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.

Beresford pride themselves on passionately capturing the pure varietal expression and the essence of their terrior to deliver a Shiraz of timeless elegance and muscular complexity. Quintessentially McLaren Vale, the wine has a rich, full palate brimming with dark berry fruits, coffee and spice characteristics finishing with soft, lengthy tannins. A cracking wine of great substance and exceptional balance.

The Black Chook is another fantastic 'big fruit' style from Ben Riggs. The nose is complex with aromas of black cherries and violets and the palate is rich and spicy with great mouth feel and excellent length.

This wine, a Piebald, meaning black and white, is a co-fermentation of the blackest Syrah grapes, with a hatful of the purest white Viognier. Deep in colour, the wine is almost black, yet is also vibrant and bright. The nose is perfumed with apricots, spice and liquorice; a pretty, fragrant wine with a sweet juice and velvety palate. The finish is elegant with savoury spice and a fine tannin length and persistence.

Coriole's Redstone is an elegant, savoury and spicy expression of McLaren Vale. Ready to enjoy now the palate is balanced and soft with cassis and blackberry flavours, nice tannins and subtle oak complexity.

d'Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz is a firm favourite with many McLaren Vale Shiraz lovers and for good reason. This is another great example of the rich, full-bodied style with aromas of ripe blackberry and spice that mingle with minty peppery notes. The palate is full-flavoured, supple in texture with a velvety finish.

Shingleback owners John & Kym Davey produce a lovely, rich McLaren Vale Shiraz here with aromas of ripe cherry fruit, milk chocolate and licorice. Plush and sweet fruited on the palate, the tannins are soft and supple. Wonderful drinking.

Chapel Hill's Cabernet Sauvignon is a superb McLaren Vale wine which rivals others well beyond its price range. Generous blackcurrant, dark cherries, cedar and spice mixed in with fine, firm tannins. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to improve with a few years in the cellar.

Battle of Bosworth Cabernet Sauvignon is a standout wine of flavoursome red fruits and currants; firmly structured, very rich and grippy. Deserves to be taken very seriously. Proof of such comes with the Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2011 McLaren Vale Wine Show.

Planted in the late 19th century, the High Trellis vineyard was the first d'Arenberg vineyard to be trained above knee height. For the past four decades, a Cabernet Sauvignon has been produced from the vineyard to critical acclaim, even winning the Jimmy Watson trophy in 1969. Something that d'Arry reminds current winemaker, and son, Chester about often!