Wine must be one of the hardest languages to learn in the world and us wine writer folks tend to make things confusing, complex and sometimes downright impossible to follow. We push our trolleys through the fruit and vegie aisles plucking out descriptors, tossing in one-liners about malolactic ferments and volatile acidity, then make you learn a million grape varieties and blends to keep up with the latest thing to drink. We also know that our weird language involves a lot of foreign words. And though people can wrap their lips around shiraz, riesling and cabernet, we’re now offering up varieties that require a degree in linguistics to get comfortable with, all over again. Kath & Kim told us chardonnay is really pronounced kardonnay (car-door-neigh), but what about the slippery, apricot nectar-like viognier (vee-on-yeah) or knowing that you don’t pronounce the ‘T’ in merlot (merr-low)? Not too hard. But the latest varieties hitting shelves in numbers are getting trickier. Tried a xinomavro (zin-oh-mav-row) or assyrtiko (ass-ear-tea-ko) from Greece? The former is a juicy, spicy red, the latter a crisp, refreshing white. What about a montepulciano (mon-tea-pull-chi-yarn-oh) or a vermentino (ver-men-tea-know)? Drink spicy red ‘monte’ with pizza, but go a vermentino with straight-from-the-ocean seafood. That being said, some of the best bits about exploring wine are charting the unknown. Though they might come with verbal challenge, don’t be skipping delicious wines made from the nutty, fresh-feeling white grape fiano (fee-are-no), multi-faceted savagnin (sav-ah-nyin), crunchy-textured white garganega (gar-gan-egg-gah), slurpy, peppery red cinsault (sin-so) or, umm, slankamenka bela (slanka – what?!). Sometimes the most exciting, and most interesting drinking, might just be the least pronounceable.

Isabella is an unusual variety in that it’s really more a kind of eating grape. That said, this wine is utterly smashable, wildly aromatic and is brilliantly refreshing with a light chill. Line it up with antipasti.

Slankamenka bela originates in the Balkans, but has found a tiny home in the Riverland region of SA. The white grape reminds you of a savoury cross between riesling and chardonnnay. Zingy and zesty, all up.

Graciano (gra-see-are-no) is a Spanish grape known for its strong perfume and inky colour. In the hands of these organic growers it becomes a peppery red of cherry-berry fruitiness and acidity. Great for barbecues.

Teroldego (tear-old-egg-oh) hails from the north east of Italy, but it has found its way to Margaret River. Blue Poles are a wonderful producer and this wine sings with red fruit and FIne tannins. Super with wintery dishes.

The crisp, white variety gruner veltliner (grew-ner velt-leaner) originates from Austria which feels neatly kindred with the cool south of Tassie where this is grown. It has great texture, glorious fragrance, and juicy, apply fruitiness.

This red is a blend of two grapes from the Veneto region of Italy. Rondinella (ron-dee-nel-la) is plummy and spicy while corvina (core-vee-na) is bright and crisp. Powerful and tannic, pair with stews and game.