Clare Valley’s Jim Barry is a name known around the world – a byword for quality and wine expertise. A founding member of Australia’s First Families of Wine, the Barry family celebrated the 60th anniversary of its winery in 2020, the year it also scooped the title of Halliday’s ‘Winery of the Year’. Over three generations the Barry name has been famous throughout the wine world and synonymous with the Clare Valley. Jim Barry bought his first vineyard here in 1959, and even helped the Taylor family open their winery a decade later. Son Peter took over Jim Barry in 1985, and today brothers Tom and Sam, with sister Olivia, have raised the bar even higher. Tom and Sam have been shortlisted for Halliday's Winemaker of the Year 2026. This is a new exclusive, a succulent Malbec from the Clare Valley's high altitude Eastern Ranges.

Electric dark purple in the glass. Aromas of cherry, violet and sage explode from the glass. Flavours of cherry, dark chocolate and bouquet garni. This luscious wine saturates the palate and fills the mouth with fine chalky tannins and a burst of purple fruit before a crescendo of cranberry juice acidy, keeping the wine fresh and vibrant.

Tucked away nicely in the Adelaide Hills, Sidewood Estate have made an art form out of crafting some of the very best single vineyard cool-climate wines available in Australia. Owen and Cassandra Inglis purchased the boutique property in 2004 and immediately set about making their vision become a reality. Their Sidewood Shiraz displays that vision to perfection. Attention to detail is the key here which enables flavours of red cherry, currants and dark plum to shine through along with hints of cinnamon and spice. The texture is beguiling and gives promise to a wine that will age for up to a decade.

De Iuliis (De - uli - iss) wines are known for their trademark regionality and commitment to showcasing the very best the Hunter Valley has to offer. Their Shiraz is a fine balance between power and subtlety. Spice driven aromas with mild hints of the berry fruit to come on the palate. Blackberry, raspberry and dark cherry come to the fore and are in harmony with the round, soft tannins.

Beresford pride themselves on passionately capturing the pure varietal expression and the essence of their terrior to deliver a Shiraz of timeless elegance and muscular complexity. Quintessentially McLaren Vale, the wine has a rich, full palate brimming with dark berry fruits, coffee and spice characteristics finishing with soft, lengthy tannins. A cracking wine of great substance and exceptional balance.

Zuccardi have been at the forefront of quality winemaking in Argentina for decades and the Q range showcases this dedication to quality. Attention to detail during vinification and maturation in French oak has created a masterpiece Malbec which can be enjoyed now or cellared for many years.

This superb wine abounds with intense cherry, chocolate and spice flavours. Like the Gauchos its velvety smooth on the outside but mucho macho on the inside. Salud!

Carpineto Spolverino (Feather Duster) is an exciting Sangiovese blend from Chianti that pokes a little fun at the traditional Italian wine laws which prohibit a wine being labelled 'Chianti Classico' being bottled under screw-cap. As we love our wines to be fresh and vibrant in Australia, this brilliant (and affordable!) Chianti, closed with a Stelvin Lux, has enticing red cherry aromas blended with a touch of tobacco leaf and spice. Wonderfully medium-bodied, the palate is rich and generous, although supported by that typical Tuscan structure of zippy acid and soft, powdery tannin. Saluté!

When it comes to Australian Merlot, Katnook is among the very best. Lovely plum dark berry and cedary cigar box characters slip seamlessly into a finish that seems everlasting. Aged for 22 months in French oak, the swathes of blackcurrant are a delight to the senses.

The Santa Julia Del Mercado Malbec is a combination of fresh and ripe fruit, with good structure and complexity. This wine has lovely black fruit aromas with some spices. A great example of a Malbec from Uco Valley.