Rich in red fruits, cherry and strawberry with delicate oak aromas on the nose. A structured tannic wine. Aromas of blackcurrant buds and vanilla. Remarkable freshness with notable and refined tannins to due long oak ageing. Crozes-Hermitage can be considered the gateway to the red and white wines of the Northern Rhône Valley. The reds, which are the majority of production, have wonderful warm flavors of red and black fruit, and typical Syrah (Shiraz) pepper, spice and savoury notes. They are more approachable than their highly revered cousins in Côte-Rotie and Hermitage, with an appealing freshness that makes them drinkable early in life.

VINEYARD: Fruit is sourced from 120-year-old dry grown Shiraz vines from Martin & Joan Smiths vineyard in the Polish Hill River. Grey loam acid soils over sandstone and slate make up the profile with much of the top soil littered with rock, hinting at just how tough the vines need to be to sustain growth and produce quality fruit - not to mention the work of the vigneron to ensure overall balance. Despite growing these vines organically since their planting in the 1970s, 2012 marked the first year of NASAA Organic Certification for these vineyards. VINIFICATION: Handmade in 2 and 4-tonne fermenters, the fruit is de-stemmed and fermented using natural yeast. Hand plunged up to 4 times daily to control temperature and maximise flavour and tannin extraction. Left on skins post fermentation for 15 days, then lightly pressed and transferred to French Oak barriques for 30 months.Only 630 x 6 packs produced. COLOUR: Deep dark red brick with a slight purple tinge. BOUQUET: Concentrated with blackberry spice with hints of chocolate and cedar. PALATE: Powerful Clare Valley Shiraz with rich mid-palate fruit with long grainy tannins, oak complexity and balance of acidity. FOOD MATCH: A delightful complement to strong cheeses and gamey meats.

Colour is dark kirsch. Lifted dark cherry aromas with notes of liquorice and dark chocolate. Flavour packed with kirsch, prunes, dark chocolate and liquorice. Rich and muscular, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Exceptionally potent and powerful, initially giving the (false) impression its alcohol is more than 14%. Retasting brings it back into perspective, the two varieties bonded, yet each preserving its varietal integrity and structural architecture. A classic Australian blend of exceptional quality, destined to outlive most who taste it.

'The finest vintage to date, better even than the stellar 2010, the 2015 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine De Thalabert is a gorgeous, deep, layered and incredibly satisfying Crozes. Blackcurrants, olive tapenade, truffles and earthy notes all emerge from this full-bodied, gorgeously textured and seamless 2015. With fine tannin and no hard edges, it can be drunk today or cellaring for 15-20 years.' Jeb Dunnuck

TARDIEU-LAURENT Cuvee Speciale, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

THE STANDISH WINE COMPANY The Schubert Theorem Shiraz, Barossa Valley Dan Standish is indisputably one of the Barossas most celebrated Shiraz producers now. Joe Czerwinski has deemed him, the reigning king of Barossa Shiraz. An alumni of Torbreck, Standishs Shiraz expressions are outstanding expressions of a region defined by this wine. The Schubert Theorem is an appropriately powerful composition, made from vines planted over 100 years ago in the Vine Vale region. Standish himself likens The Schubert Theorem to the wines of the Northern Rhône. It is basket-pressed and aged in French oak for 30 months. Inky, deep purple juice is as intense as it looks. Rich Black Forest fruit and aniseed marry with spice, earth and dark chocolate on the nose. The palate is decadent and opulent, rich with juicy black fruits, plum and liquorice. This is a superbly concentrated wine, the structure showcasing exceptional fruit purity. The finish is incredibly long and powerfulif only it could go on forever.

Dark purple red in colour, the nose coconut fudge and chocolate plump, the palate very full bodied and large with fine tannins and a warm finish. Soul Growers' fruit is destemmed in open fermenters that hold anywhere from half a tonne, to five tonnes. After seven to ten days of fermentation the fermenters are drained and placed by hand into basket presses. The fruit is then gently pressed for about 18 hours to ensure the flavour and aromas are carefully extracted without releasing harsh and bitter tannins.After pressing, the winemakers settle the wine in tanks before filling the barrels ready for ageing. The winery's renowned reds generally spend 18 to 24 months on oak. To round off the process, each individual barrel is blended and benchmarked prior to being settled in bottles, without any fining or filtration.

Red cherries and strawberries along with notes of undergrowth and preserved lemon. Bright and juicy red fruit characters with a savoury back half of earth, leather and subtle dried herbs. The palate is of medium weight with graceful, fine tannins that lend it a plush quality throughout. Grapes were handpicked, keeping individual clones separate in small open fermenters. Some whole bunch fruit was added to ferments, enhancing aromatics and structural complexity. Fermentation was initiated by indigenous yeast (wild ferment). Each clonal parcel was basket pressed and filled to seasoned French oak barrels with full solids. All barrels were kept on lees to build palate, body and complexity. They were racked and blended just prior to bottling. Stephen Georges three hectare, dry-grown, Ashton Hills vineyard lies in the Piccadilly Valley sub region of the Adelaide Hills on a ridge just below the summit of Mount Lofty. Planted in 1982, its a quality site that, thanks to the humility and integrity of its gifted farmer, has been the source of some of South Australias most intriguing cool-climate wines, and certainly its most authentic and fascinating Pinot Noir. You dont need to spend much time in the Piccadilly Valley to realise why this area was granted sub-regional statusit is totally different to the rest of the Hills. In short, its much colder and wetter. Georges Estate vineyard lies at 570 metres above sea level and the vines shudder through some of the coolest vintage conditions in the country. Meanwhile, rainfall is a whopping 1200mm a year, well over double that of the Barossa. Whether its the lifted perfumes, elegant structure and Alpine freshness of the Pinot Noirs or the icy purity of the Riesling, Piccadilly Valleys bona-fide cool-climate imprint is never far away. A healthy portion of old-vines and the vineyards south-facing aspect afford George the luxury of late harvesting that plays a significant role in the personality of these wines. Terroir is one thing, how its worked is another, and Stephen George clearly has an intuitive touch and the drive to continually evolve. Most recently this evolution has resulted in George grubbing out all varieties except for Pinot Noir, and a little bit of Riesling, focusing his Pinot Noir on four specific clones selected from a line-up of 25 that he had tested. The Ashton Hills winery is incredibly basic, with an earth floor and next to no equipment whatsoever. The Pinot fruit is destemmed via a small, customised, gentle destemmer that keeps as many whole berries as possible. The fruit is then basket pressed, and the wine is made without any sulphur additions until bottling. Some whole bunches are included, and the percentage varies according to the style of the vintage. The red wines are mostly raised in aged, neutral French hogshead barrels. Having already cemented his living-legend status amongst his peers and compiled a storied CV that includes his role at Wendouree (since the 1980s) and twenty five vintages at the helm of Ashton Hills, you could forgive this reclusive winemaker for taking his foot off the gas. Not a bit of it. Stephen George is in fact making the best wines of his career.