IF, like me, you are old enough to remember the days in the late 1970s and early 80s when Aussie wines were considered a short-term novelty then no doubt you’ve followed their rise to prominence over the decades with much admiration.

Yep, the land Down Under, once famous for Foster's Lager, with a side order of sweet sherry for the Sheilas, really has taken the wine world by storm. From the classy old world-style wines of the Margaret River to the rather more mass produced wines of south eastern Australia, you would be hard pushed to criticise anything they do.

For a while in the 90s and early noughties, they were too generous with the use of oak, especially with the Coonawarra cabernets but, thankfully, like a good carpenter, they have the wood under control these days and it's class, class, class all the way to the bottom of the glass glass glass.

True, one of two of their cheaper, fun end wines lack the finesse you want when you’re entertaining the neighbours but even at the bargain end, there's rarely much to whine about. Fruit, alcohol, tannins so soft you want to cuddle them and rarely a badger's backside to be found. Australian wines are in short the easiest wines to give as a gift, and there's plenty of finesse and class to satisfy wine tarts like myself.

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Clare Valley Shiraz

This is gorgeous for the price with mouthfuls of blackberry fruit, toasty vanilla hints and a soft silky palate. Well done, Aldi.

www.aldi.co.uk £7.99

Grounded Cru Pinot Gris

The name may be a typical Aussie word joke about the French term ‘grand cru’ but the wine inside is well deserving of the accolade. Crisp, aromatic fruits on the nose with pears and tropical fruits on the palate. A corker on its own but sublime with most fish dishes.

www.oddbins.com £17