The Nugan family is dedicated to showcasing the best vareitals from our finest growing regions. Dry warm sunny days with cool nights produced optimum fruit flavours. After picking, the Shiraz was crushed and softly bag pressed in traditional style to avoid the extraction of bitter tannins. The wine was fermentated in static fermenters, followed by further maturation with new and seasoned French and American oak prior to final blending.

In the glass: Deep red. On the nose: Lifted aromas of tar, espresso and black plum. On the palate: Full-bodied, round and smooth with a rich, dense core of dark fruit and a warm mouth-feel. Quite deluxe with lovely structure and depth of flavour with ripe tannins and well judged oak providing support.

The Hill Block straddles the ridge running through the Chapel Hill estate. The wine was then aged for 19 months in 100% tight grained French oak. The proportion of new oak was kept low to encourage the continued expression of the characters that are unique to the vineyard site.

In the glass the 2010 S has a black core with a deep red rim. There are elegant aromas of red black fruits, and spicy earthy notes with a hint of grilled meats, graphite and controlled oak. On the palate the fruit continues with rich plums, and blueberries and delicate spice and chocolate which all roll on to a juicy palate with fine tannins that go on ... and on. Smidge recommends drinking this wine betwen 2014 and 2030.

McLaren Vale and Shiraz - the perfect match. Steve Maglieri is the icon behind the Serafino name and his Shiraz is a typically wonderful full-flavoured and full-bodied red with the black and red fruits you can handle. A rich and voluptuous palate with a silken, textured finish that is a perfect match to big, rich beef dishes or a robust lamb ragu.

Vibrant, youthful colour, medium density and lovely purple tints for this Shiraz by Brokenwood. Being a cooler year the aromas are more on the spice cherry side than ripe and opulent. Medium weight palate and again spice and savoury edges. The tell-tale McLaren Vale jube fruit is there along with background oak.

Brothers Kym and John Davey are the winemaking team behind this quality expression of McLaren Vale Shiraz. Using modern viticultural practices that minimise work to the soil of their estate vineyard, ensures superior fruit is grown for the wine. Flavours of dark cherries and chocolate are finely framed with silky tannins and fresh acidity. Fine grained American and French oak are the thread that runs through this full-bodied Shiraz, tying together the opulent mid-palate and long, lingering finish.

The Shingleback D Block Reserve Shiraz is named for the Davey Block of the Davey Estate vineyard and is the personal expression of the McLaren Vale from the eyes of winemaker John Davey. True reserve wines, the D Block is only made in exceptional vintages just like this 2009. In the glass the wine has a colour that is impenetrable purple red. On the nose there are aromas of mulberry and blackberry that mingle with dusty cashew, milky chocolate (typical of McLaren Vale), spice and forest floor. There are tight, fine tannins to counter the bold, fresh fruit which results in an alluring and unmistakable wine that expresses the essence of the vine, the time and the place.