Intense, mineral-accented aromas of cherry, cassis and violets. Juicy with sweet dark berry flavours, bitter chocolate and candied flowers. Powerful and vibrant with excellent balance and clarity. Fine-grained tannins lead a long, spicy, penetrating finish. It will age gracefully.

TARDIEU-LAURENT Cuvee Speciale, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Rockford is a small boutique wine producer based in South Australia’s Barossa Valley. Founder and winemaker, Robert O’Callaghan belongs to a genre of visionary winemakers that include Max Schubert, Peter Lehmann, Jeffrey Grosset, Brian Croser and David Hohnen. His protégés include Chris Ringland and Dave Powell. Rockford wines have had a profound influence on winemaking philosophy and wine style in the Barossa. Providing the inspiration for a whole generation of winemakers ‘the Rockford school’ embraces the inherent qualities of old vine Shiraz: the physicality of winemaking where muscle and personal touch transform process into an art-form; the traditional tools of trade (basket press, open fermenter) and the complementary nuances of American and French oak maturation. Best known for the Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, Rockford also produces a handful of top quality wines from old vine fruit sourced from selected growers across the Barossa Valley.

First released in 1953, this wine commonly known as Para Port is based on Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, matured in seasoned oak barrels for around 28 years. The vintage date refers to the oldest component of the blend, which conflicts with current labelling standards.

The guru of all cult winemakers in South Africa, Eben Sadie, brings meticulous care to his wines with old vines, low yields, old barrels and concrete fermenters all allow the grapes to speak of their terroir. Palladius is a blend of up to nine varieties, with Chenin Blanc dominating and adding freshness, from a multitude of old parcels and soil types.

Domaine Tempier comes from the Bandol region on the southern coast of France. Under family guidance since 1936, Lucien Peyraud is largely credited with establishing Bandol as as significant region in the South of France, and resurrecting Mourvedre as the key grape of the region. Up until that point, many Mourvedre vineyards were uprooted and replanted with higher yielding grape varieties.The Domaine Tempier Rosé is made from 50% Mourvedre, 28% Greneche, 19% Bourboulenc, and 3% Marsanne and boasts incredibly intense fruit with pronounced minerality while still being completely dry.