Margaret River is an under appreciated region for Australian Shiraz, and it's hard to see why with Cape Mentelle's Shiraz showing a vibrant core of blueberry, mulberry and hints of raspberry. It is well balanced with cocoa and savoury oak. The palate yet, is fine, elegant and focussed, finishing with chalky and structural tannins.

Full bodied yet velvety texture with plums and raspberries dominating. Hints of sweet spice, black olive pepper add to the complexity.

Tyrrell's Vat 8 is the archetypal blend of tradition and modernity. With a strong history in both the Hunter Valley and Hilltops regions, Tyrrell's are able to showcase the very best in modern Australian winemaking. The Vat 8 consists of a majority Hunter Valley Shiraz the lends beauty, flavour and ripeness and a small parcel of Hilltops Cabernet which supports the Shiraz with power and structure. Elegant and pristine early, this is a wine that will enjoy some time in the cellar to further develop it already obvious complexity.

Jasper Hill and Ron Laughton are true pioneer's and icons in the central Victorian wine region of Heathcote. Georgia's Paddock is the larger of 'Jasper's' vineyards, with 12 hectares planted to Shiraz to produce a wine rich in character and complexity. Always known for it's extreme ageability, Georgia's Paddock Shiraz will comfortably lie down for over a decade to deliver a Heathcote Shiraz simply bursting with concentration.

The 2003 Seven Acre Shiraz displays typical flavours of plum, blackberry with slight hints of pepper and dark chocolate. The lacy tannin structure balances the wine tremendously and really reminds you why Greenock Creek are producing some of the world's best wines.

This hand made wine is both complex and rewarding having no filtration prior to bottling to preserve the rich plum and spicy fruit flavours. All fruit was estate grown and sourced from low yielding, hand pruned and picked vines.

John Duval rose to winemaking fame as the craftsman of the mighty Penfolds Grange, before going it alone to further forge his reputation as a maker of great Shiraz. The aim of The Entity is to produce a wine true to the region. Rich and complex it shows ripe, spicy fruit characters with a complex savoury oak influence framed by fine lingering tannins.

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.

Sharktooth is an apt name of this wonderfully balanced wine. Razor sharp flavours of dark mulberry and blackcurrant are sliced by a freshness and vibrancy not often seen in full-bodied wines from McLaren Vale. A supreme example of modern Australian red winemaking is on display here and despite the unctuous concentration this wine dances across the palate and leaves you with a delightful length of flavour.

Michel Chapoutier produces a wonderful, modern style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape here with a forboding Grenache and Syrah (Shiraz) blend that has lashing of blackcurrant, fig and licquorice root. A wonderful balance between power and elegance.