May 29, 2026Winter is the season to bring out the wines that you’ve been saving for the cooler weather: the engaging ones that you can really linger over, the hearty ones that truly satisfy. Of course, these are also the wines that partner well with the foods we like to eat when the temperature plummets: roasts, braises, rich desserts and cheeses. There’s no better time to break out reds with some age on them. Hopefully, you already have them in your cellar because there aren’t many in the shops. Here are three that won’t break the bank: Three winter wines to try
Salomon Finniss River Sea Eagle Vineyard Shiraz 2020, $40From the Fleurieu region in South Australia, this mellowing, six-year-old red has walnut, pepper, mint and blackberry flavours with dark chocolate and toasty oak. A solid red that’s starting to build some aged complexity and cries out for a hearty, roast dinner.S.C. Pannell Basso Garnacha 2023, $35This McLaren Vale beauty is a grenache, and full of earthy, broken rock-like mineral aromas, savoury rather than fruity, with the tannin structure to enhance a solid, meaty protein, such as Portuguese espetada.Stanton & Killeen Rutherglen Muscat, $28 (500ml)This entry-level Rutherglen muscat is young and fruity: its average age is between five and seven years, so it’s perfumed with rose petals or Turkish Delight, raisins and orange peel. Sweet and viscous on the tongue and just the mate for a sticky date pudding or rum baba.
