High up in the Adelaide Hills, Paracombe is owned and operated by the Drogemuller family, which it has passionately done since 1983. Sourced from both estate and selected grower fruit, Paracombe Shiraz shows wonderful ripe fruit aromas with a delicate cool-climate aspect. Notes of cherries, plums, pepper and spice are notable along with a palate of layered spicy fruit and a fine tannin structure.

Pacha Mama Shiraz enfolds you in her arms. It's elegant, it's got finesse. In the glass its vibrant plum red in colour, with a complex nose of spiced plums and dark chocolate backed with earth and spice. This wine is soft and fleshy and full of all the good dark fruits; plum and blackcurrant. It's seamless in the mouth with juicy fruit favours on the palate. A light tannic structure, vibrant acid and a long savoury finish.

David Hook's Shiraz is medium bodied, some vibrant characters of spicy red berries and soft rounding tannins with hints of vanilla oak on the palate. Ripe fruits richness with a lengthy finish. A great number to have handy when friends drop by.

The Zema family has a proud history of producing great Coonawarra wines with plenty of regional character. This rich inky offering is redolent of ripe berries with a long satisfying finish.

Water Wheel is a historic winery located in the traditional wine region of Bendigo in central Victoria. Winemaker Peter Cumming continually produces a Shiraz with aromas of ripe berries, white pepper and chocolate that are also reflected on the palate which also displays attractive regional and varietal character. The depth of fruit and oak balance is excellent. Always a consistent performer, Water Wheel Shiraz is not only enjoyable upon release but is a reliable medium-term cellaring option.

Pete Bissell from Balnaves consistently produces Cabernet of highest order and this little beauty that falls under the $20 mark is just perfect as a cellar starter. Gentle mintiness on the nose. Dusty tannins frame a fantastic medium weighted structured wine. Lovely fruit intensity terrific with BBQ lamb or all on its own.

Young guns in the Margaret River scene, Amelia Park actually source their fruit for the Shiraz from Frankland River in the Great Southern wine region. This allows them to produce a Shiraz that has all the fruit hallmarks of Shiraz with a fine structure made famous by region. Lusciously ripe along with an ethereal length, Amelia Park Shiraz ticks all the boxes.

With a nose of rich spicy pepper and liquorice generous in intensity, Jacob's Creek Shiraz shows a medium-bodied palate displaying welcoming plum and cherry fruit flavours leading through to a softly textured finish.

The Bryson Family vineyard produces superb fruit in the heart of South Australia, which is then handcrafted by winemaker Ben Riggs. Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz is an explosion of ripe dark berry fruits on the palate. Full bodied and ready to go this wine certainly delivers in spades.

Restrained red fruit with a background of menthol, leather and tobacco on the nose leads to a big mouthful of cherries, vanilla and plums with good intensity. A nicely balanced wine, drinking very well.