Opus One is arguably Napa's most famous winery. It was established in 1979 as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. Their goal was to craft a wine that combined the intensity and fruit purity of Napa, with the elegance of top Bordeaux. Today it is one of the most iconic and revered wines made in California, and the world. Overture is the second wine of Opus One, originally created in 1993 and for many years available only at the winery. It is a multi-vintage wine, made from a blend of the five classic Bordeaux varieties and aged for 18 months in French oak. Overture is a true expression of Opus One's estate vineyards.

If you are after tasty reds at a great price it is hard to go past the ever popular ‘Johnny Q’ range from Quarisa. This multi-medal winning wine exudes lively aromas of concentrated black currant, mint, dark chocolate and complex oak. A full body with dense, ripe currants and a hint of vanilla delivers in flavour. The finish is long and smooth and leaves you wanting more. Try with chargrilled sirloin or a hearty minestrone. This wine has the flavour, structure and balance to be enjoyed now or offers added satisfaction from further cellaring.

Mac Forbes philosophy towards pinot is to look after the detail, keep it simple and respect the fruit. The onus is on fruit quality and balance and not on winemaking solutions or corrections. For them winemaking is an extension of the vineyard where they aim to capture the fruit expression and carry this through to bottle. They pick when the fruit is ripe but still crunchy to taste. The Yarra Valley Pinot is a blend of Mac Forbes declassified barrels from their grower vineyards and the Mac Forbes single vineyard sites. The Bordeaux blend is still arguably the most successful of all grapes or blends from the Yarra Valley. At relatively low alcohols the wines are elegant, perfumed and ripe. While approachable as a young wine, Hugh will age gracefully for twenty plus years. In this wine Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety and is complimented by Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Bright plum in colour, Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon displays delicate notes of mint and blackcurrant, with a more savory bouquet of semi-dried tomatoes and fruit chutney at the end. A hint of oak and spice adds extra warmth. On the palate a flavour-wheel of spearmint, milo powder, chocolate and black liquorice.

Established in 1963 by Doctor Max Lake, Lake's Folly was the first new vineyard in the Hunter Valley last century. In early 2000 Lake's Folly was purchased by Peter and Lee Fogarty and family who, along with Hunter-born and bred winemaker, Rodney Kempe, have continued to maintain the integrity and direction of this significant vineyard. There is an old saying that the wine is made in the vineyard (good fruit makes good wine). Most of the Lakes Folly Cabernet vines are now more than 50 years old. This means that over the years, the vines have ‘self-regulated’. This natural low cropping gives the grapes better consistency of flavour. The terroir, which is a rare combination of volcanic hill, alluvial creek flat and south-easterly aspect, is ideal for the production of fine wines. The vines are pruned heavily for low production high quality fruit, and trellised with vertical shoot positioning, which gives more reliable flavour even in difficult years. Maintaining a true ‘estate’ philosophy allows Lakes Folly to fully express the terroir of this particular site. Crop levels are also critical in achieving complexity. Needless to say, growing all their own fruit at the Folly enables them to be super diligent in achieving these goals, the weather having the last say on the fruit intensity for a particular year. With the old vines, low crop levels, and good canopy management, we are consistently presented with above average fruit. Throw in some traditional winemaking, French oak and you have a unique distinguished single site wine. Their two flagship wines, a Cabernet blend and a Chardonnay, are made in limited quantities and are grown, vintaged, and made on the estate. The wine styles are restrained and elegant, showing finesse and complexity. They have clarity of structure and great length of flavour. A first for Lake's Folly, this year's Red is a blend of Shiraz 47%, Merlot 34%, and Petit Verdot 19%. After harvesting the Shiraz, Merlot and Petit Verdot (and Chardonnay) grapes in 2022, they experienced very late harvest rainfall which impacted the Cabernet grapes, leading to the decision to not harvest the Cabernet (the first time on record this has happened at Lake's Folly). The finished result: a unique, unprecedented blend - a cracking wine (albeit without the usual Cabernet component), though in very limited quantities this release! The fruit is open-fermented producing softer, more subtle tannins, and then transferred to large format casks for six months for settling, and then into small French oak barriques (new, one, and two-year-old) for approximately one year before bottling.

Langmeil Jackamans Cabernet Sauvignon has developed a deliciously intense perfume of blackcurrants and mulberry with rich dark chocolates after two years in new and seasoned French oak hogsheads. A powerful wine from mature vines.

The late Jim Barry was a pioneer of Australian table wine, graduating with the 17th diploma in winemaking in Australia. He went on to become the first qualified winemaker to work in the Clare Valley of South Australia and with his wife, Nancy, built a successful wine business, which has produced trophy-winning wines since its establishment in 1959. Today, the custodian of Jim Barry Wines is their second son Peter, who joined the family winery in 1977 and now works along side his own sons, Tom and Sam. The Barry family name is synonymous with the Clare wine region. The Barry family believe that great wine is made in the vineyard and as such, are committed to owning their own vineyards. This control allows them to develop outstanding fruit quality and flavour which are then retained during winemaking. Over the last 60 years the family has worked to establish a mosaic of sites - 17 vineyards covering 320 hectares in the Clare Valley and two vineyards covering 35 hectares in the Coonawarra. Each unique in soil profile, climate, aspect and elevation. Each year, the Jim Barry winemakers identify distinctive parcels of fruit the reflect the vineyard from which they are grown. This small-batch project allows the creation of unique, vintage-specific wines that highlight the best fruit from vineyards owned by the family. This Cabernet was sourced from older Cabernet vines at the Lodge Hill property and shows the hallmark earthy characteristics of Clare Cabernet with elegant, fine tannins and vibrant purple fruit flavours. An intense and decadent of red wine, Jim Barry Eastern Ranges 2016 is a single vineyard Cabernet is rich and robust with dark fruit, menthol, dark chocolate and spicy flavours matched with food-friendly acidity finishing long and velvety on the palate. Drink or cellar for 10-plus years.

The Cannonball is a perfect symbol of freedom. Legs tucked beneath you, soaring through the air. That uninhibited spirit is the soul of Cannonball Wines. Cannonball wines are a pure expression of the varietal. Cannonball wines are sourced from select regions throughout California. The diverse California micro climates, topography, and soils provide the perfect palette to create wines that are complex, highly consistent and a pure expression of the varietal. Diversifying sourcing allows for flexi-bility to achieve their signature style and maintain continuity with each vintage. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Cannonball is an exciting revival of a classic style. It has the best characteristics of traditional California and old world Bordeaux. It explodes with black cherry, wild berry fruit and notes of chocolate oak. The rich texture of this wine lingers long with a bright, fresh finish.