September 2026 Manager picks

Hugh Hamilton Wines Australia

The Villain Cabernet. Bitumen, ink, and bay. Charcuterie smoke and paprika herald the fruit – violet studded, brambly blueberry, cranberry, and cherry. A garden of lift; Dried thyme, oregano, and effusive florals sprouting exotically throughout. Pink-lady apple skin. Split stone, graphite, and blood. Supple, poised, and perfumed. Food match: Roast beef short ribs, sauteed wild mushrooms with fresh parsley. $19.99

Rascal Shiraz. Plum, pomegranate molasses, and black strap liquorice. The ripe fruit and florals backed by bands of bay leaf, vanilla pod, and mocha. Cranberries interplay with blueberry and rhubarb. A plush palate, with graphite slip. Toasty jaggery caramel and demerara sugar. Food Match: You’ll need your barbecue nice and hot. Char Siu BBQ Pork, Balsamic-Soy Mushrooms. $19.99

Black Ops Red Blend. Pulsing with plums, pomegranate mollasses, black pepper, and a steady plume of coal smoke. Dense dried spice and violets. Iodine and beets. A phenomenal mid palate glows with fruit; red, black, and blue. Charcuterie sweet, unceasingly luscious, and with lasting succulence. Bombast but with both charm and class. Bold, brooding, and intense. Food match: Team it up with a classic Reuben Sandwich; perhaps swap out the corned beef for smoky beetroot to match the mix. $28.99

Floozie Rose’. Apple blossom blooms into ripe pink ladies. Shifting shades of fennel; wild notes among blueberries, linen, lemongrass, cherry stone, and musk. Early season strawberries, field-fresh, fill the palate. Lush but still taut. Finishing with a lick of acid zest, lively and spry. Food match: Delicate flavors match this delicate wine – perhaps a pear, parmesan, and walnut salad? $17.99

Scallywag Chardonnay. Vanilla, fresh linen, and white petals waft. It teases tropicality but delivers delicious pear flesh and a titch of white peach. French oak mingles throughout. The palate is brisk, the combination of texture and weight lending just the right kind of succulent Scallywag swagger.Food Match: Peach glazed pork and garden fresh greens, or gnocchi with asparagus and pesto.$19.99

Jim Jim Shiraz. Toasty red-fruit lift. Plums, strawberry shortcake, violets, and light baked spices. A soft and rich palate. Bright with crunchy fruit and lip smacking blue fruited vibrancy. $12.99