DOMAINE RAYMOND USSEGLIO & FILS, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Imperiale

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste produce some of the best value wines in the Pauillac region, if not simply some of the best quality in general. Cabernet based reds are their staple and generally produce wines of a robust and masculine nature. In recent years the wines are close to rivalling the famed Pichons .

The 2010 Chateau d'Issan is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, showing 'classic Margaux' in its perfume, finesse and apparent elegance. Soils are gravel and clay, which contributes to the high-tones of perfume from the wine, and though an estate that is neccesarily clawing its way back to a higher profile, is doing so with deeds in bottle over showmanship. On its side, the vineyard is dense with older vines that naturally offer lower yields, allowing for a higher quality of fruit for the winemaking team, in turn producing a wine of stellar quality from 2010.

Teusner Albert Shiraz is made from old vines in the northern Barossa; rich black fruits and tarry cassis with smoky undertones, the finish is long and luscious. Could easily be cellared for the medium term.

Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon is the icon Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. Named after Coonawarra pioneer, pastoralist and parliamentarian, John Riddoch, this Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the very best of Wynns vast planting in Coonawarra and it only made in the years that best express Wynns strive for excellence. Arguably richer and more complex from comparable styles in the region, John Riddoch Cabernet is highly sought after and extremely limited.

Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon is the beacon of quality that all Australian Cabernet Sauvignon is compared to. Coming off the iconic red soils of Coonawarra, Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon is classic elegance. Chief winemaker, Sue Hodder, is able to craft a wine brimming with aromas of blackcurrant and plum that combine with spicy minty notes. The palate is well structured, long and fine. With the right cellaring condition, this could easily be a cellar gem.

The Bin 389 style evolved as a result of experiments, by Max Schubert, in the 1950s to develop a highly individual wine using a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz with compatible oak treatment. Bin 389 combines the elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon with the richness of Shiraz and demonstrates the traditional Penfolds' trademark - balance between fruit and oak, giving the wine character and longevity.

Australia's first boutique winery, Lake's Folly Cabernets is an Australian wine treasure. More Bordeaux in nature than most, the Cabernets is a wine of pristine purity and elegance. With a sense of place that can be tasted in every bottle across all vintages, Lake's Folly Cabernets is a must have for all serious wine collectors and lovers. The 2010 is a young, robust version that will require some time in the cellar to really show its complex characteristics and refined palate.

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier began its life after a career defining trip to the Côte-Rôtie in the mid 90s which set Tim Kirk on the journey towards producing one of Australia's best Shiraz. Determined to show that Australia could produce elegant but still powerful Shiraz, Tim's work has paid off with his flagship being acclaimed worldwide. In only 15 years, the Shiraz Viognier has attained 'Exceptional' status with Langton's, the highest possible.

Château Clinet is a rising star in the small Right Bank region of Pomerol. With its gravely soil mixed with sand, Château Clinet has gradually increased the Merlot component of the wine to produce a voluptuous, smooth and yet still complex red wine that is both pleasing upon release and turns into a read star with a few years in the cellar.

Coming from one of the best vintages in recent Barossa history, the Old Block from St Hallett shows what careful vineyard management can do for a wine. Rich, dark and conerntrated but with seamless tannin intergration.