"A smart blend" (Halliday) with Golds, Platinum and 94-96pt scores. From the very gifted winemaker Elena Brooks. "Flavours skip through sour plum, wild raspberry, blackberry pastille, soft licorice, ground ginger, dark rye, mace and a certain tarriness, measured but robust tannins closing out. It’s a smart blend, pulpy, chewy, multi-layered and bursting with flavour. 95pts” (Marcus Ellis, The Halliday Wine Companion). "Rich and intense on the palate with loads of blue fruits and dark earth minerality... it rolls long and weighty with supple tannins ensuring the drive is clear, focused and very long. 95pts” Stuart Knox, The Real Review). Ken Gargett, WinePilot adds that it is "Stunning stuff... A silky palate, very long and seamless with soft and sleek tannins. An enticing style which is utterly delicious. 96pts".

David Joeky marries deep, black Durif and smooth spicy Shiraz to produce a darker, denser, profound red. As he says: “Magical things happen when Shiraz and Durif come together” . His Dark Corner bears that out to delicious perfection. The result? It's almost as dark as the corner in which it was made, a wine to stain your palate, and once tasted, you’ll be hooked. Ripe and mouthfilling, with blackberry, plum berry fruit and mocha flavours with a smooth, creamy texture

Help yourself to a big satisfying mouthful of dark fruit flavour with this moreish Durif, but the MO is more about momentum – the winemaker seizing the moment and riding the wave – and then enjoying the results when things align in their favour! Sip this big hearted Durif and you'll quickly get the idea.

"Oh boy, I really did love this wine. Despite now being seven years old, its ruby colour illustrates that there’s still a lot of life left in it. This is well and truly confirmed by the aromatics, which show an equal mix between primary and tertiary characters: blackberry, violets, raspberry, dried red and black fruits, dark chocolate, cigar box, and some well-integrated oak. The palate is glorious: silky, concentrated and vivid, with the alcohol never overwhelming but sitting firmly in the background. I also loved how it was great either to sip it by itself or to consume it with food (in my case, a juicy steak and roast veggies). I predict that with a bit more cellaring, the wine will improve even more." (Brendan Black, WinePilot). Sam Kim, Wine Orbit is also a fan "Complex and engaging, the wine shows dark berry, thyme, cured meat and roasted nut aromas on the nose, leading to a medium-full-bodied palate that's succulent and plump. Splendidly framed by grainy tannins, making it firm and sturdy with a persistent, structured finish. 93pts."

Take home a mighty Shiraz of concentration power and balance, from winemaker Chris Thomas, now part owner of Dowie Doole. It was founded in 1995 by Drew Dowie and Norm Doole, lon associated with grape growing in McLaren vale. Since 2015, it has been in the hands of Chief Winemaker Chris Thomas, who bought it from them with other investor friends. This is an archetypal McLaren vale Shiraz with dark fruit and chocolate, coffee, herbs and licorice.

One of the benchmarks of Barossa Shiraz, Peter Lehmann's Stonewell is a classic example of the rich concentrated old vine style. While bold on the palate, there is always an inherent complexity to the Stonewell that enables it to be compared with all of the great Australian wines produced today.

Inviting and complex aromatics welcome you into this wine; brambly, leafy notes backed up by deep dark fruit with subtle spice and char interplay on the nose. There is a deceptive density to this wine's aroma that hints at what lies beyond. The 2016 release builds on that breakthrough style - the wine shows plush generosity but there is a layering of flavours and complexity to this vintage that invites not just a second but third look. Generous, accessible primary fruit sits pretty up front but let the wine breathe and suddenly these dry, fine and lightly chewy tannins build on the back palate, lending a savoury edge to the dark fruit finish of this baby.

This is a single vineyard Merlot from Carl Lindners Lohner Vineyard, located in the cooler, wetter southern end of the Barossa which is well suited to growing Merlot. In the glass: Full deep red. On the nose: Dark berry, cassis and cedar.On the palate: Full-bodied with dark fruits balanced by a light leafy freshness. Firm, ripe tannins drive the coffee and anise-like finish.