In 1904 a co-operative winery called Ai Vino Delle Langhe was founded and a young man who worked there was Alfred Prunotto. Prunotto took over the estate in 1922, giving it his own name and today it is run under the umbrella of the famous Marchesi Antinori family. Located in Alba the estate tends around 50 hectares of vineyards throughout the Langhe and Monferrato. This Nebbiolo is garnet red in colour with ample and complex aromas of violets and berry fruit, full and velvety in flavour and very balanced. Its structure and body make it an ideal match for meat and game dishes and for cheese.

Gamay is not widely grown in Australia but if there is a "benchmark" for the grape here it must be Sorrenberg. True to variety it is a lighter bodied style . Showing a lovely bouquet of aromatic fruit of red currants with a hint of cherry, this follows on the palate to include complex elegant acid and refined tannins.

A delicious mouthful of McLaren Vale Shiraz. Paxton has generous ripe black fruits, sweet spice, liquorice and rich chocolate flavours on the palate. Framed by savoury oak and silky fine tannins with a lengthy finish.

High up in the Adelaide Hills, Paracombe is owned and operated by the Drogemuller family, which it has passionately done since 1983. Sourced from both estate and selected grower fruit, Paracombe Shiraz shows wonderful ripe fruit aromas with a delicate cool-climate aspect. Notes of cherries, plums, pepper and spice are notable along with a palate of layered spicy fruit and a fine tannin structure.

First produced in 1911. The fruit for Massolino's classic Nebbiolo cuvée is selected from seven sites, representing roughly seven hectares of prime-sited Serralunga vineyards. The oldest vines that feed this bottling are 55 years old (the youngest are 10), and it spends 24 months in large Slovenian oak (only).

A true rising star of the Australian winemaking scene, Ben Glaetzer produces a lovely, rich but balanced Shiraz from Langhorne Creek and the Limestone Coast. A nice departure from his usual big Barossa styles, this Shiraz is a perfect food match for lamb cutlets or Napoli based pasta dish.

David Hook's Shiraz is medium bodied, some vibrant characters of spicy red berries and soft rounding tannins with hints of vanilla oak on the palate. Ripe fruits richness with a lengthy finish. A great number to have handy when friends drop by.

The Zema family has a proud history of producing great Coonawarra wines with plenty of regional character. This rich inky offering is redolent of ripe berries with a long satisfying finish.

Yellow Tail Merlot is soft and supple, with sweet, plum and cherry flavours and a hint of liquorice or anise. Merlot is an excellent alternative to the heavier and more tannic red varieties.