DRINKS: Olly’s Aussie reds for autumn

This month I tasted the Penfolds range of wines with Chief Winemaker Peter Gago via Zoom from Australia. It was a stunning line-up and reminded me why my first wine love, Australian Shiraz, is the perfect red for autumn. With smoky flourishes, Shiraz is lush with dark, delicious fruit that’s silkier than a mulberry in Lycra. Happily Australia has a bunch of decent drops for spicing up these cooler days.

JAM SHED SHIRAZ 2020 (13.5%), £7.75, Morrisons. For a crowdpleaser, this sweet, gluggable red is a no-brainer bargain.

BERTON VINEYARD THE BLACK SHIRAZ 2020 (14.5%), £8.25, Co-op. Full throttle bottle! An opulent, excellent-value red with a memorable label, too.

CHATEAU TANUNDA GRAND BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2019 (14.9%), £15, Sainsbury’s. Massive red with the spice of a peppercorn the size of Mars. Warming, bold.

PENFOLDS BIN 28KALIMNA SHIRAZ 2017 (14.5%), Majestic, £24.99. Luscious red with fully laden black fruit and liquorice layers. Sumptuous and iconic.