Ben Riggs has hand-crafted a delicious Shiraz Cabernet Merlot blend here that pays homage to the three-spiked prickle that can be found in the McLaren Vale region and the fact that it's hard to ignore. This unctuous red blend is also extremely hard to ignore with its seamless varietal integration that produces a wine full of richness and opulence. Ripe, dark berry fruits courtesy of Merlot along with spice elements from the Shiraz and a firm, but balanced structure from the Cabernet all come together superbly.

Vibrant in colour the nose shows plum and berry fruit with spice pepper and well integrated oak. The palate has good fruit weight with attractive berry flavours and a fine tannin finish.

Take It To The Grave Shiraz is vivid red and purple in colour with an expansive nose of blackberries, blood plums and chocolaty oak. The palate is opulent and inviting with dark plum and blackcurrant fruit flavours matched by dried herbs, cloves and subtle spicy oak.

An expressive, medium to full bodied wine showing intense lifted dark berry fruits and spice. The palate is vibrant with dense blackberry and fresh plum flavours complemented by liquorice and pepper spice. Bleasdale is not only one of the oldest wineries in the Langhorne Creek region, but one of the oldest in Australia. Frank Potts, who founded Bleasdale in 1850, has a fascinating history. Born with sea legs, he joined the British Royal Navy at 9 years old and served on Lord Nelsons famous ship HMS Victory. He sailed around the world before landing in South Australia in 1836. He planted the first vines in 1858 and sold fruit to Thomas Hardy. He then expanded the vineyards in the 1860s. He was an innovator and a pioneer who played his role in establishing Australias wine industry. The Potts family still own Bleasdale and descendants Michael and Ben Potts handle the winemaking duties, along with Paul Hotker. They make wines from fruit grown on their 61 hectares of vineyards from varietals like Verdelho, Shiraz and Malbec in sparkling, table and fortified styles. Each parcel of fruit is carefully selected to produce a range of wines that can be enjoyed immediately, or cellared for that special occasion.

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz is a truly phenomenal Shiraz that proudly displays Sarah and Sparky Marquis' son Luke on the label. Definitely no shrinking violet, this explosion of a wine has a dense black crimson colour and leaps from the glass with powerful aromatics of blueberries, ripe sweet fruit, licorice and undertones of chocolate biscuit. The seductive texture is laced with fresh fruit flavours, coffee and warm spice, a full bodied Shiraz with an endless depth of fruit.

Bremerton Tamblyn is a blend of four premium red varieties all grown in Langhorne Creek that have been blended to create a generous well balanced wine showing lifted violet and red cherry aromas with mouth filling fruit and soft tannins. For the price, easily one of the best Cabernet blends available.

Deep rich red showing a youthful purple rim. Lifted notes of blackberry, chocolate and spice, with secondary characters of blueberry, leather and soy provides a complex and intense introduction to the wine. The palate is full bodied, displaying classic spice and ripe berry notes, integrated oak and concentration for which Australian Shiraz is renowned. It has spice and savoury notes with plentiful ripe succulent tannins on the finish.

The Selkirk is an excellent Shiraz from Bremerton and has a rich spicy flavour with a hint of pepper and a long, lingering finish - classic Langhorne Creek in style in a very well made package that can be both a drink now style or cellar nicely for the medium term.