This wine, a Piebald, meaning black and white, is a co-fermentation of the blackest Syrah grapes, with a hatful of the purest white Viognier. Deep in colour, the wine is almost black, yet is also vibrant and bright. The nose is perfumed with apricots, spice and liquorice; a pretty, fragrant wine with a sweet juice and velvety palate. The finish is elegant with savoury spice and a fine tannin length and persistence.

Lloyd Reserve Shiraz is produced from a single vineyard at Coriole, planted in 1919 by Geoffrey Kay. It was first retained as a separate wine in 1989, and is one of Langton's Classified Wines of Australia. This vineyard typically produces a wine of great intensity and can be cellared for many years. The wine is matured in French oak with typically about 40% new.

Well known here in Australia, Haselgrove are under going somewhat of a renaissance due to recently being bought by a group of South Australian wine stalwarts including Steve Maglieri. Their Bella Vigna (Beautiful Vineyard) Shiraz is a great example of why McLaren Vale Shiraz is the hallmark of the region. Bursting with cherries, red currants and spicy pepper notes, this a great Shiraz to pair with eggplant parmigiana or barbecued lamb shanks.

While normally associated with Grenache and Shiraz blends, Mourvèdre recently has begun to stand on its own two feet as a stand-alone wine. Quite evocative in nature, Chapel Hill's Mourvèdre is a dark and brooding red with wonderful hints of spice and violet tones. Walking the line between medium and full-bodied, this wouldn't be out of place next to either a thick cut steak or a plate of picked Mediterranean vegetables.

Battle of Bosworth Cabernet Sauvignon is a standout wine of flavoursome red fruits and currants; firmly structured, very rich and grippy. Deserves to be taken very seriously. Proof of such comes with the Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2011 McLaren Vale Wine Show.

Tintara are not only a historic winery in South Australia, they are also embracing modern winemaking techniques to produce flavoursome and full-bodied Shiraz like this beauty from McLaren Vale. Displaying concentrated flavours of dark forest fruits, plum and cocoa to complement the sweet vanilla oak. Fine grained tannin carries the balance of this luscious McLaren red which gives the palate a rich and even persistence.

Shingleback Red Knot Shiraz has beautiful layers of dark fruits and soft earthy chocolate aromas on the nose. The Subtle savoury oak and chewy fruit tannins gives a nice structure to the wine. This will be a rewarding wine with careful cellaring, ensuring longevity.

Produced from low yielding, hand harvested vines and made using traditional techniques, D'Arry's Original is a smooth, textured, full bodied red which typifies the generous McLaren style. Always one of those little cellar stars that you can buy up a case or two, hide under the house for a decade and be quietly content that d'Arry's Original will be shining in a decade.

McLaren Vale reds are known for generosity of fruit. Red Knot Cabernet, with it's cassis, dark berried characters and a lingering finish, has the added bonus of being terrific value for money.

d'Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz is a firm favourite with many McLaren Vale Shiraz lovers and for good reason. This is another great example of the rich, full-bodied style with aromas of ripe blackberry and spice that mingle with minty peppery notes. The palate is full-flavoured, supple in texture with a velvety finish.