Rich and ripe, blueberry and chocolate flavours, tempered by savoury tannins and well balanced acidity. Pikes Wines is a beautiful location at Polish Hill River, near Sevenhill in the wonderful Clare Valley. With a history dating back to 1878, the Pike family has a past rooted in winemaking. Current custodians, Neil & Andrew form a formidable partnership creating wines that express terroir magnificently. Neil Pike grew up amongst his father, Edgars vineyards in Langhorne Creek and Padthaway . After doing a vintage in 1978 at Wynns Coonawarra he decided to study wine production and marketing at Roseworthy College. After he graduated in 1981, Neil worked as a winemaker making wine for several Clare Valley wineries before starting Pikes with brother Andrew in 1984. He has now completed 38 vintages in the Clare Valley. Andrew was introduced to the wine industry through his father Edgars vineyards in Langhorne Creek and Padthaway. Andrew attended Roseworthy Agricultural College, graduating in 1976 with a Diploma in Agriculture, and immediately joined Wynns Coonawarra Estate. After almost 4 years at Coonawarra, he joined Penfolds Wines in 1979 where he established a new vineyard project in the Clare Valley. The seeds for Pikes Wines were immediately sown, as he quickly realised Clares potential. Andrew become General Manger Vineyard Operations for the Southcorp Wine Group where he was responsible for over 6000 ha of corporate vineyard and all grape supply on a global basis. During this time he was also involved in the establishment of Pikes Wines in the Polish Hill River Valley sub region of Clare. In 1998 Andrew resigned his position at Southcorp to assist his brother Neil in the running of the Pikes family business.

Shows more traditional Australian brooding dark fruit character of blackcurrant, stewed cherry and satsuma plum on a backing of liquorice, spice and smoky, bacony oak. Black pepper is infused through the tannin, lending a distinctly savoury edge to the finish. Length is excellent. Luxury is affordable. The Lane Vineyard, near Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, is 400 metres above sea level. Shaped by this altitude and southerly latitudes the cooler climate is ideal for growing grapes destined to become wines of distinction, wines with impressive structure, minerality and natural acidity. North facing single vineyard sites maximize autumn sunlight for later ripening varietals, South facing sites favor aromatic whites and sparkling wines. Significant diurnal temperature variation during grape ripening is a distinguishing feature of this vineyard. Longer sunlight hours and temperate daytime temperatures contribute to intense fruit flavours while the sudden fall in evening temperature preserves natural acidity and structure.

Deep, dark red in colour. The nose is pure and unobstructed by newoak, lifted with dark fruit flavours of blackberry, chocmint, and anise. Dustings of white pepper spice, vanilla, and black olive tapenade provide an intriguing savoury counterpoint to the more primary fruit characters. On the palate is a concentrated, uscious rolling texture packed with fresh blackberry, dark chocolate and liquorice flavours. The wine is juicy and plush with silky tannins that linger, providing a drying, savoury finish.

The 2018 Shiraz is full of brambles and blue/black fruits with a spicy lift. Layers of brooding dark fruits, spice and savoury characters are framed in fine oak. The sinewy tannin profile pulls the wine through to a long and moreish finish.

Irvine Estate is home to Barossa vineyards that date back to 1867. The estate is famous for its majestic Merlot but Irvine Estate is sending ripples around the industry with its old-vine Shiraz as well. Indeed, an Irvine Shiraz impressed recently by winning a Trophy for the BEST Barossa Shiraz at the Barossa Valley Wine Show, ahead of BIG Barossa names like Teusner, Grant Burge, Peter Lehmann, St Hallett and Thorn Clarke! We’re especially thrilled to introduce Ruth’s Block Shiraz to you today because it is made exclusively for us. You won’t find it in any bottle shops. As our buyer Dan Parrott says, “Having a winery the calibre of Irvine make a wine just for us is a big deal. Mostly because they don’t need to. They already sell everything they make. So when Irvine agreed, it was mostly because they like us.” It’s nice to be liked! And it means some exceptional wines for you – at extraordinary prices. Like this one right here.

Allinda is a tiny Yarra Valley estate, and you won't find their wines in too many places, because the quantities are so small. But when you do find them, make sure you stock up, because they are really wonderful. This sumptuous Syrah really impresses with medium to full bodied intense ripe flavour and natural acidity. Ripeness of fruit in the warmish 2016 February has lifted the flavour profile into the mulberry and plum zone so expect less white pepper than other Yarra Valley Syrahs. Allinda has kept it simple with healthy soils, healthy vines, some of the better old school practices, a dash of modern technique and a whole lotta good old winemaking sense. High-quality boutique wine with stacks of Gold wins!

Angove is one of Australia's oldest family owned wineries, founded in 1886. They have access to some of the finest fruit in the 'big red' regions of South Australia's Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. This Barossa beauty is powerfully rich, plush, velvety and intense ... serve it with your finest cuts of meat.

"Coriole has earned its reputation as one of the blue-blood producers of McLaren Vale” (James Halliday). "What Coriole does better than any other McLaren Vale maker is to fashion wines of such balance and finesse ... equipped with the structure, balance and layers of fruit to unfold slowly” (Jeremy Oliver). We're not arguing with these fine critics! Clark Hill, named after the land on which the Coriole estate was built, is an impressively rich blend of lush Cabernet planted in 1988, and spicy Shiraz planted in 1969 when Coriole was set up. Savour subtle lavendar aromas and a melee of plum, cassis and redcurrant flavours lifted by elegant, exotic spice.