Colour is deep red. The nose shows aniseed, tar, FruChocs and spicy oak. The fine palate entry has mulberry, cranberry, aniseed and liquorice flowing delicately with Rhone-like spicy, chewy, savoury tannins.

Fresh blackberry and boysenberry, spice, liquorice, tar and dried herbs. Medium bodied, juicy bramble fruits, crisp boysenberry acidity, salted beef, firm but fine grained drying tannin, and a long fresh meaty herb infused finish.

Unmistakably, Grange, this 2012 vintage is complex, flamboyant and lifted. An aromatic multi-cultural characteristics. The earthiness is well integrated with the aromas of dark fruits, grounded coffee, red liquorice and black olives, which leads to a firmly structured finish.

Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond Les Rochins, Côte-Rôtie Parcel selection on the Côte-Rozier is located in the north of the Côte-Rôtie AOC, on schist and mica-schist terroirs. Vinification is the same as the previous cuvée, ageing for 20 months in 400 litre barrels, 30% of which are new wood. A Syrah that is typically characterised by cherry, blueberry, olive paste and spiced cake.

Penfolds RWT Shiraz is a big juicy Barossan Shiraz refined by the use of older French oak barrels. 1998 is considered to be one of the classic vintages of the modern age. Drinking wonderfully now but with many years still to come in its development, this is a great addition to any cellar.

Margaret River is a world renowned Chardonnay producing region and Pierro can rightfully stake a claim as to why. Incredibly complex, it is a tangle of fine-boned acid, lees complexity, pristine fruit and the most detailed use of good quality oak. Extremely enjoyable now, but will benefit from short to medium term cellaring.