Tintara are not only a historic winery in South Australia, they are also embracing modern winemaking techniques to produce flavoursome and full-bodied Shiraz like this beauty from McLaren Vale. Displaying concentrated flavours of dark forest fruits, plum and cocoa to complement the sweet vanilla oak. Fine grained tannin carries the balance of this luscious McLaren red which gives the palate a rich and even persistence.

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.

From two small vineyards that stood out for their ability to capture true McLaren Vale chocolate, spices and an amazing depth of red fruits and blackberry.

Bright dark black garnet colour. Lively, spicy aromas and flavours of blackberry pie a la mode, spicy praline, and mole with an oily, tangy, dry-yet-fruity medium-full body and a warming, subtle, breezy spiced cherries, chocolate mint and nuts, and cedar finish with firm, chewy tannins and moderate oak.

Kay Brothers Basket Pressed Shiraz has a rich and complex bouquet that promises something special and it certainly delivers. The palate is laden with generous plum, blackberry and spice and the length is exceptional. This one is a keeper! More to the savoury side of Shiraz, it is about texture more than just fruit.

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.

This Tomich Hill Shiraz has a flavoursome palate which displays juicy mulberry and plum with hints of pepper, spice and chocolate. Grippy tannins are enhanced by a long elegant finish.

Kilikanoons Parable Shiraz showcases the regional expression of McLaren Vale typically showing mocha, coffee and brown spices alongside a core of ripe juicy red fruit with cedar and vanilin characters. The wine is vinified in a traditional manner; small parcels of fruit, are fermented on skins in open top vessels then basket pressed to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak casks for 22 months.

This is definitive McLaren Vale Shiraz rich and generous in flavour with vibrant pepper and spice on the nose and a typically strong hint of dark chocolate.Little Road is estate-grown by a leading McLaren Vale (and Coonawarra) producer and made by veteran, Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning winemaker Paul Gordon, who matured it for 16 months in mainly French (with some American) oak.