Bernoota was the original name of the Lake Breeze homestead and now the Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet is rightfully considered to be one of Australia's favourite Shiraz Cabernet blends. And they don't come much better than Bernoota for the price! Not only is it rich and luscious, filled with blackcurrant, spice and pepper, it has a touch of dark chocolate on the finish. The 2009 is a 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet blend and spends 20 months in a mixture of French and American Oak that will see the wine not only be enjoyable now, but develop beautifully in the bottle for a further 8 to 10 years.

No wonder Spain's El Bombero is a regular Top 10 favourite. For over 20 years, fans have sought it out for its winning combination of 15% power and velvety richness more usually associated with pricier reds such as the Rhône's Châteauneuf du Pape. It comes from Cariñena, a hot, arid region of Spain where sun-loving grapes like Garnacha (same as Châteauneuf's Grenache) achieve amazing ripeness. Ancient vines and a lack of rain means fewer grapes, which in turn means far more flavour intensity. Decanter magazine says it's home to some of the best value reds in the world, and we have to agree! From award winning winemaker Javier Domeque, El Bombero is packed with spicy black fruit and smooth, sumptuous tannins. Delicious on its own and a tasty choice for casseroles, full flavoured pasta dishes, herby roast sausages and mash, and, of course, barbecues.

Sun, clear air, cool elevated vineyards and great winemaking skills give Argentina all the ingredients for world class wines. Joanna Simon says: "As a wine country, Argentina has everything going for it" (The Sunday Times). The Waxed Bat is a triumphant creation from our good friend Opi Sadler, winner of two international Trophies to date, and winemaker at Andean Vineyards. The wine's name was inspired by memories of his grandfather's cellar - wine bottles sealed with heavy red wax and an occasional bat fluttering in the lamp light. Spicy, liquorice scented Shiraz, cassis laden Cabernet and dense Malbec create power and complexity. Smooth enough to drink on its own and terrific with spare ribs, steak or kebabs. Decant an hour in advance.

"Big and gold, lots of chocolaty plum fruit, cassis, tobacco, liquorice. An extremely polished effort" (Decanter World Wine Awards). The legendary Opi Sadler has triumphed again! His Waxed Bat Reserve edition had taken Gold and Platinum medals, then Best in Show Trophy at the highly prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards. That was beating 17,000 other wines from around the world. Perhaps it should be of no surprise when we know it has so much intense ripe black fruit and creamy oak. It clearly shows that Malbec and Cabernet from Argentina's high altitude Mendoza region is a match made in heaven. Even better when the wines are aged in barrel, too. It's a sumptuous mouthfilling red, smooth enough to drink solo but at its very best with garlic studded roast lamb, a juicy steak or a warming casserole. Decant early if you can.

Big Red El Bombero has been a top choice with customers for many years. And in seriously good vintages, like 2012, winemaker Javier Domeque crafts a sophisticated Gran Reserva version using the pick of the crop from his oldest vines. To qualify for Gran Reserva status, the wine was aged in oak for three years with further time in bottle prior to release. It's made entirely from Garnacha, an important component of many full bodied Spanish reds, and also of Châteauneuf du Pape from neighbouring France. At 14% vol, it's a touch less powerful than El Bombero itself but full of rich berry flavour and with delicious spicy complexity from American oak. The 2011 is perfect right now. Just decant for an hour and serve with roast shoulder of lamb.

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

This glorious, 91pt, FIVE-time Gold-medal claret comes from Ludovic Roussillon – who also co-owns a small property with the Thienpont family of legendary (and extraordinarily expensive) Château Le Pin. Bordeaux is where our story began 40 years ago...So we’ve plenty of friends, like Ludovic. His Château lies across the river from our exclusive cellar Le Chai au Quai. The soils here are rich in limestone and quick draining, which concentrates the rich flavours of the grapes. The result here is a lavishly rich and expressive wine that definitely impresses. We love it!