The site has roughly 800 bottles on it. That's a lot to walk into. If you've never bought from us and you want to know what we're about, here are six bottles that cover the range — one entry-level red, one serious white, one sparkling, one rum, one apéritif, one curiosity. Under $400 for the lot. They'll show you why we stock the things we stock.
1. The weeknight red: Bullant Cabernet Merlot 2022 — $19
Lake Breeze's entry-level blend from Langhorne Creek. Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, made by a winery the Follett family has run since the 1880s. Dark fruit, blackberry, a touch of cedar, soft tannins. Drink with sausages, a Tuesday-night spaghetti bolognese, or a roast chicken. Nineteen dollars, and it drinks like a $28 bottle. The case discount kicks in if you stock up.
2. The serious white: Pooley Riesling 2025 — $41
If you only ever try one bottle from us, make it this. Pooley Wines in Tasmania's Coal River Valley was named Halliday Wine Companion's Winery of the Year in 2023. Their straight Riesling is lemon, white blossom, green apple, and a chalky finish from the river-terrace soils at Cooinda Vale. Cool-climate, dry, ages beautifully — the 2025 will drink well for another decade. Pair it with prawns, oysters, Thai food, or any goat-cheese situation.
3. The sparkling: Domaine Pichot Vouvray Brut 2022 — $37
The Pichot family has been making Vouvray since 1899. This is méthode traditionnelle Chenin Blanc from organically farmed limestone vineyards above the Loire River. Pear, brioche, a chalky edge. Champagne-grade structure for $37 — the kind of sparkling we recommend more than any other. Works as an apéritif, with a cheese board, or alongside roast pork.
4. The rum: Arcane Rum Vanilla — $94
Mauritian rum infused with Bourbon vanilla pods — the kind of bottle that makes people stop talking when you pour it. Sip it neat after dinner over a small rock of ice. Pour a tablespoon over vanilla ice cream for a fast affogato. Add a measure to coffee for a more interesting Sunday morning. The Arcane house in Mauritius does serious work with cane spirit and tropical fruit; this one is the most universally loved bottle on the shelf.
5. The apéritif: Dolin Vermouth Blanc — $34
The bottle that earns its keep more than any other. Dry, floral, Alpine — made by Maison Dolin in Chambéry, the only producer who holds the protected designation for Vermouth de Chambéry. Drink it 90ml over ice with a slice of lemon as a 4pm apéritif. Stir it into a Martini with gin. Use it in a spritz with sparkling and a wedge of pink grapefruit. Once opened it lasts about six weeks in the fridge — most people get through it faster.
6. The curiosity: Dolin Chamberyzette — $45
The bottle nobody else in Australia stocks. Created in 1902 by Rosalie Dolin in Chambéry: dry vermouth blended with wild Alpine strawberry liqueur. Pours pale strawberry-pink, drinks like the most elegant apéritif you've ever had. Serve it over ice with a slice of lemon, or top with sparkling and a fresh strawberry. The bottle people open at dinner and then ask where to buy.
The total
$19 + $41 + $37 + $94 + $34 + $45 = $270. Add another $94 of Arcane and you're under $400 with six bottles that will last most households a month. You'll have a weeknight red, a special-occasion white, a sparkling, a sipping rum, an apéritif for guests, and the surprise bottle.
How to pick your own first order
If those six don't fit your kitchen, the questions to ask yourself before browsing:
- What do I drink most weeks? Start there. Red, white, sparkling, beer-replacement spritz — buy the upgraded version of what you already drink.
- What am I cooking on Sunday? Match the bottle to the meal. The pairing notes on each product page tell you what we'd put with it.
- Who am I serving this to? If you have guests coming who don't drink, make sure there's a Gambetta or a low-alcohol vermouth on the list.
- What's the budget per bottle? Tell us the number. We'll work to it.
Send a question to our email any time — mention what you're cooking, who you're feeding, and what's in your fridge. We'll come back with three bottles and a reason for each. That's the actual service.
— The Caravan team
