Medium red with a purple hue in the glass, Jim Barry The Forger Shiraz opens with a brooding array of purple fruits with a hint of violet lift then countered with notes of cinnamon and sweet oak char. The palate is packed with the rich brambly fruit which follows on from the nose. Fine, chalky tannins give the wine a plush, velvety texture that fills the length of the palate. The Forger has a rich, lingering, persistent finish and is ideal for cellaring.

The dark crimson hued Mitchell Sevenhill Cabernet Sauvignon exudes classic Clare Valley characteristics and flavours. The nose is strong with berry aromas as well as hints of dusty new French oak scents. This is an elegant, powerful and full flavoured wine with firm tannins that could develop even more after 5 to 10 years of cellaring. It is a wonderful accompaniment to beef and venison.

Deep red colour as is the norm with the wines from the Gaelic Cemetery Vineyard. This wine possesses intense blackcurrant / redcurrant and mulberry-like aromas along with some subtle cedary notes. The palate is warm, firm and structured, but retains the elegance that we expect to see in Cabernet based wines from Clare. It will take several years in the cellar to reveal its undoubted potential. Very good cellaring proposition. Try with grilled lamb backstraps.

In the glass: Medium to deep red. On the nose: Red berry, plum, leaf and earth. On the palate: Bright and ripe with an excellent core of red and black berry fruit, savoury, mouth-watering tannins and vibrant persitence. Will improve over the next year or so as the tannins become more silken.

The grapes for Kilikanoon Attunga were obtained from some of oldest vines in the island country of Australia. The fruit is renowned for its intense flavours and its juice for the tremendous ageing potential. The small, thick-skinned berries were fermented and basket pressed to result in low yielding juice. The ferment was then matured for 27 months in large casks of French oak. This wonderful red wine was bottled unfiltered to preserve the character of the grape.