Fresh blackberry and boysenberry, spice, liquorice, tar and dried herbs. Medium bodied, juicy bramble fruits, crisp boysenberry acidity, salted beef, firm but fine grained drying tannin, and a long fresh meaty herb infused finish.

Aromas of black berries, anise, mocha, pepper and spice. Cigar box and savoury notes play a supporting role. Dark berries, coffee and chocolate feature boldly on the palate. Great balance has been achieved between the fruit, acid, oak and tannins. The fruit for our Gregor Shiraz is sourced from Shiraz vines planted in 1988 on our home block high in the Barossa Ranges. The soils up here are rocky, yellow podzolic matter over clays and we utilise double wire trellising in our vineyard.The fruit is handpicked before being placed on racks and semi dried in the style of the famous Amarone wines of Italy. The grapes are then naturally fermented in open vats before being aged in new French oak 1350L vats and puncheons for a period of 24 months. Bottled unfiltered. Hobbs lavish care and craft on their grapes in order to make exceptional wines. Yet as much as considered winemaking counts towards the quality of the final products, soil and climate play a vital part in defining the character of each vintage even before the grapes are picked. The rugged and beautiful Barossa Ranges provide unique conditions for grape growing. Like most of natures gifts, their beauty is more than skin deep, the secrets of soil and seasons bringing so much to the wines Hobbs make. The Hobbs vineyard is situated at the top of the ranges, overlooking Flaxmans Valley. Some of their vines have thrived for a century in this idyllic hillside setting, their grapes only becoming richer and more distinctive as the decades roll by. To taste any Hobbs wine is to savour the very essence of where they live.

The perfect counterpoint to its other half in the Hentley Farm stable, The Beast, The Beauty is made from cooler climate Shiraz and co-fermented with a dollop of Viognier. Utterly seductive like some dark pool calling you to dive in, it is complex, elegant and aptly named.

A clonal selection from a single vine planted in 1853, the subsequent plantings necessarily relatively young, but firing on all cylinders. It is a graceful wine with a silky texture, red and purple fruits foremost; the tannins superfine, the finish lingering, the aftertaste fresh. Lovely now or in 20+ years. Alcohol: 14%. Closure: diam. Date tasted: Jan 2021. Drink by: 2038. Price: $150. Rating: 97/100.

Kalleske are leaders in organic and biodynamic vine growing and winemaking practices. Their old vine Barossa vineyards are able to produce fruit of the utmost concentration and power. The Eduard is sourced from three dry-grown vineyard blocks that were planted between 1905 and 1960 and which produce extremely low yields. Named after Karl Heinrich 'Eduard' Kalleske who worked the Kalleske vineyards from 1853 until the 1880s. Showing an intense, powerful and full-bodied nose and palate exhibiting dense classic Barossa old vine Shiraz characters. Inky black fruit flavours abound together with harmonized tannins, subtle oak complexity a sturdy structure and great length.

Christmas in a bottle, Morris have been producing some of the worlds finest fortified wines for over 150 years now. Their Rare Liqueur Muscat is rich and viscous with memorising palate density. The perfect partner to rich desserts and powerful cheese platters.