McLaren Vale is home to some of Australia's biggest reds and here's a prize example from the bestselling 'Black Pig' - a cassis-rich Cabernet with wall-to-wall black cherry and bramble tones and a delicious lick of menthol.

This McLaren Vale Nero d'Avola from the talented team at Coriole has an incredible swag of awards including two Gold medals and four Trophies! In the glass: Medium density dark red. On the nose: Fresh red and dark cherry aromas with herb and violet perfume. On the palate: Medium weight yet quite intense with raspberry and redcurrant fruit freshness and lifted acidity. Very youthful, lively and Pinot-like with light, silken lingering tannins and savoury spice. Quite delicious!

In 1991, Tahbilk husband and wife team of winemaker Alister Purbrick and artist Rosa Dal Farra decided to combine their talents to produce a range of alternative varietal wines showcased under Rosas boldest art works. Now widely known and made, these varieties validate the foresight Tahbilk had.

Mark Lloyd of Coriole planted Sangiovese in his McLaren Vale vineyards in the mid 1980s and in 1999 he famously won the inaugural Australian Sangiovese Awards – a precursor to the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, where this delicious 2016 Sangiovese won Gold! It has beautiful bright spiced cherry and plum fruit, with a savoury touch of herbs and spice. It's a terrific food wine - try it with your best Italian pasta dish.

Red Knot Classified Cabernet Sauvignon showcases lifted aromas of black currant and blueberries with hints of oak. The palate unfolds with rich dark berry flavour and chocolate with a silky finish. An extraordinary expression of McLaren Vale and Red Knot's expert winemaking.

Penny's Hill Cracking Black Shiraz continues to be what all McLaren Vale Shiraz should be. Deliciously intense, with all its components looking their best and beautifully synchronised. There's lengthy concentrated blackberry fruit, liquorice and pepper. Superb!

Church Block first appeared back in 1972 under the watchful eye of Greg Trott who was taken by one of the original vineyards that ran alongside the small Bethany Church, across the road from Wirra Wirra's old ironstone cellars. Over the last 4 decades, Church Block has become one of Australia's favourites with its rich, full-bodied style consisting of swathes of black and blue fruits and a nice, smooth finish that seems to last ever so long for such an affordable red wine.

Traditional winemaking techniques and an eye to modern styles allow us to create wines that are synonymous with the regions they are from. Rich, honest wines that showcase the regions in their most natural light. The wine is dark red in colour with a medley of aromas od dark cherry, mulberry and ripe raspberries. The palate shows ripe raspberry and cranberry fruits with silky tannins which give length and finesse while finishing soft and full of flavour. This wine can be enjoyed now but will also improve with careful cellaring.