Although this wine is plush, dense and rich, it possesses a compelling percussion and balance. Right up there with Grange and Hill Of Grace as one of Australia's best Shiraz, and from one of the greatest vintages too!

Proudly, a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion or commerce. St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in old, 1,460 litre vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion of Cabernet is sometimes used to improve structure, the focal point for St Henri remains Shiraz.

Penfolds Bin 389 is the classic South Australian red! Often referred to as 'Baby Grange' or 'Poor Man's Grange', Bin 389 was the wine that helped to build Penfolds' solid reputation with wine drinkers around the world. A magnificent blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from the very best regions and vineyards available to Peter Gago and his team, the robust nature of the Cabernet grape give structure and body to the wine while the opulent Shiraz fruit provides suppleness and intensity. A true icon of Australian wine first created by the legend himself, Max Schubert, Peter Gago is quoted as saying 'Through thick and thin, across all vintages, Bin 389 always delivers - benefitting from over half a century of practice!

A very important estate in St-Émilion, Château Angélus was acquired by the de Boüard de Laforest family in 1924 and merged with the previously owned Château Mazerat. The apostrophe was dropped in 1989 and is now simply known as Angélus. The wines are characterised by a fabulous texture offered by the high component of Cabernet Franc with the plump softness added by the Merlot creating a wine of pleasing plushness.

Left in a sorry state by the previous owners, in 1962 the Rothschilds of Lafite took over the property and begun to reconstruct the vineyard which was planted mostly to Petit Verdot. 4 decades later and the wines of Château Duhart-Milon are now showing the flavour and concentration you expect from such a site in Pauillac.

Bright plum in colour, Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon displays delicate notes of mint and blackcurrant, with a more savory bouquet of semi-dried tomatoes and fruit chutney at the end. A hint of oak and spice adds extra warmth. On the palate a flavour-wheel of spearmint, milo powder, chocolate and black liquorice.

Penfolds RWT Shiraz is a big juicy Barossan Shiraz refined by the use of older French oak barrels. 1998 is considered to be one of the classic vintages of the modern age. Drinking wonderfully now but with many years still to come in its development, this is a great addition to any cellar.

Bold and impressively styled, the wine shows black blueberry, violet, cured meat and toasty oak characters. The palate delivers excellent depth and persistency, wonderfully framed by layers of fine tannins. Flavoursome and delectably appealing.

Graveyard Vineyard is the jewel in the Brokenwood crown, responsible for the company's flagship wines. The vineyard was planted with Shiraz vines in 1970 - extremely heavy clay soils, yields are low, but fruit flavour is intense through employment of meticulous vinification techniques. Strong lifted aromas of sweet earth and dark cherry greet the olfactory senses. Oak features, but will soften and integrate given some patience. Initial flavours of dark chocolate and ripe plums are beautifully lashed to ripe tannins lending an edge of cedar.

A very impressive Museum Release Reserve Shiraz from a single Barossa Valley vineyard, with two 96pt scores. Ken Garget WinePilot tells us it's from "Old vines from a single site…" but Ray Jordan is more dramatic: “Wow, this is Barossa Shiraz—it’s big, it’s bold, but there is a classy refinement here… It’s an opulent, plush, and generous style of Shiraz that captures what was a very good year in the Barossa. Dark prune-like characters with plums, dark cherry, and some spicy savoriness as well, with that final richer dark chocolate coating completing what is an excellent wine. 96pts.” (Ray Jordan, WinePilot). Sam Kim, Wine Orbit is just as enthusiastic: “This is powerful with refinement, showing dark fruit richness, toasted spice, smoked game, assorted nut, and dark cocoa characters on the nose, leading to a superbly weighted palate offering seductive complexity with velvety texture, finishing impressively long and plush. Wonderfully harmonious and structured with excellent depth and opulence. 96pts”.

Tony and Lita Bradys spectacularly individual Wendouree Shiraz has remained true to its origins since Alfred Percy Birks planted vines in 1893. It is considered by many as one of Australias greatest Shirazes. The vineyard is tiny, with low-yielding, beautifully formed old vines, many from the original plantings. Low input viticulture, laissez faire winemaking and maturation in about 1/3 new oak allows the wine to speak of place. These are dense, strongly flavoured wines with beautifully intense varietal fruit, massive concentration and a hallmark muscular sinewy tannin structure. The overall mass of fruit sweetness complements the toughness of the wine. Wendouree Shiraz will age for a long period of time maintaining prominent tannin structures but evolving further complexity and interest.