When it comes to Australian Merlot, Katnook is among the very best. Lovely plum dark berry and cedary cigar box characters slip seamlessly into a finish that seems everlasting. Aged for 22 months in French oak, the swathes of blackcurrant are a delight to the senses.

Tucked away nicely in the Adelaide Hills, Sidewood Estate have made an art form out of crafting some of the very best single vineyard cool-climate wines available in Australia. Owen and Cassandra Inglis purchased the boutique property in 2004 and immediately set about making their vision become a reality. Their Sidewood Shiraz displays that vision to perfection. Attention to detail is the key here which enables flavours of red cherry, currants and dark plum to shine through along with hints of cinnamon and spice. The texture is beguiling and gives promise to a wine that will age for up to a decade.

One of the benchmark wines to come out of the Coonawarra, the Penfolds Bin 128 is a delightful cool-climate shiraz. Matured in French Oak, with flavours of white pepper and floral spice, the 2014 Bin 128 is a rich and full-bodied Shiraz.

Balthazar was the last of the Babylonian kings whose empire ended after he drank from a mythical sacred chalice. A fascination with ancient history and an appreciation of the deep sense of irony that befalls those who choose their drinks - and drinking vessels - unwisely, prompted the name. concentrated and generous blackberry, dark cherry, plum & dark chocolate flavours balanced by velvety tannins and savoury oak complexity delivering texture and structure on the long, persisting palate.

Taylors St Andrews Shiraz from the Clare Valley is a classic and is consistently a show-stopper. The bouquet shows rich plum and cherry fruit with earthy spice and the palate is perfectly balanced with soft silky tannins.

A big brooding Barossa wine with endless layers of fruit and oak. The tannins are very well integrated and will continue to develop in years to come. A great example of a true Barossa Shiraz.

Deep crimson in colour with aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, and graphite, layered with hints of cedar and tobacco. The palate is powerful yet refined, showing concentrated black fruit, fine-grained tannins, and balanced acidity. Long, elegant finish with notes of dark chocolate and subtle spice, promising excellent cellaring potential.

Never forget the teeth. Especially with a good cabernet like this. You’ve got 36 gleaming ivory sensors to swirl the flavours around. To thresh the tannins against like waves on rocks. To chew the chewiness and know it’s real. Swirling, filtering, rewinding the tape over the playback heads in the back. And letting it all go, bar the mouth-filling echo that lingers just long enough to make you second-guess. And have some more.

Deep garnet with aromas of blackcurrant, cedar and graphite. The palate is rich and structured, showing concentrated cassis, dark chocolate and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and powerful, it finishes long with classic Coonawarra mint and oak spice.

Lifted red and black cherry notes, silky tannins and underlying oak influence balance this classic Coonawarra Merlot. Matured in new and seasoned french oak barrels enhancing the complexity of flavours. Drink now or will reward careful cellaring for up to 8 years.