Meet some great-value wines that are worth dancing to

Derek Fitzgerald is the owner and winemaker for Paisley Wines from the Barossa.

But he's also DJ Deadly, a man with a love for music and art.

Paisley Wines was created in 2016 by Derek and his partner Kirsten Harvey in 2016 and now has major distribution with Single Vineyard Sellers.

The winery is named after a Scottish town near Glasgow with a history of beautiful textile weaving - the home of Kirsten’s great great grandfather.

The ‘Mixed by DJ Deadly’ label reflects Derek’s '90s love affair with dance parties and techno music and is a nod to his school nickname, Deadly Derek.



In his youth, Derek would make CDs of his DJ mixes for his friends and sign them ‘Mixed by DJ Deadly.’

Now that love in the inspiration for the stylish Mixed by DJ Deadly range of easy drinking but very well-made wines that are in the groove and retail for a very fair $25 a bottle.

"With the obvious music links we love our Boombox Shiraz (because we are kids of the 80s), the Turntable GSM (the records are overtaking the living room) and our new Keyboard Rosé - after all who doesn't love a bit of synth with their music," say the couple.

While Paisley and DJ Deadly are relatively new labels, Fitzgerald has been making wine for 20 years, cutting his teeth at wineries like Thorn Clarke and Bremerton.

He aims to bring an element of finesse and a light touch to the warm climate big flavoured wines of the Barossa region.

Of the wines that I tried I particularly liked the juicy and stylish 2021 GSM, the nicely balanced 2022 Amplifier Chardonnay (made using Padthaway fruit) and the astutely judged 2021 Boombox Shiraz.

Here's Derek's latest playlist that he says is "selected with songs that are perfectly chilled for a great wine tasting or wine drinking occasion!"

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2fCBjkmPillmzAQ5zhV9yR?si=6917cb17ffa84d5c

New sustainable wine range offers sub-$10 value

It is hard to find a sub-$10 wine that shines, but I was genuinely impressed by both the varietal chardonnay and the well-balanced sauvignon blanc in the range of  sustainability-driven new Australian wine brand Rewild. 

The $9.99 range from Duxton Vineyards released this week includes a chardonnay, moscato, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc and rosé, with red varietals arriving later in 2022.

The blurb says the wines are all produced using sustainable methods and made using minimal intervention. That's good stuff. 

The range is also 100% vegan friendly, ticking another hipster box, along with ethical consumption credentials.

Recent studies have revealed that almost two in three Australians (65%) are concerned about their carbon footprint, and 40% of consumers value and consider a company’s environmental efforts when purchasing products 

Duxton Vineyards is a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. 

Senior winemaker Tony Allen says Rewild is a wine range that celebrates Australian agriculture and is dedicated to improving the environment.

“It’s the land that gifts us these wines, so it’s important that we give back and support meaningful change," Allen says. 

"Rewild is created for people who enjoy delicious wine but also want to make purchase decisions they feel good about, and have a positive impact on the environment.” 

The Rewild bottles are lightweight and packed in FSC-certified recycled cardboard, and the labels are made from sugarcane - all features designed to minimise the brand’s carbon footprint and impact on the environment.

Rewild has a goal to reach 100% renewable energy, uses regenerative farming practices, water-saving initiatives and a biodiversity management plan as well as not using any animal products.

All the grapes come from the southern Murray Darling region. 

The wines are available from Dan Murphy’s stores nationally for $9.99. 

See http://rewildwine.com.au/