DD Top Drops Mixed Pack

• 2026 Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley Riesling
• 2023 Cantina di Negrar Soave Classico
• 2025 Hoddles Creek Estate Chardonnay
• 2024 Les Fruits Collines Pinot Noir
• 2024 Envinate Albahra Garnacha Tintorrera
• 2023 Mordrelle The Gaucho Malbec

2026 Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley Riesling

The Rieslingfreak No. 3 is John Hughes' outstanding value Clare Valley Riesling.

The Clare Valley is John's home, and this wine hails from the family vineyard at White Hutt, grown on heavy, nutrient-rich red clay that gives the No. 3 its trademark generosity. It was the first fruit off the vine this vintage, picked in early March before the summer drought broke in dramatic fashion - almost 90mm of rain in 48 hours.

This one's all generosity and juice - the kind of Riesling that's dangerously easy to drink from the moment it's poured. There's a seductive lift of lemon and ripe stonefruit on the nose, and the palate just rolls with it, bright citrus up front softening into something more tropical through the middle, all held together by a tight line of acidity that keeps it fresh rather than sweet. Plush and round without ever feeling heavy.

These age beautifully, but honestly, this is a bottle for drinking right now - it's juicier and more approachable out of the gate than recent vintages. An absolute bargain and a must-have for lovers of Australian Riesling.

2023 Cantina di Negrar Soave Classico

Cantina di Negrar is an exceptional group of growers and winemakers whose commitment to quality is evident.

This is a modern style of Soave, a classic white wine from northern Italy. While it pays homage to the traditions of the region, the wine is decidedly focused on freshness and vitality. All grapes were hand harvested, gently pressed and saw only stainless steel, ensuring the wine retains a refreshing acidity.

With vivid aromas and flavours of crunchy green apples, fresh honeydew melon and dried fruits, this is a wine which is crying out for an antipasto plate.

2025 Hoddles Creek Estate Chardonnay

For Yarra Valley Chardonnay fans, there is no better time of year than when the new Hoddles Creek estate release drops. Reams of praise have been written about Franco d’Anna’s unbelievable value for money, and honestly, it remains an absolute mystery how he keeps a wine of this calibre at under $30. It is all estate-grown, wild-fermented fruit that completely redefines what entry-level premium wine can be.

The 2025 season handed him the earliest harvest in his twenty-five years at the property, but the team didn't panic. They scrambled early to capture the fruit with its natural crunch intact, and the payoff in the glass is immediate. It skips any heavy, sun-baked character, delivering a super fresh, mineral-driven white with exceptional drive and a sophisticated touch of French wood.

It will easily evolve and improve with a bit of time in the dark, but it’s so delicious right now that keeping your hands off it is the real challenge. A challenge we usually fail! Simply one of the best buys in the country.

94 points
"It smells of pears and oyster shells; it tastes of nectarines, grapefruit, cedar-spice and mineral; it finishes with such an emphatic burst of fruit that its quality feels instantly upgraded. How or why this wine is only $26 I do not know."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

2024 Les Fruits Collines Pinot Noir

This is Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir set to smashable mode. Tim Stock combined fruit from two distinct sites - Ironbank and high-altitude Ashton - to create a red that prioritises texture and immediate drinkability. It’s a "no-frills" expression, fermented with just a bit of foot-stomping and aged for ten months in seasoned hogsheads.

The wine leads with a savoury, earthy profile rather than simple fruit sweetness. The Ashton component lightens the frame, bringing a lifted rose-petal perfume that opens up as the wine warms, while the Ironbank fruit provides a darker, spicier core. It’s medium-bodied and rich, but a bright line of acidity keeps it fresh and energetic.

At its heart, this is a seriously lovable, "slurpable" Pinot. Honestly, it's one of the best buys for Pinot we've seen in the Hills for a while.

2024 Envinate Albahra Garnacha Tintorrera

"If there is a poster child for the wines of the ‘New Spain’, then Envínate is a strong candidate."
- Luis Gutierrez (The Wine Advocate)

Albahra is where the Envínate range begins — and for the price, it’s a serious overachiever. Sourced from limestone-heavy soils in Almansa, this 2024 release is mostly Garnacha Tintorera with a splash of Moravia Agria. Wild ferment, partial whole bunch, and élevage in concrete and old oak. No fining, no filtration.

It pours dark - Tintorera has pigment to burn - but the palate’s surprisingly fresh. Plum skin, blackberry, and blood orange sit alongside dried herbs, pepper and a touch of cured meat. The tannins are firm, the acidity sharp, but it all feels cohesive. Structured, savoury, and not trying to impress anyone.

It’s the kind of wine that quietly sets a benchmark. Pure, expressive, and honest - no fluff, no gloss, just great fruit handled well.

94 points
"This is serious and balanced, following the nicely crafted style from the Envínate team, showcasing its birthplace. It's eminently Mediterranean with freshness and balance. This is a bargain for the quality it delivers."
- Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate)

2023 Mordrelle The Gaucho Malbec

Martin Moran grew up in Mendoza, walking the family vineyards as a child before an accident took his grandfather and, for years, put wine out of reach. He found his way back to it through an agriculture degree specialising in viticulture and oenology, then made his way to Australia - vintages in Langhorne Creek, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale - where he met and married Michelle, and with her parents' help, started making wine of his own.

The Gaucho is his homage to Mendoza, made from a single vineyard in Langhorne Creek, a region built for Malbec the way his hometown is. It's big and bold, true to the variety's roots, packed with purple florals, ripe plum, whiffs of chocolate and a peppery spice that carries through a long, dry finish. Structured and plush at once.

If you love Malbec with real weight and personality behind it, and a winemaker who's lived the variety on two continents, check this out.

95 points
"If you’re still wondering what makes malbec special, wonder no more. Try this. It starts with the variety’s exceptional colour – inky purple-black; next the distinct aromas of tar, warm earth, even a little peaty, pepper, pomegranate and fresh herbs. Flavours come in the form of dark plums and cherries, licorice and choc-mint, while the medium-bodied palate is full of grainy, shapely tannins led by the upfront acidity. Thoroughly enjoyed this; one of the most pleasing malbecs I’ve had in quite a while."
- Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

*** Mordrelle’s beautiful labels are created from original artworks painted by Martin Moran's late father, renowned Argentinian artist Jose Luis Moran. The artworks are available for sale through the Mordrelle website.