Pirramimma Shiraz is full-fruited and powerful, with sweet plum and mocha along with cinnamon notes and dark chocolate which are all typical regional characters of McLaren Vale.

In true McLaren Vale style, Serafino Magnitude Shiraz shows the rich fruit of the vintage, complex and integrated through maturation in French and American oak for 20 months.

Fox Creek Short Row Shiraz is a terrific McLaren Vale Shiraz with lovely suppleness of texture. Plum aniseed and rich fruit-cake flavours are woven around spicy oak and light lingering tannin.

Lloyd Reserve Shiraz is produced from a single vineyard at Coriole, planted in 1919 by Geoffrey Kay. It was first retained as a separate wine in 1989, and is one of Langton's Classified Wines of Australia. This vineyard typically produces a wine of great intensity and can be cellared for many years. The wine is matured in French oak with typically about 40% new.

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.

Penny's Hill Cracking Black Shiraz continues to be what all McLaren Vale Shiraz should be. Deliciously intense, with all its components looking their best and beautifully synchronised. There's lengthy concentrated blackberry fruit, liquorice and pepper. Superb!

Oliver's Taranga have a long and distinguished history in the McLaren Vale and are custodians of some of the premier vineyard land in the region. Corrina Wright is now the winemaking brain behind this progressive winery and her Shiraz is a modern masterstroke. Smoke and bacon on the nose with sweet and savoury tones. Soft fruit flavours luscious mouth feel and great length to this wine. Delicious.

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.

Clarendon Hills is a small family owned winery which produce wine to the highest standard. The shiraz range is a varied as it is outstanding, from the Bakers Gully all the way to the iconic Australis. The Kiandra shows mid-palate depth and balanced complexities watermark the potential life span and enjoyment window for this cuvee. This class is highlighted by its potential to be enjoyed now or cellared confidently for 25 years.