We have to talk about the Elephant in the Room Merlot. An aromatic scent of ripe, red berries balanced by spice and earthiness is continued into the palate with a well-contained flavour explosion. The delightful finish makes this the perfect wine to enjoy with friends.

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.

In the winery: Matured for 20 months in new French barriques, Hungarian, French and American hogsheads. In the glass: Inky dark red. On the nose: Ripe dark fruit, a hint of mint, toasty oak and cedary development.On the palate: Intense black fruit power melding well with deluxe mocha oak a rich, dense and complex reserve style with tight, grainy tannins and spicy acidity.

A fruit driven mid palate is laden with red cherry, plums and raspberries. The wine has a long, crisp and refreshing finish due to the Cabernets firm and youthful grape tannin framed with elegant and spicy oak. A great drinking wine of complexity and substance.

Deep garnet in colour, displaying a mixed array of wildberry and red licorice aromas. The palate is fresh and vibrant, juicy and rounded. A very modern styled Barossa Shiraz, which is delicious drinking now that will mature well for the medium term. A variety of fermentation techniques were utilized, but all involved extended skin contact ranging from 15 to 25 days. A cold soak period of up to 6 days occurred before a natural warming to start the fermentation. Upon completion the ferments were pressed to a mix of new and seasoned oak hogsheads, for malolactic fermentation and maturation.

An array of red fruits and spiced oak. Light red fruits and spiced oak. Fermentation completed in a stainless steel fermenter for 10 days. Pressed onto 1g/L of French oak (Cuvee Series No.1) chips. Matured on oak for four months. Blended with 10% of mixed white wine (pinot gris and riesling) to help soften tannins. Vivid crimson hues. Shiraz. Its Wine. Drink it. The Hidden Sea was created to captivate our friends, celebrate the amazing place we make our wines, and to look and taste god damn great. We set our own course, embrace those who do the same and encourage those that aspire too.-