Mike Bennie

Young Chinese winemakers are redefining the country’s old-school winemaking reputation and are starting to export to Australia – here are the labels to look out for.

This season, the wine and drinks writer is thinking about a sessionable low-ABV beer, an “utterly delicious” sparkling wine, and a peachy, pretty and pink pét-nat.

When the temperature drops, Mike Bennie, drinks writer and co-owner of P&V bottle shop in Sydney, opts for libations deeper in flavour and more generous in texture – not just red wine.

Consider these “night extenders” – or just delicious, compelling alternatives to more intoxicating beverages this silly season.

There’s a Mediterranean spritz by a Melbourne bar legend, a refreshing lager and a sophisticated tea-based cocktail with a pucker that resets the palate. Plus, he reckons a Barossa Valley producer has worked out how to make the best non-alcoholic wine going around.

Canned Mai Tais, goon bags of smashable red wine and vermouth spritz tinnies are among the picks from the co-owner of Sydney’s P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants and co-founder of the Drink Easy Awards. Now find yourself a beach, park, pool or backyard to drink them at.

A gin co-fermented with grape juice? Madness! This is just one of five drinks you can buy this month to support bushfire-affected vineyards, breweries and distilleries.

The crack of a can and the hissing fizz that follows is one of the most Pavlovian sounds known to humankind, summoning a drive for summery refreshment. Liven up your next backyard barbeque, park party or beach sojourn with these five tinnies, none of which are beer.

Spring is here. Get into the sprit with these five drinks, from a light red wine that tastes like “icy Ribena” to a puckering apple cider.

Winter calls for sippable spirits to warm you from the inside. Here are five to try, including a peach-flavoured aperitif and a Tasmanian coffee liqueur.

Lightly spiced, caramel-hued rum, “gorgeous” Adelaide Hills syrah and a winter-y white wine (yes, they exist) plus two other recommendations for what to drink as the days begin to cool.

Seven drinks to seek out as summer gradually slips away and the leaves begin to fall, from Victorian gamay to dry Adelaide Hills cider.