One of the very best Chardonnays doing the rounds from McLaren Vale due to its lighter, slightly austere nature. Citrus melon and fruit-salad aromas give this Chapel Hill Chardonnay an attractive lifted bouquet and the palate is flavoursome fresh and lively. Great drinking!

Chapel Hill's McLaren Vale Verdelho has an intriguing and feisty array of flavours and aromatics. Kaffir lime leaf, passion fruit and honeycomb all leading into an endearing textural finish.

The Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz is an opulent concentrated and complex style with plenty of spicy fruit and a dash of chocolate. True to the style that Wolf himself made from the very beginning of this now iconic brand, this is very tasty and enjoyable now yet it has the weight and complexity to improve with cellaring.

This McLaren Vale Chardonnay displays rich tropical fruit with subtle oak integration adding complexity. A trademark d'arenberg style, the overall balance indicates the potential to age well.

Chapel Hill's Michael Fragos loves using The Parson Shiraz to showcase McLarenVale's diversity and varietal character. The Shallow soils over livestone in maritime influenced vineyards between McLaren Vale and Masline Beach and also around Bowering Hill, provide explosive blueberries and liquorice with finesse and a wonderfully framing tannin structure. Up in the foothills of the Mount Lofty ranges, a Kangarilla vineyard offers Indian spice complexities that many higher priced wines would simply love to have. The added length and savoury tannins of this component and the use of some French oak result in a beguiling final release that is extraordinary.

An industry veteran in value for money in the sparkling red category, Andrew Garrett is still holding its own among the dozens of more recent offerings. Good red fruit flavour and balance

2016 Clarendon Hills Domaine Clarendon BDX Deep Crimson. A harmonious combination of forrest floor, polished wooden furniture, chocolate shavings with understated blackcurrant and blackberry fruit in what is a very low altitude, reserved expression. As the glass evolves the altitude of perfume slowly rises and a bouquet of cedar, roast almond, leather boot and blackcurrant liqueur finely interlace and create something quite unique and sophisticated. There is careful attention to detail across this finely polished and creamy smooth palate that evidently reflects the 40% Merlot inclusion. Layers of pure black fruit, earthy olive tapenade and subtle degrees of cigar tobacco, roast almond and baking spice nuance throughout this classical styled composition.

Coriole has been the pioneer of this variety in Australia - and for good reason! Spicy dark cherry and plum flavours, the palate is perfectly balanced with dusty drying tannins.

Sitting proudly next to the iconic Woodhenge gate at Wirra is a classic Aussie residence. Originally built after severe storms destroyed the winery buildings in 1940, the then owners, the Sparrows, built this residence with left over materials from the fallen winery. Over the years, Sparrow's Lodge has been home to vintage vagabonds and the occasional winemaker and it is the good times that have been had within its walls that is celebrated in this wonderful, rich, vibrant and full-bodied McLaren Vale Shiraz.

McLaren Vale reds are known for generosity of fruit. Red Knot Cabernet, with it's cassis, dark berried characters and a lingering finish, has the added bonus of being terrific value for money.