Deep red with purple hues. The nose is complex with chocolate, coffee and raspberry aromas balanced by lifted liquorice, leather and a hint of white pepper. The palate is rich and full bodied with prominent raspberry flavours, alongside beautifully balanced oak with hints of vanilla. 2018 was a high-quality vintage in Barossa, with good yields and excellent flavours and colours in reds. The growing season started off well, thanks to winter 2017 rainfall being around 10% higher than average. Spring rainfall however, was lower than usual and drier soils, combined with warmer than average October and November days meant the vines grew quickly; flowering well and setting a good number of bunches. January and February were warm and dry, with very warm temperatures in February slowing the pace of ripening. The Indian summer of March and early April proved perfect for finishing off ripening before vintage, capping off a very good year.After picking, the grapes were fermented in a combination of five tonne concrete and seven tonne stainless steel fermenters for 7-12 days. The wine was then racked off into a combination of French and American hogsheads and matured for 22 months. One of the largest landholders in the Barossa, Grant Burge wines is a bastion of well made, value for money wines. Drawing on depth of experience in the region, Grant Burge and his wife Helen established the brand in 1988 and have developed a formidable range of wines across a broad spectrum of price points. The history of the Burge family and their long association with winemaking in the region can be traced back to March 1855, when noted tailor John Burge immigrated to the Barossa from Hillcot, near Pewsey in Wiltshire, England with his wife Eliza and their two sons. John worked as a winemaker at Hillside Vineyards and his love of viticulture was passed onto his son Meshach, who continued the tradition making his first wine in 1865, while becoming a prominent community leader. Meshach married Emma in 1883 and they had eight children. First-born Percival established the Wilsford Winery near Lyndoch in 1928. Percival had two sons, Noel and Colin, and Colin and his wife Nancy had one son, Grant. Following in the footsteps of his father and forefathers before him, Grant carried the winemaking tradition into the 21st century. Grant Burge Wines came under the ownership of the Accolade Wines' family of brands in 2015. Since then, the winery has flourished both nationally and internationally.

The complex palate reveals itself with style. Traditionally assertive Coonawarra tannins are evident at first, before giving way to a mid palate filled with ripe cassis, olive tapenade and complex briary hints. Fine, dusty tannins give excellent line and length, and are layered with sweet and toasty characters reminiscent of crýme brýlýe. Our unique Double Barrel technique of finishing in aged Irish whiskey barrels has integrated the myriad of flavours and brought extra richness to the palate.

Cat Amongst The Pigeons has been ruffling a few feathers in recent years with its value-for-money full-bodied Barossa Shiraz which continues to delivery on quality and price. Their Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon is a worthy stable-mate with fruit sourced from low-yielding vineyards planted on the western slopes of the Barossa Valley; between Lyndoch and Greenock. Dark berry fruits abound with a rich, spicy fruit character. You can certainly enjoy now, but this cat will further develop with some medium-term cellaring.

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon is the beacon of quality that all Australian Cabernet Sauvignon is compared to. Coming off the iconic red soils of Coonawarra, Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon is classic elegance. Chief winemaker, Sue Hodder, is able to craft a wine brimming with aromas of blackcurrant and plum that combine with spicy minty notes. The palate is well structured, long and fine. With the right cellaring condition, this could easily be a cellar gem.

Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz Cabernet is a finely balanced mixture of ripe dark fruits and fine texture. The Limestone Coast offers fruit of intensity with ripe dark berry flavours and outstanding freshness. Finishing in Scotch Whisky barrels has softened the tannin profile whilst adding a slight cherry, crème brûlée edge, due to the heavy toast to the barrels.

The Burge family are Barossa royalty with a history that dates back to 1885 when Grant Burge's Great Great Grandfather, John Burge, immigrated to Australia. Being the 5th Generation Burge, this wine pays tribute to the great impact the Burge family continues to have over the great regions history. The Cabernet Merlot is a wonderfully lush and vibrant wine with typical Barossa notes of vanilla and blueberry all kept in wonderful balance with judicious use of oak.

The ability to source fruit away from their home base in the Hunter is paying dividends for Brokenwood. This Cricket Pitch is a ripe, fully flavoured red blend - this is the ideal BBQ companion.

Following in the footsteps of four generations before him, Grant Burge continues his family's tradition of producing quality wines. In celebration of this, their 5th Generation Barossa Shiraz is ripe, dense and complex. A fantastic buy, this is a Barossa Shiraz that really delivers.