Medium red with a purple hue in the glass, Jim Barry The Forger Shiraz opens with a brooding array of purple fruits with a hint of violet lift then countered with notes of cinnamon and sweet oak char. The palate is packed with the rich brambly fruit which follows on from the nose. Fine, chalky tannins give the wine a plush, velvety texture that fills the length of the palate. The Forger has a rich, lingering, persistent finish and is ideal for cellaring.

Bright ruby grapefruit colour. More about texture than flavour intensity. Wet stone, gentle tannin, textural richness, dry finish. Some attractive red berry fruit and crushed herb savoury flavours.

An exceptional Barossan Shiraz from the artisan cult producer, Spinifex. The Miette (mee-yet) Shiraz has a delightful balance and charm with flavours of cherry, blueberry and hints of earthy spice, held by finely structured tannins. Succulent, layered and fleshy, the Miette label is a great introduction to the hand-crafted wines from Spinifex.

Cabernet should taste like Cabernet and this is a lovely varietal expression of ripe Cabernet – blackcurrant, redskin, a hint of leafiness and chocolaty oak. Nice balance and structure, supple texture. Hard to resist as a young wine but it does has cellaring potential over the next 5-8 years. Printhie has four vineyard sites that have been created to meet varietal needs ensuring quality fruit production. Each location has been carefully selected to encapsulate the terroir of the Orange cool climate region.

Consistency has been the hallmark of Majella Shiraz for some time now. Ripe fresh raspberry and mulberry fruit is supported by fine tannins and subtle oak.

McLaren Vale and Shiraz - the perfect match. Steve Maglieri is the icon behind the Serafino name and his Shiraz is a typically wonderful full-flavoured and full-bodied red with the black and red fruits you can handle. A rich and voluptuous palate with a silken, textured finish that is a perfect match to big, rich beef dishes or a robust lamb ragu.

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.

Bannockburn Shiraz is a multi-layered wine showing blackberry, black cherry and spice on the nose which follow through to the palate. Soft tannins and medium length.

Winner of multiple trophies at the 2011 London International Wine Challenge, Bird in Hand Shiraz strikes a balance between finesse and intensity with flavours of dark red berries and spice. Aged in French oak, it has complex fine grained tannins, finishing long and rich.

The Adams brothers and their vineyard are responsible for many of the iconic wines that take pride of place in many cellars. Parcels of their best fruit is kept aside for their own label, Brothers In Arms. Fantastic Langhorne Creek concentration is on show here with layers of chocolate and dark, black fruit. A brute with a touch of style.