Dandelion Legacy of Australia XXXO Pedro Ximenez, Barossa Valley

This wine bears little resemblance to those motor-oil-dark, super concentrated, cloying wines from southern Spain. The grape variety is the same, but the NV Legend of Australia Pedro Ximenez xxxo is only medium amber in hue and is remarkably drinkable and complex. Think pecans or walnuts in a light caramel-honey sauce, not too sweet or unctuous, with great acidity that enlivens and prolongs the finish. It's blended to be a 30-year-old in style (hence, xxxo). It's versatile enough to be served as an aperitif or with dessert, but I'd suggest having it on its own at the end of a meal or with the cheese course. I'm consistently impressed by the quality of many Australian fortifieds, and this one is a standout.

Bulgarian-born winemaker Elena Brooks and her husband Zar (d'Arenberg, Wirra Wirra, Zonte's Footstep) run this quality-focused winery that's based in McLaren Vale, but it draws fruit from single vineyards throughout South Australia. Brooks' focus is on aromatics and acidity, she says, and readers should note that alcohol levels are restrained in the context of South Australia. There's a good amount of whole-cluster work being done with the reds, and used French oak vessels are typically preferred to new barrels. As such, the wines are on trend, but, says Elena, "I don't want to make cool wines, I want to make great wines." Certainly, the two bottlings from a 105-year-old vineyard in the Eden Valley qualify on that count.