The savoury and smooth Tempranillo is complimented by thespicy fruit and structure of Graciano. The resultant wine has greater intensity, depth and length.

John Quarisa, aka Johnny Q, is a terrific winemaker, creating wines that, like him, can be lively and highly charged. In his Caravan wine series, he likes to think of a grape that changes in style as it travels. So that here, Sauvignon Blanc grown in his Riverina vineyards produces a wine still with loads of grassy fresh zip, but along the way, has developed more tropical fruit flavours too. That is peach, pineapple and passionfruit! He insists on night harvested grapes to ensure lots of bright fresh flavours and cool ferments them for the same reason. This wine previously won a Gold medal and we think the 2021 vintage is tasting just as good – it's a fridge-door-must! Chill down and enjoy as a glass on its own or with spicy Thai dishes.

Sevenhill was originally set up in 1851 when the Jesuits who settled in the area planted the Clare Valley’s first vines to produce sacramental wine. The estate’s wines, along with its old stone winery, stately St Aloysius’ Church, College building and spacious gardens has made the Sevenhill name famous. So much so that they have recently won the Gourmet Traveller Award for best Large Cellar Door in the Clare Valley! Ray Jordan gives their 2021 Malbec a solid 92pts, "Malbec is a variety that does rather well in Clare, especially as a major blending component with cabernet. Still this one does it solo, and it does it well. Lots of the distinctive red floral fruits on the nose have that stamp of malbec. Bright and alive on a high energy palate with plenty of ripe red fruit characters with chalky tannins and understated oak in support."

The roots of Sevenhill Cellars go all the way back to the 16th century when a young Spanish courtier called Inigo swapped a life of violence for one dedicated to helping others and co-founded the religious order we know today as the Jesuits. He mistakenly thought the Latin translation of his name was Ignatius and hundreds of years later, the more well-known St Ignatius has stuck fast. Fast forward to Adelaide in 1848, where Jesuit priests struck out North with a group of over 100 German and Silesian migrants. Amid the beautiful rolling hills of the Clare Valley is where they decided to settle and, after purchasing 100 acres of land in 1849, the young priest named the property Sevenhill in honour of the seven hills of Rome. This Riesling enjoys a bright aroma of lime, citrus, mineral and orange blossom. The palate is finely structured with gentle citrus and nectarine fruit flavours, crisp acidity and a clean balanced finish.

The estate today known as Crabtree Watervale Wines was originally founded in 1849 and was originally named “Pomona”, a well respected orchard during the late 1800’s growing apples, plums, pears and currants. Over the last century or so, the fruit trees were replaced with vines and contemporary lovers of quality Clare Valley wine can taste the rewards. From vines up to 40 years old in Watervale, this is classic Clare: lemon zest, limes and a hint of jasmine on the nose, with juicy concentrated citrus flavours. The Crabtree Riesling is finely textured and certainly overdelivers on value.