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.

From vineyards planted 2,000 years ago, this rich, dark, velvety black red is only made in the best years. One sip and will take you back in time to the first century AD where vineyards were planted to serve the ruling elite at the thriving Roman port of Troia. Here, on Portugal’s windswept Atlantic coast, the only grape that thrives in the dry, sandy soils and under 300 hours of super-hot sun a month, is local star Castelão. This small, dark-skinned grape boasts fathomless depths of flavour – if you know how to unlock it. Enter Gold-medal maestro at Portugal’s most awarded winery, Leonor Freitas – nicknamed the “Dame of Castelão”. Baía di Tróia delivers an immensely concentrated, black red – rippling with ripe plums, red berries and black fruit, laced with chocolate, spice and toasty oak. At 15.5% smooth power, it's not for the faint-hearted! A rich casserole ideal.

Save the vines and enjoy a gorgeous, rich red! Poggioreale used to be an important wine village in Sicily. It was where Dino Taschetta grew up, like generations of his family before him. After an earthquake reduced Poggioreale to ruins in 1968, a new town was built further down the hill and the vineyards above the village, the highest and oldest in Sicily, were then neglected for decades. Now, with many of the island’s oldest Nero d’Avola vines grubbed up, there’s even more reason to treasure what’s left. Dino recently returned to the family estate and began to restore the vineyard. His first vintage was 2017 and he was in urgent need of a customer. Our Buyer tasted the wine and reserved it all. A year later, we’ve returned for more.

Characters of red fruits, bright, mocha tinged cherries and natural forest floor layers. This is a very well rounded wine with smooth tannins and long, lingering finish.

Barbadillo and their quality Sherry's have been an integral part of the Jerez region since 1821. Located in the south-western area of Spain and apart of the all important 'Jerez Triangle', Barbadillo provide not only some of the very best Sherry here in Australia, but some of the best value for money. This Principe Amontillado is a quirky style that is in fact a fortified aged Manzanilla. Plenty of spice, hazelnut and almond meal characters. The finish is wonderfully long and exceptionally rich for an Amontillado.

For nearly five centuries, the winemaking ancestors of those living and working in the Campo de Borja region sought refuge for their wines in ‘La Cueva’. It was a sanctuary carved into the very mountain itself, a place for them to protect their wines from the searing heat of the Spanish midday sun. Today, the cave provides the perfect cellar for the oak barrels in which the La Cueva Garnacha is aged. Bright cranberry, raspberry, and red plum unite in a juicy combination of flavours and aromas that entice the senses. Subtle black pepper and herbaceous earthy notes give it a savoury groundedness and makes for a fantastic food wine. Salud!