Very pale salmon, some light red hues. Red fruits, raspberry, cranberry, a touch of liquorice, some light spice and earth. Pinot Noir is apparent on the front palate, with berries, fluffy talc and crystalline texture. The Grenache brings weight through the middle, a riot of red fruits and tarry spice. Mourvèdre fills the rear, with lovely fine extract framing the palate and adding length. A harmonious and very fine Minnow Rosé by Shadowfax: complex, dry and delicious.

This luscious red comes from Zuccardi - an outstanding, third generation family cellar founded in the 1960s by Don Alberto Zuccardi. A decade before, he'd started an irrigation company, then planted a vineyard to demonstrate to other producers how his system could benefit grape quality. The rest, as they say, is history, and Zuccardi have become one of the leading cellars in Mendoza. Today his grandson Sebastián is winemaker, assisted by Rubén Ruffo. This is a silky, elegant red, with Syrah adding spicy red fruits and structure to Malbec's darker velvety berry notes. Recommended with chilli, a beef stir-fry or on its own.

There’s bundles of flavour in this classy Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvédre. A special blend that offers soft layers of fruit, and rich and velvety charm – The Black Pig delivers again!

It's made by the talented John Quarisa, who has enjoyed a “distinguished career as a winemaker spanning over 20 years” (Halliday). John likes his wines to express big personality and juicy fruit and value for money – he’s certainly achieved that here! Ripe and round blackberries conspire with flavours of plum and cinnamon spice. On the palate, rich red berries and brewed coffee make for a very appealing wine.

The Pike brothers established Pikes winery in the Polish Hill sub-region of the Clare Valley in 1984, renovating an old stone shearing shed to house their winery and cellar door. Neil is the veteran winemaker (he’s done 38 vintages in Clare); Andrew the seasoned viticulturist (he spent 22 years working for big names like Wynn’s Coonawarra and Southcorp before establishing Pikes). Together they turn out formidable wines that earn plenty of show medals and critical acclaim. Their richly textured 2017 'Wilfred's Block' really is magnificent. A definitive Australian blend of inky, slatey Cabernet and sumptuous, spicy Shiraz, it’s a contemplative wine – the layers of flavour will reveal themselves slowly – and perfect for winter sipping. It will cellar well until 2032, but is still drinking beautifully now. Decant, pour into big glasses, and savour with good food and good friends.

Visit the quality obsessed winery of Deep Woods and you'll find winemaker Julian Langworthy working his magic. He's behind their recent 97 point 'Best Cabernet in Show' - which also won the 2016 Jimmy Watson Trophy! The Redlands is the sister wine to the triumphant Reserve – a deliciously deep, intense Cabernet with a dash of rich Shiraz for extra sumptuous drinkability. A Margaret River marvel to savour with rack of lamb, roasted vegetable lasagne or a juicy rib-eye steak.

A frequent Gold medal winner, Stones & Bones is so-called because it’s grown in a landscape littered with ancient boulders and dinosaur fossils. In the modern Portuguese tradition, the wine is a blend of local and international grapes. Touriga Nacional, the backbone of vintage port, joins forces with Syrah, Tinta Roriz and Alicante to produce truly mammoth, rich fruit flavours. Equally impressive is the winemaker, Diogo Sepúlveda, who relaxes after work by cycling or playing football, or, more unusually, bull wrestling! Having worked in Pomerol, then in the Barossa with heirloom Shiraz vines, his credentials for making this rich, old vine Portuguese red are second to none. For maximum enjoyment, decant and serve with a rich beef casserole.

We used to think that Sofia Barbanera's regular Saracosa was intense. And then she upped the ante, with this lavish, luscious, silky smooth Saracosa Governo. A limited-edition luxury version of her already indulgent ‘Super Tuscan’, Governo uses an ancient Tuscan method of allowing a portion of the grapes to air dry for a period of time, dialling the flavour concentration way up. Italy’s top critic, Luca Maroni, has long been a fan of the Saracosa reds, and this one is no exception – he has rated both the 2016 and the 2017 vintagehere a stunning 98 points! English wine writer Oz Clarke is also smitten by Governo’s many charms, calling it “indulgent and exotic”. One taste and we think you’ll fall in love with it too.