Bleasdale's Senior Winemaker Paul Hotker is James Hallidays Winemaker of the Year 2018. The magnificent fruit for Bleasdales Powder Monkey comes from Hotker's finest Shiraz block, directly behind the winery the oldest in Langhorne Creek. Powder Monkey is named in honour of a young Frank Potts who, at age nine, joined the British Royal Navy as a powder monkey diminutive crew members charged with carrying gunpowder during battle. Later, in 1850, an older and wiser Frank Potts would found the first winery in Langhorne Creek.

Another hearty expression of Barossa's generous fruit from the impressive Teusner stable. Black olives, black pepper and blackberries, there's a dark side to this feisty Shiraz. Concentrated and thick yet artfully constructed with balance and efficiency.

Showcasing a bright ruby garnet hue, Maxwell Minotaur Reserve Shiraz exudes intense aromas of cherry, fresh nectarine and hints of leather from its attractive bouquet. The rich palate packs intense flavours of Satsuma plum, nutmeg and white pepper coupled with undertones of cedar oak and cocoa, which enhance the overall fruit profile. These vibrant characters fuse with fine tannins to provide a firm structure and length to the wine, ending in a powerful and persistent finale. This Minotaur Reserve Shiraz can either be enjoyed upon release or cellared for 12 to 15 years.

A perfect marriage of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon fruits, this is a modern Australian style of red wine. The Cabernet gives the wine structure and length, while the Shiraz imparts it deep plum fruit sweetness, along with dark berry and chocolate flavours. This is a nice and well rounded drink.

The Glaetzer family have been part of the Barossa winemaking scene since 1888 and now Ben takes over the reigns and produces Shiraz of the utmost intensity and concentration. Named after the ancient Egyptian god Amon-Ra who was the champion of the poor and troubled and was central to personal piety, the temple of Amon-Ra is believed to be the first to plant a vineyard to produce wine for the citizens of the temple. This incarnation is rich, full-bodied and viscous to the palate, yet with sublime oak integration and a balance on the back palate that is quite lifted allowing it to be paired with many meals and a prime candidate for medium to long term cellaring.

The EJ Shiraz is the jewel in Paxton's organic and biodynamic crown. Awarded 95 points in the Halliday Wine Companion 2017, this wine is the result of low yielding vines that are more than a century old. The flavour is elegant and round and the nose offers vanilla, black current and oak.

This classic Yarra Valley Shiraz from Yeringberg is showing those trademark Shiraz characters of cracked black pepper and great fruit weight, there is also some good concentration and a long powdery tannin finish.