Sommeliers share their not-too-expensive wines they pour at dinner parties
What do sommeliers serve to dinner guests in their own homes?
I put this question to three of Australia’s finest: Adrian Filiuta, who runs Hunters Hill Wine Room (Sydney), Bridget Raffal, from Claret Club (Sydney) and Melbourne-based Loïc Avril, general manager of wine at Lucas Collective.
My only stipulations: the wines be available for purchase and not too expensive.
Sommeliers' choice
Bridget Raffal’s pick:
2023 Patrick Underwood Dash Farms Leanganook Chardonnay ($54)
“Australian chardonnay is top-tier, and this is such a perfect expression of it. It’s a real Goldilocks wine – not mean and lean, not big and showy, just beautifully balanced, with delicious fruit and more-ish acidity. Gone in an instant.”
Adrian Filiuta’s pick:
2024 Domaine de la Fessardière Muscadet La Mer ($45)
“Dry, zesty, fresh and mineral. Super versatile, either as an aperitif, especially in spring, or paired with a wide range of foods, particularly oysters, seafood and lighter fish dishes. It’s also a great alternative for chablis lovers – much nicer price tag.”
Loïc Avril’s pick:
2023 Vasse Felix Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon ($56)
“Cassis berries, fruit-forward and approachable, hints of bay leaf and fresh oak spices, round tannins, lifted and well-structured. A fine wine delivering freshness and a beautiful finish.”
Got a drinks question for Huon Hooke? thefullbottle@goodweekend.com.au
The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.
More:
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.