THISTLEDOWN WINES Cunning Plan Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Even the smallest details can make a big difference when making wine. The Winemaking Discovery Pack series provides a journey into the cellar to demystify winemaking by showing how variations in winemaking technique can influence the finished wines.Try these wines side by side to explore the differences in flavour, aroma and texture that is achieved by varying the maceration time on skins during production. On the nose, focus on the variations in intensity and aroma. On the palate, compare how the wines sit in your mouth and for persistence (length). Enjoy the discovery.Wine A: 8 Days on skinsWine B: 16 Days on skins

Good winter rains set the vines up well for the ensuing dry, warm growing season. The ripening period was characterised again by warm, dry condition without excessive heat which gifted us rich, opulent reds with well-balanced structure. The moderate weather allowed us to harvest fruit at optimal ripeness. The Shiraz in particular demonstrates rafts of blackberry, fennel and earthy characters, typical hallmarks of a classic d’Arenberg red. Produced in close partnership with some of Australia's finest vineyards, Collaborations is our new capsule range of five wines. After over a year of tasting and scoring, we arrived at our core collection of wines: a Brown Brothers prosecco, a Mr Riggs shiraz, a Yering Station chardonnay, a Pizzini pinot grigio and a Xanadu cabernet sauvignon. Get to know the new Vintage Cellars Collaborations range.