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First Creek are really winning over a lot of new fans, especially wine drinkers who may have previously not given the Hunter Valley its fair dues. In the glass: Deep garnet to purple. On the nose: Black and blueberry fruit, and spice. On the palate: Medium to full-bodied with luscious texture and soft tannins. Showing black cherry, blueberry and vanilla alongside red liquorice notes. Long and moreish.

Bright, deep colour with a good tint of purple; reserved and shy bouquet with hints of blackberry, the palate medium-full bodied and elegantly weighted, with fine and understated tannins, pleasing flavour and balance on the aftertaste where it has line and length. A serious shiraz from a top vintage that impresses the more you sip it.

Beginning with Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz's vibrant purple colour, this wine exudes classic Barossa character. The bouquet offers aromas of kirsch, chocolate, berries and warm earth while the palate is laden with rich, ripe and lingering blackberry spice and peppery flavours.

Brokenwood Shiraz is a ripe and generous Shiraz with lifted cherry and mint aromas nicely balanced with sweet chocolate notes on the nose and a soft rich palate with savoury cedary flavours and fine grained tannins on the finish.

Poole's Rock Chardonnay gives refreshing zesty flavours, lime juice, lemon zest, lemon grass, green melon, kiwi fruit with a lingering mineral line down the palate, a fresh mouth watering aftertaste.

The palate is expansive and gently fruity, with excellent fruit clarity and softness. Overall, the wine is beautifully lemony and full-flavoured. Multi-vineyard sourcing, including from the Soldier Settler vineyard in the Broke Fordwich subregion. Hand-picked fruit, cool-ferment and early bottling to preserve freshness. Alcohol: 11.5%. Closure: screwcap. Date tasted: Feb 2024. Drink: 2024-2029. Price: $48. Rating: 96/100.

Picked from a wide cross-section of vineyards across the far reaches of the Hunter Valley. Whole-bunch pressed, directly transferred to French puncheons (40% new) ; a barrel selection was made with deliberate mlf; then matured 9 months with fortnightly batonnage. As complex as they come, but has retained focus and freshness. Alcohol: 12.5%. Closure: screwcap. Date tasted: Mar 2023. Drink: 2023-2028. Price: $48. Rating: 95/100.

St Hallett's Blackwell is big Shiraz for the lovers of ripe concentrated fruit and a generous measure of vanillin oak. A classic regional style, enjoy this beauty with robust beef or game dishes.