Red-brown loam over shale and red clay vineyards in the South and Central Barossa Valley enable St Hallett to create wine parcels of generosity of flavour, length and texture like Faith shiraz.Dark berry fruits and a soft and luscious palate are the hallmark characters of this wine. Pepper spices and chocolate notes marry together with softly coating tannins to complete this rich and generous palate.

St Hugo GSM is aromatic and bright, yet exudes the style and pedigree which are hallmarks of the St Hugo label. This Grenache Shiraz Mataro blend shows lifted fruit aromas of Turkish delight and briary complexity. The palate is plush, full and complex. Ripe fruit flavours are complemented by silky tannins and subtle oak.

Chris Ringland's Barossa Ranges Shiraz is steeped in the Barossas post-colonial story and the high art and science of winemaking. Typically deep in colour with intense dark berry, paneforte, espresso roasted chestnut aromas, it displays a plush and concentrated palate with blackberry, mocha, paneforte spicy flavours and dense fine chocolaty tannins. Despite the opulence, flamboyance, richness and concentration, the wine has superb percussion and freshness. The wine is a small vinification of around four to five hogsheads or 1500 litres. The "unusually thick skinned" Shiraz is entirely sourced from Chris Ringland's dry-grown vineyard on the edge of the Barossa Valley, but technically in Eden Valley, along Flaxman's Valley near Randall's Hill. The wine is "painstakingly hand-made" in open fermenters and regularly pumped-over to extract colour, flavour and tannins. After draining and pressing through a traditional basket press, fermentation is completed in 100% new French oak hogsheads. A period of up to 50 months oak maturation follows to achieve optimum complexity and balance between oak and fruit. The extraordinarily high release prices (higher than Penfolds Grange), limited production and reputation make Chris Ringland Barossa Ranges Shiraz the stuff of legend.

Classic single vineyard Barossa shiraz made from old vines on the western ridge of the valley. There’s opulence, fruit weight, fine tannins and a long finish on this one. Wild yeast has been utilised before nearly two months in a mix of new and seasoned French and American oak. Plum, mulberry and clove jump out of the glass upon first whiff. The palate expands even further with vanilla, licorice, dark chocolate and graphite. Smoothness, complexity and depth all wrapped up in a velvety package. This is really, really good vino.

Head Wilton Hill Shiraz Barossa Ranges Wilton Hill is comprised of an old vine vineyard, perched atop the Barossa Ranges as it encroaches on the Eden Valley. The soil, a complex polyglot of sandy loams, limestone and ferrous ironstone over a substrata of mottled quartz. The geology is arguably more intrinsic to the makeup of the wine than the variety, or maker Alex Heads deft hand. This is top- drawer Barossa Grand Cru speaking. Make no mistake! Think a swirl of dark fruits, aromas of iodine, lilac and violet, punctuated with a swab of tapenade-encrusted tannins. Dig deeper and there are scents of smoked meats, thyme, lavender and mocha, trailing across a peppery trail of freshness that tows this full-bodied wine long. Sumptuous gear that is ready for an aggressive decant, or extended time in the cellar.

Full bodied yet velvety texture with plums and raspberries dominating. Hints of sweet spice, black olive pepper add to the complexity.

Two Hands is a winery that rarely puts a foot wrong, and the 'Gnarly Dudes' is no exception. The Gnarly refers to the gnarled old Shiraz vines this wine comes from. The nose jumps immediately out of the glass with hints of Asian spice, blackcurrant, rasberry, black pepper, anise and the slightest waft of perfumed violets. The palate gives up a generous hit of black cherry and liquorice. With great complexity, heavy tannins and a brilliant long length, this is a wine that will greatly reward a few years in the cellar.