Two of the vineyards contributing to this wine are named "Inkwell"! A solid clue as to the wine's colour lies right there. One of the benchmark reds of McLaren Vale, The Vicar impresses yet again. Not just a big, dark thing, balance and buoyancy of fruit separate if from the pack of huge local reds. Careful cellaring has seen a touch of cured meat flavour emerge to complement the ample black, plummy, chocolate and spiced fruit cake layering. Cellar as long as you like or drink now with a prime cut.

The Vicar is one of Chapel Hill’s flagship wines and is an annual vineyard selection of Chapel Hill’s most outstanding and expressive parcels of McLaren Vale Shiraz. The vineyard blocks were harvested and fermented separately in small batch open fermenters. Gentle plunging was utilised for cap management and all of the ferments were left on skins for a range of 13 days to 22 days. Following gentle basket pressing, the free run and pressing fractions were combined. During the subsequent 21-month oak maturation period, the barrels were periodically racked and returned to ensure the integration of the tannins back into the structure of the wine. To preserve purity and character the wine is made with minimal additions and is allowed to clarify naturally without the use of fining or filtration. This is wonderfully opulent Vicar. Inky black and packed with blackberries, plums and dark chocolate with a twist of aniseed. The nose brims with a complex mix of wild herbs, violets, black liquorice and a sprinkle of wild fennel. A powerful wine that flows across your palate unveiling layers of delicious flavours and succulent tannins with an impossibly long finish. Purity in a glass.

YANGARRA ESTATE VINEYARD Kings Wood Shiraz Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Exceptionally potent and powerful, initially giving the (false) impression its alcohol is more than 14%. Retasting brings it back into perspective, the two varieties bonded, yet each preserving its varietal integrity and structural architecture. A classic Australian blend of exceptional quality, destined to outlive most who taste it.

Complex, supple and smooth, Coates the Reserve Syrah is sourced from a selection of top Syrah parcels in South Australia. Produced only in exceptional years, it is matured in a mix of new and one-year old French and Russian oak for between 26-30 months.

Yangarra started introducing large format foudre in 2017, and a single block of Shiraz (block 12) started to show its head with a particular style that was very much suited to whole bunch and large format oak. Originally labelled as the "Whole Bunch" Shiraz, the label evolved to become the King's Wood with the first release only in 2017... and what an introduction it was scoring 99 points from James Halliday. The 2019 vintage is excellent. A rare mix of power and restraint. The palate is captivating with its plush, supple, velvety nature. All of the elements are perfectly integrated. Special.

Noon Winery has become a cult figure in the wine world due to their opulent red wines that are known for their concentration and power. Not beholden to the trend of lower-alcohol, leaner styles, Drew and Raegan Noon produce block-buster reds that are in huge demand the world over. Their Reserve Shiraz is so highly thought of, it sits in the Outstanding category in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine. With fruit sourced from the '20 Rows' block in Langhorne Creek owned by the Borrett family, this is a Shiraz of serious weight and body. Still very young, aromas of violets, lavender and herbs are balanced with traditional fruit notes of blueberries and spice. Big and fleshy on the palate while still showing supreme complexity, this is a wine that needs some decanting before enjoying the saturating flavours that Noon can offer.