When you open a Blackstrap, you know you’re heading into seriously dark, rich, red territory. It’s from McLaren Vale, so it shows all that inky, chocolatey, deep black fruit richness the region is known for. A good dose of oak tempers the richness, and fine tannins smooth it out even further, so it’s drinking well now. But it’s definitely an ultra-velvety, mouthcoating, lipstaining, rich and powerful red that you need to approach carefully!

Grant Nash is a name coined by an autocorrect of the word Grenache. A group of like-minded Grenache fans produce the wines, largely from McLaren Vale sites and they are very good. Ironically this blend with Shiraz and Mourvedre – puts Mourvedre into ascendancy. "... a mixed spice nose of clove, pepper and other brown spices, the palate full-bodied and deep with good tannin structure and a touch of firmness. The fruit does the talking but it's far from simplistic. The Mourvèdre shows through and it has ageing potential.” (Huon Hooke, The Real Review).

Kay Brothers Basket Pressed Shiraz has a rich and complex bouquet that promises something special and it certainly delivers. The palate is laden with generous plum, blackberry and spice and the length is exceptional. This one is a keeper! More to the savoury side of Shiraz, it is about texture more than just fruit.

Oliver's Taranga have a long and distinguished history in the McLaren Vale and are custodians of some of the premier vineyard land in the region. Corrina Wright is now the winemaking brain behind this progressive winery and her Shiraz is a modern masterstroke. Smoke and bacon on the nose with sweet and savoury tones. Soft fruit flavours luscious mouth feel and great length to this wine. Delicious.

BK WINES Springs Hill Series Red Blend, McLaren Vale

Made by Corrina Wright, a sixth generation member of the Oliver family, this is McLaren Vale Shiraz to the extreme. There's bold chocolate and blackberry flavours, a hint of pepper and smokey overtones. The alcohol sits at the higher end of the spectrum and there's plenty of vanilla oak, but the fruit intensity pulls it all together to produce a superbly balanced wine.

Round yet fine and detailed, this medium bodied wine is brimming with lovely fruit density. Notes of red current, cassis, black cherry, and plum lead the charge, supported by secondary notes of bay leaf, graphite, wet clay and chocolate. Starting early, tannins are savoury in nature and run long through the palate complimented by lovely accents of ash and coal dust. Dense and chewy through to the finish, this wine has excellent length.

In the glass: Deep red. On the nose: Lifted aromas of tar, espresso and black plum. On the palate: Full-bodied, round and smooth with a rich, dense core of dark fruit and a warm mouth-feel. Quite deluxe with lovely structure and depth of flavour with ripe tannins and well judged oak providing support.

The 2017 Estate Shiraz beautifully demonstrates the mixture of fruitfulness and savory elements that our 50-year-old vineyards provide. The nose shows cherry, bitter chocolate, and aniseed spice. The palate is bright and full-bodied with succulent tannins and great concentration of fruit. A classic example from a superb vintage.

A bold McLaren Vale Shiraz showing voluptuous blackberry and plum flavours with hints of coffee and chocolate. Rich and satisfying, it can be enjoyed now or cellared for more complexity.