Head Red GSM 2022 from Head Wines in the Barossa Valley is a gloriously moreish Grenache‑Shiraz‑Mataro blend, sourced from old bush‑vine sites and built for sheer drinkability without losing that savoury Barossa heartbeat.

In the glass it’s crimson with magenta flashes, overflowing with satsuma plum, red and dark cherry and boysenberry, cut with fine spice, citrus blossom, gingerbread, charcuterie and amaro‑like herbs. The palate on Head Red GSM 2022 is cuddly and medium‑bodied, loaded with crunchy red‑to‑blue fruits, baking spices and dried herbs, finishing sapid, fruit‑pure, fresh and lip‑smackingly moreish thanks to plush tannins and bright acidity. It has 93 points from Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion) with a Special Value nod, which is huge for a wine at this price.

This is ridiculously versatile – think pizza, pasta, Mediterranean grills, lamb skewers, sausages, burgers or even richer vegetarian dishes, and it will happily stretch to chocolate if you want to push the friendship. Serve it with a light chill for summer or just under room temperature in winter and watch how quickly the bottle disappears at a barbecue or mid‑week dinner.