then mankind improved on it, discovering that grapes just adored the soil and shiraz loved the climate. The resulting wines are some of the best on earth. A terrific example is the 1996 Hollick Wilgha shiraz. This is made only in years when sun, rain and wind create perfect conditions. Fermented in American oak barrels, the wine commands respect. It gives a fantastic bouquet and the enticing taste lasts.

Ponti: 2810 1682