Hidden Ridge Cabernet Shiraz Merlot displays aromas of plum, dark cherry and raspberry. These dark berry fruit flavours surround the palate with subtle oak notes and leave a long, generous finish.

The 2018 Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot-Cabernet Franc is a ripe complex wine, with intensity as well as strength and is a “true expression of the unique Whalebone Vineyard terroir”. Aromas are leafy and floral from the Cabernet Franc and rich plum pudding from the Merlot. The slight mint and fresh earth of the Whalebone terroir is melded with the cedar of the oak and the olive aroma of the tannin. The flavours reflect the aroma and the fruit is immediately sweet and ripe, graduating to a refined tannin and balanced acid finish.

A few years on, this carefully crafted wine has developed added nuance while retaining its food-friendly charm. The early-picked red fruit characters have softened into gentle dried cherry and cranberry notes, with subtle earthy undertones emerging. The naturally lower alcohol keeps the palate fresh, while the wild ferment complexity and maturation in large oak now show as integrated spice and savoury depth. A beautifully aged, elegant wine that continues to shine at the table.

Created in 1962, Penfolds Bin 128 is a regional wine that reflects the unique climate and growing conditions of South Australia’s Coonawarra district and the relatively elegant style of cool-climate Shiraz. From the 1980 vintage, French oak replaced American, highlighting the pepper, spice and floral characteristics that define this style. Since this time, greater attention to fruit flavour ripeness has structurally resulted in a more complete and complex wine style.

The Block 5 sub-section of the Kidman vineyard sits at the northern end of the celebrated Coonawarra growing region. This part of the district ripens earlier than the south, making it very well suited to Shiraz. With its classic Terra Rossa over Limestone soils, the mature vines on this vineyard produce exceptional and highly sophisticated cool climate Shiraz, which is approachable in its youth but also eminently cellar-worthy.

This legendary Coonawarra Shiraz has evolved into a true masterpiece of smoothness. The vibrant "crunchy" berries and floral rose notes have mellowed into a deep, velvety richness, while the black pepper and French oak now provide a soft, warming hug of flavor. Once brooding and intense, it is now perfectly polished and approachable, offering a rare, luxurious experience that is incredibly easy to sip. This is a special-occasion wine caught at its absolute peak of elegance.