Xanadu Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is vibrant and robust with great balance from the bouquet of ripe forest fruits and violet on the nose; A refined structure of tannins, oak use and the acidity on the palate; All are great indications of a wine that would benefit from careful bottle maturation for many years to come.

Cape Mentelle has a rich history of exceptional quality and consistency with Cabernet Sauvignon, from a pioneering producer in Margaret River in the early 1970s to a benchmark winery today. A full-bodied wine with intense blue and black berry preserves on entry, followed by tobacco, savoury and gamey layers, all framed by firm, ripe tannins creating a complex wine of length.

Château Lafleur is a tiny 4.5-hectare Pomerol property located opposite Pétrus and producing wines of comparable quality. It is owned and run by Sylvie and Jacques Guinadeau. While the majority of great Bordeaux châteaux have changed hands over the past several generations, Château Lafleur remains in the same family hands to this day. Its vineyards are situated on the gravel-rich Pomerol plateau and adjoin those of La Fleur-Pétrus. The soils here are particularly deep and are enriched by deposits of potassium and iron. Only natural fertilisers are used and yields are painfully low, even by Pomerol standards. Lafleur's wine is typically a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%). It is aged in small oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months. Wines from Lafleur display a spectacularly intense perfume (partly attributable to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend) and display layers and layers of concentrated, black fruits, minerals, tobacco spices and creamy liquorice on the palate. The best vintages can last for up to 50 years.

Paringa Estate Estate Chardonnay Mornington Peninsula The fruit for the Estate Chardonnay is sourced from low yielding estate vineyards, some of which are over thirty years old. Constant attention to detail in the vineyard and vine maturity produces fruit of outstanding quality. The fruit is handpicked, whole-bunch pressed, and the unclarified juice is fermented in new (approx 30%) and one-year-old French oak puncheons and barriques. Less stirring in barrel builds weight and complexity. Typically, the wine does not go through malolactic fermentation. Shop Paringa

A different expression altogether sans the benefit of bottle age. Youthful. Zesty. Punchy. As filigreed of talcy acidity and fine boned as the rest of the crew, this is guava, lemon grass and sherbet, teeming along a line of candied citrus chew. The wine will blossom in the medium term, but will not shy away from some aged furrows and complexity. Alcohol: 12%. Closure: screwcap. Date tasted: Jan 2018. Drink by: 2029. Price: $35. Rating: 94/100.