Serafino is the winery behind industry icon, Steve Maglieri. Arriving in McLaren Vale in 1968, Steve embarked on a career that has seen his wines win multiple awards across the world. His Cabernet Sauvignon contains fruit that is hand selected from multiple vineyard sites throughout McLaren Vale to deliver a wine that is full-bodied and full of richness. Copious amounts of blackcurrant and blueberry fruit await with supreme textural oak balancing the opulence.

Your quest for the best sub-$20 Merlot is over. One of McLaren Vale's most explosive producers of the past 10-15 years is offered here on an silver platter. Everything you love about Merlot in one bottle; luscious black fruits with soft cuddly tannins and hints of spiced coffee.

One of the few straight varietals in Australia (Petit Verdot is usually blended with other Bordeaux varieties), the nose displays violets, briary blackberry and a hint of cedar. The palate reveals concentrated spicy plum, cherry and mulberry flavours. Will cellar well.

Chapel Hill makes great value wines in the maritime climate of McLaren Vale. This Shiraz is a beauty. Dark berries and vanillin oak are evident in the bouquet with spice coming through on the palate.

McLaren Vale and Shiraz - the perfect match. Steve Maglieri is the icon behind the Serafino name and his Shiraz is a typically wonderful full-flavoured and full-bodied red with the black and red fruits you can handle. A rich and voluptuous palate with a silken, textured finish that is a perfect match to big, rich beef dishes or a robust lamb ragu.

Shingleback owners John & Kym Davey produce a lovely, rich McLaren Vale Shiraz here with aromas of ripe cherry fruit, milk chocolate and licorice. Plush and sweet fruited on the palate, the tannins are soft and supple. Wonderful drinking.

Now sourcing fruit from premium regions across Australia, this Cabernet blend shows varietal mint on the nose with floral notes in the background. The palate has good weight and texture, the flavours of blackcurrant and herb framed by firm tannins.

While normally associated with Grenache and Shiraz blends, Mourvèdre recently has begun to stand on its own two feet as a stand-alone wine. Quite evocative in nature, Chapel Hill's Mourvèdre is a dark and brooding red with wonderful hints of spice and violet tones. Walking the line between medium and full-bodied, this wouldn't be out of place next to either a thick cut steak or a plate of picked Mediterranean vegetables.

Chapel Hill's Cabernet Sauvignon is a superb McLaren Vale wine which rivals others well beyond its price range. Generous blackcurrant, dark cherries, cedar and spice mixed in with fine, firm tannins. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to improve with a few years in the cellar.

Battle of Bosworth Cabernet Sauvignon is a standout wine of flavoursome red fruits and currants; firmly structured, very rich and grippy. Deserves to be taken very seriously. Proof of such comes with the Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2011 McLaren Vale Wine Show.