Hillbilly Vintage Apple Cider 2015, Bilpin, AUD $20

Made from late-season apples, crushed, fermented and oak-aged. This is a real discovery, a superb cider that’s clean, well-made and perfectly balanced. A polished and superbly turned-out cider with bell-clear appley aromatics, subtle effervescence and just enough sweetness to prevent the aftertaste being austere. I could drink a bucket of it. (Cork)

Score: 93 ★★★★½

Alcohol: 9%

Ageing: No. Drink now.

Food: Roast pork with apple sauce

Stockists: Carwyn Cellars, Thornbury (Vic.); Summer Hill Wine Shop (NSW)

Joseph The Fronti NV, AUD $50/500ml

This is labelled as frontignac – but think old Rutherglen liqueur muscat. And a very good one too. Deep amber/tawny colour with a yellow-green rim; the bouquet very mellow, complex and mature. Toffee, walnut, dried fig and raisin aromas and flavours, luscious and concentrated. The finish is almost endless. There’s a superb balance between fresher, younger muscat fruit and very old material. (Fruit sourced from Adelaide Plains, Rutherglen, Barossa Valley & McLaren Vale – Screwcap)

Score: 97 ★★★★★ – view on HuonHooke.com

Alcohol: 19.5%

Ageing: Not needed

Food: Dried fruits and nuts

Stockists www.primoestate.com.au

Small Acres Sparkling Perry Medium Dry 2013, Orange, AUD $25-$26

Very light straw colour; a fine bead of bubbles. Fresh, clean appealing pear aromas, the palate flavours light and refreshing, delicate and delicious, with a faint trace of sweetness and no tannin grip. Relatively simple and short, but delicious. (Crown-cap)

Score: 92 ★★★★

Alcohol: 7.5%

Ageing: No

Food: Whiting au meunier.

Stockists: Blackhearts & Sparrows, Fitzroy (Vic.); The Oak Barrel (NSW); www.smallacrescyder.com.au

As the name says, this is indeed a lightly sparkling water; a very fresh, clean, pure water with subtle mineral flavour and a cleansing aftertaste. Very refreshing, and an excellent palate cleanser at the dinner table. 

Stockists: Kemeny’s of Bondi, Sydney; Coltivare Supermarket, Melbourne

I’m not a big drinker of bottled water but
I love this, especially as a companion to fine food and wine. It’s very minerally
but not too salty; the effervescence helps refresh and cleanse the palate but
is not aggressive or overdone; and on a hot day, no other form of H2O is such
an effective reviver.

Stockists: Dan Murphy’s and independent
retailers