Kaspar Hermann’s reputation is built on the back of Chardonnay―Toolangi’s F Block is one of the Yarra Valley’s finest examples―but the ex-Mount Mary man’s skills extend far beyond that. Since taking the helm at Toolangi Vineyard a few years back, he has honed his Shiraz skills, taking the top-notch fruit grown in the forest-hugging Dixons Creek site and transforming it into evocative, sinewy, seductively perfumed cool-climate Shiraz—at a killer price, too.

Ray Nadeson and his richly textured wines have commanded a very strong following of lovers of medium bodied, sophisticated and immaculately made wines. His Heathcote Shiraz is a lovely, generous and spicy Shiraz that has layers of complexity and a length the envy of most.

Bannockburn is spicy with well intergraded savoury oak and great acidity backbone. The varietal flavours such as, raspberries, strawberries and red cherries fruits lingers with a faint hint of forest floor on the palate with well supporting tannins. A greatly composed wine, this is undoubtedly pushing the setting of this country's benchmark for Pinot Noir to another level.

Oakdene Petas Pinot Noir is garnet in colour, with an intense bouquet of cherry, spice, mocha and smoked meats, leading to sweet cherry, briar and hints of clove. The mid palate offers earthy cherry, plum notes, and some spice and whole bunch characters, firm tannins and a long finish. 15% whole bunches, wild yeast and matured in French oak puncheons (30% new) for 11 months bottled without fining and light filtration. Enjoy now or cellar for 5 to 9 years.

The 2017 vintage provided an exceptionally ideal cool and elongated growing season akin to winding the clock back to the classic Yarra Valley conditions of yore. Conditions were perfect for sourcing grapes with the intention of creating a classic style of cool-climate Shiraz reminiscent of the pioneering wines that forged the Yarra Valleys enviable reputation. Showing volume and weight with finesse and restraint, this perfumed, brooding and enticingly refined medium-bodied Shiraz is the result of an assemblage of three individual vineyard sites, all targeted for their individual defining strengths and characters that would play a role in constructing a complete wine. Fruit was sourced from individually selected sites across the Yarra Valley. Leading with an intensity of white pepper and char, the complex, slowly-evolving nose offers a mélange of mulberry, dried figs, cloves, cardamom and fruit mince pies. The palate delivers a grace and presence with the weight pushing through to a slow-building resonance of flavour and tannin. The density of black fruits is wound tight and integrated so that no one element stands above the others. This wine is suitable for vegans. Decanting is highly recommended.

Lifted bouquet of fresh fruits, strawberry, raspberry and cherry. The palate, bright fruit-driven palate of strawberry and under-ripe plum notes, balanced by a savoury backbone, and firm acidity freshening the finish. Best consumed young while expressing the fresh fruit driven characters of the variety. Oakdene is a boutique, family owned vineyard featuring a cellar door, restaurant, café, accommodation and gardens. Located on the stunning Bellarine Peninsula, the region’s cool maritime climate offers excellent conditions for producing low yields of high-quality fruit. 'A melody of cab, shiraz, merlot and franc making for an intensely flavoured rose. In an age when so many seem to be striving for pallid expressions bound by a herbal twine, this has flavour. Lots of it: red currant, musk, tangerine and orange rind. The acidity is saline and fresh, towing it all long.' (Ned Goodwin) - 92 Points