John Quarisa has been variously described as a “magician” and a “sorcerer” by Halliday. His wines do have a magic knack of winning Gold. His secret? Over 20 years of experience as a winemaker and wine judge – and a great attitude. As John says, “you just can’t take life too seriously”. His ‘Enchanted Tree’ Shiraz certainly has the magic Midas touch, winning a rare Double Gold. It's dark and sumptuous, with silky raspberry and plum flavours, with a dash of creamy oak and lovely sweet spice.

Glittering with plum and red berry fruit, a lovely splash of exotic spice, deliciously soft and smooth tannins ... this is like being given a big, comforting hug from someone you love. Beautiful stuff!

The Pike brothers established Pikes winery in the Polish Hill sub-region of the Clare Valley in 1984, renovating an old stone shearing shed to house their winery and cellar door. Neil is the veteran winemaker (he’s done 38 vintages in Clare); Andrew the seasoned viticulturist (he spent 22 years working for big names like Wynn’s Coonawarra and Southcorp before establishing Pikes). Together they turn out formidable wines that earn plenty of show medals and critical acclaim. Their richly textured 2017 'Wilfred's Block' really is magnificent. A definitive Australian blend of inky, slatey Cabernet and sumptuous, spicy Shiraz, it’s a contemplative wine – the layers of flavour will reveal themselves slowly – and perfect for winter sipping. It will cellar well until 2032, but is still drinking beautifully now. Decant, pour into big glasses, and savour with good food and good friends.

Langhorne Creek enjoys legendary status in the wine industry because its powerful, distinctive fruit has been the ‘secret weapon’ in many Jimmy Watson winning wines. This lavish Reserve Shiraz shows the region's power and complexity. Rich in flavour and character, it has vibrantly rich fruit (plum, blackberry, boysenberry and raspberry), exotic spice, and the famous Langhorne Creek softness and plushness . Supple, fine-grained tannins and a hint of coconut oak finishes it off beautifully.

This limited-edition label, inspired by Taylors Wines very first release, celebrates both the heritage and the commitment of three generations of the Taylor family's dedication to making fine Australian wine. This wine shows ample varietal blackcurrant flavour seasoned with some attractive sweet oak. The tannins are firm but nicely in balance.

Michael Fragos grew up in McLaren Vale, and spent 14 years at Tatachilla before taking over at Chapel Hill in 2004. A three-time ‘Bushing King’, Michael has also been named best winemaker on the planet! James Halliday notes that his “wine quality is unfailingly excellent” . This one has an expressive nose of blackcurrant, bay leaf cigar box and chocolate. The palate is medium to full-bodied, beautifully structured, with a powerful complexity, fine-grained tannins, velvety texture and long, long finish.

The unstoppable John Quarisa really is unstoppable! He has been variously described as a “magician” and “a sorcerer” by Halliday. His wines do have a magic knack of winning Gold. His secret? Over 20 years of experience as a winemaker and wine judge – and a great attitude. As John says, “you just can’t take life too seriously” . Today, taste his Double Gold-winning ‘Enchanted Tree’ Cabernet. It's juicy and rich, with delicious dark plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, and subtle eucalypt and mint. The tannins are fine and smooth... a little bit of magic in the glass!

This is delicious, a beautifully layered and lively red. Here's the tasting note from Bleasdale – complete with a terrific occasion-match (as opposed to a food-match! "Medium weight red wine with lifted blueberry fruit and cherry cola notes, wild thyme, savoury & earthy characters. Depth and personality from the Shiraz with notes of rain on hot gravel, clove and citrus. Rich fruit flavour with a fine chalky finish. Perfect when watching a summer thunderstorm..."

After enjoying a “distinguished career as a winemaker spanning over 20 years, working for some of Australia’s largest wineries” (Halliday), John Quarisa is making his own wines – his own way. The result? Mile upon mile of excellent wines that continue to win Gold!