Vivino All-Stars

A smooth, richly spiced, black red from deep in southern France, Cabalié needs no ceremony. Just large glasses for serving! A Grenache-charged, old-vine red, brimful of spicy berry fruit.

Take a minute to read the (literally thousands of) 5-star online reviews for Cabalié. This one is typical: “When my time comes to shuffe off this mortal coil, this is the wine I want in that final glass. It is simply, utterly, indescribably fantastic.” Its secret? It’s crafted by a master winemaker, Hervé Sabardeil, following the centuries-old style beloved of Roman centurions, who first made wine there. Raspberry-rich Grenache, with herby Syrah and Carignan, Cabalié has impressive concentration. That’s due to the maturity of the vines, most well over 50 years old. The tiny berries they produce give Cabalié extraordinarily rich, ripe flavours. Boasting 8 Golds in as many vintages, this much-loved red is warming solo or with hearty dishes.

The lime and passion fruit appeal of Marlborough's Sauvignon Blancs is easy to understand, and this fantastic example is packed with vibrant, fresh tropical aromas that express the very best of ripe Marlborough fruit.

Enjoy this exuberant, aromatic southern Sauvignon on its own or with spicy fish or chicken dishes.

A rich, warm red from Puglia in the very south of Italy, the Pillastro Primitivo shows in abundance the quality and character of the region’s favourite grape variety.

From a winery that supports local growers and their traditions while insisting on only the best fruit, this powerful, tasty wine makes a perfect partner for a spicy pasta dish in the Mediterranean style.

Velvety, black fruit Alicante Bouschet plays a minor role in many of Portugal’s reds, but pioneer winemaker José Neiva Correia decided to give this inky black variety centre stage.

Aluado Moonstruck is a rich, velvety red, great on its own or with grilled meats and stews.

The first old vine cuvée of the extraordinarily popular Cabalié red was meant to be a one-off production, but the subsequent demand for it was so great that winemaker Hervé Sabardeil has continued, in successive vintages, to transform the fruit of those sixty to one hundred year old vines into a full, typically southern blend of Grenache and Carignan that delivers dark, deep fruit and spice with velvety texture.

Not to be missed!

Portugal isn't the first country you might think of for gold medal-winning Shiraz, but this dark and opulent beauty from the Península de Setúbal certainly gives the land down under a run for its money.

Intense aromas of dark berries with a vanilla edge from ageing in French oak introduce a rich, spicy red wine that is full of flavour and unmistakably full-bodied.

From the Tejo region of Portugal, north-east of Lisbon, this supple, mouth-filling red blends Syrah with Castelão and other local grapes to give a smooth, berry-packed wine with spicy, almost savoury hints. 

It's a delicious all-round food wine and very moreish, made on an estate that once housed the falconry of the Portuguese king.

A fine, robust barrel aged Touriga Nacional from an estate run by three generations of women, this bold red is smooth and structured with aromas of plum and blackcurrant and intense fruity flavours. Firm, shaping tannins give a lingering finish to a powerful example of great value from the Península de Setúbal region of Portugal.

In Australian phrase and fable, the Black Stump is what separates known civilization from What Lies Beyond.

Many years of legendary sales suggest that you'll enjoy this uncompromisingly full and ripe blend of Durif and Shiraz no matter which side of the fence you prefer. Smooth and silky, it makes magic from dark, rich Durif and spicy, juicy Shiraz in a full-throttle red that is perfect with hearty dishes from a barbecue to a traditional roast.

A deliciously fragrant and fresh blend of Viognier, Muscat and Colombard, this rounded, honeysuckle- and peach-scented white wine is typical of the Languedoc and a fitting complement to the enormously successful Cabalié red.

The fruity, zesty style makes it an all round winner and a perfect accompaniment, when not served as an aperitif, to rice or pasta dishes with seafood or poultry.

This rich, dark red is made from vines abandoned for decades after a devastating earthquake in western Sicily in 1968.

Winemaker Dino Taschetta has restored his grandfather’s vines of this native Sicilian variety to full production, and this dense, spicy wine with suggestions of blackberries and liquorice confirms at first taste that his efforts have paid off.

This crisp, peachy white is modest in alcohol but big on flavour, with a hint of oak lending delicious texture and depth to its juicy tropical fruit character.

There’s plenty of interest in this Portuguese blend, with its less familiar assembly of varieties—Fernão Pires, Alvarinho and Muscat—and it makes a delicious accompaniment to richer seafood dishes, oily fish or main-course salads.

A cracking Australian Sauvignon Blanc, with bright citrus aromatics and fuller, tropical but still really juicy, refreshing flavours.

You'll enjoy the value and you'll certainly enjoy the wine's roundness and delicate zing, on its own or alongside a range of informal dishes. 

This rich, dark red is made from vines abandoned for decades after a devastating earthquake in western Sicily in 1968.

Winemaker Dino Taschetta has restored his grandfather’s vines of this native Sicilian variety to full production, and this dense, spicy wine with suggestions of blackberries and liquorice confirms at first taste that his efforts have paid off.

The first old vine cuvée of the extraordinarily popular Cabalié red was meant to be a one-off production, but the subsequent demand for it was so great that winemaker Hervé Sabardeil has continued, in successive vintages, to transform the fruit of those sixty to one hundred year old vines into a full, typically southern blend of Grenache and Carignan that delivers dark, deep fruit and spice with velvety texture.

Not to be missed!

A smooth, richly spiced, black red from deep in southern France, Cabalié needs no ceremony. Just large glasses for serving! A Grenache-charged, old-vine red, brimful of spicy berry fruit.

Take a minute to read the (literally thousands of) 5-star online reviews for Cabalié. This one is typical: “When my time comes to shuffe off this mortal coil, this is the wine I want in that final glass. It is simply, utterly, indescribably fantastic.” Its secret? It’s crafted by a master winemaker, Hervé Sabardeil, following the centuries-old style beloved of Roman centurions, who first made wine there. Raspberry-rich Grenache, with herby Syrah and Carignan, Cabalié has impressive concentration. That’s due to the maturity of the vines, most well over 50 years old. The tiny berries they produce give Cabalié extraordinarily rich, ripe flavours. Boasting 8 Golds in as many vintages, this much-loved red is warming solo or with hearty dishes.

From Sicilian vineyards nearly lost to cultivation after a volcanic eruption in 1968 and recently restored by the original owner's grandson, this crisp, herbal, relatively full-bodied white wine is delicious on its own and makes a perfect partner for fish, charcuterie and white meats, especially when there is a herbal influence in the recipe. 

Vermentino is a variety that is both understated and often under-rated, but when it is given the chance to shine it makes for an appealing dry white with both freshness and rounded body.