The McLaren Vale can be considered the true home of Grenache blends here in Australia witho some of the oldest vines in the world being dry grown there. Steve Maglieri's Serafino label provides a rich and delicious GSM blend a nose of rose petal and tobacco. The palate flows on with dense coffee and cedar notes that glide across the tongue.

Ripe old vine Shiraz from the heart of the Barossa contributes weight and texture Grenache adding cherry toffee earthy characters and solid savoury tannins. Will reward careful cellaring for a decade.

The now much sought after Righteous range of wines from Kym Teusner was first established in 2005 with the Grenache and this is the latest incarnation of this foreboding Barossa wine. Sourced from an 80 year old bush-vine vineyard, the Righteous Grenache was gently crushed and fermented in open fermenters with regular pump-overs. Maturation was completed in a mix of French and American oak and has resulted in a modern classic Grenache.

The Parson GSM is a traditional take on three of McLaren Vale's most important and historical varieties. The wine displays hints of rosemary and aniseed the nose. The big palate is layered with liquorice and dark chocolate flavours that are beautifully interwoven into the textured firm tannin structure.

Michel Chapoutier continues to produce wines of unbelievable value and his Cotes du Rhône is the leader of the pack. For under $20, medium bodied reds don't get better than this.

This is a wine of great generosity and depth. The nose exhibits an abundance of purple fruits, mulberries and plums - with a mix of baking spices including nutmeg, cinnamon and star anise. The palate is fleshy and juicy with an almost velvet like texture. The Grenache adds fruit character and balanced acidity, the Shiraz fills out the wine and delivers early structure while the Mourvedre provides red fruits and dried herb notes and provides a core of fine tannins.

Grenache has always been a cornerstone of d'Arenberg's red wines and this is one of the benchmarks of the variety. Produced from old low yielding vines it is a wine of great character and intensity. Showing none of the sickly confectionery characters that can plague this variety, it's all about elegant, savoury spice.

Aromas of plum and dark berry fruits with hints of spice, mataro earthiness, licorice and dark chocolate. Flavours of spice and bright red fruits, some savoury earthiness, plum and rich black fruit with oak complexity.

Les Trois Clefs Côtes du Rhône comprises a fulfilling experience of true Rhone Valley wine. With its medium deep colour, musky red berry licorice aromas, juicy flavours, looseknit chalky tannins and mineral length, it is ready to drink now.