2011 Laurenz and Sophie Austria Singing Grüner Veltliner

Grüner Veltliner always makes me think of clear  water, something from a mountain stream. This one is a mid to light gold, with the smell of pears and a little honey underpinned by a sense of spice. Grüner Veltliner is always drinkable I think, even without food. A good summer wine on the terrace or in the garden of a pub. Its mid-sharp on the plate but not off-putting, enriched with some bitter orange. The Laurenz and Sophie label is marked by orange on the cap and some on the otherwise fairly restrained and simple black and white label — that's also playful with its paint-like splat of orange, much like the wine. A gift from my sister from the Centennial Pub just around from Oxford at Paddington /Queens St Woolahra. Like Arneis, I can't imagine ever drinking a bad Grüner Veltliner.

Sixfootsix Geelong Chardonnay

To return to a traditional Chardonnay, try one from the Station Hotel, Lismore, far north coast of NSW. For $20 it has the traditional gold colour and a familiar apricot-vanilla-custard perfume. Initially very orangey to taste, it is full on the mid palate and has length, becoming lemony with food.

2012 T' Gallant Cape Schanck Pinot Grigio

 The Station Hotel, Lismore, far north coast of NSW, has a 2012 T' Gallant Cape Schanck Pinot Grigio that's so unbelievably pale, almost colourless, it could be a traditional Chenin Blanc. It doesn’t have a nose, but slips down like lime water. Again, this crispness, rather than lusciousness, makes an excellent mid-summer drink that could be great with food, with cold pear and light lemon on the medium-length palate. 

2011 Hawkes Bay Pinot Gris

Bex Hill Store, Clunes, far north coast of NSW,   has a 2011 Hawkes Bay Pinot Gris for around $13. It's a clear, pale yellow, or straw-like, colour, with very little perfume – although maybe some ginger. On the palate there's almond, green apple and custard, with an end sensation of ginger again. A very, very light Pinot Gris that's a good summer wine, cold, as an aperitif.

2011 Yering Station 2011 Pinot Noir Rose

For another good Rosé, I recommend the 2011 Yering Station 2011 Pinot Noir Rosé at the Station Hotel, Lismore, NSW, Australia. A rusted-pink in colour, it's dry on the palate: a beautifully smooth, elegantly assured Rosé.

Freeman Wines

I was prepared to try all of Jared Dixon's Freeman wines from Young at Clunes Cellars (or Wine Store, if you see his great, new retro lit-up sign). The best of his selection is surely the 2012 Freeman Rondo Rosé, $20.00 (Rondinella is an Italian grape). It's a truly terrific Rosé in a beautiful salmon pink, that's dry, with only a subtle sweetness. The 2010 Freeman Shiraz from Clunes Cellars is surprisingly, even shockingly, like a peppery Shiraz from the Barossa. But it still drinks as quite young, being sharp and tart, with smoothness forgotten; there's also a Cab Sav and Tempranillo for $25. I was looking forward to the Pinot Gris but failed to notice the Plus on the title; this is a mixture of Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Aleatico. While initially in my drinking I quite liked the adventurousness of mixing, I currently prefer sticking to a straight variety as being much more respectful of the grape.

2011 Moppity Hilltops Vineyard Riesling

Young, western NSW, now has a wine industry. I bought a 2011 Moppity Hilltops Vineyard Riesling (Boorowa-Harden-Young) from the Sydney, Dulwich Hill Local Liquor. Whoever the buyer is, they're doing great things. It's single vineyard wine (always an indication of quality), smells like vanilla custard with green apple, and for around $25 I was impressed.