The Hewett and Colton families sailed from England to Adelaide in 1839. Charles Hewitt moved to the Oxenberry farm site in 1840. The fruit for this appealing Shiraz is from the site where Hewet and William Colton planted McLaren Vale’s first vines, fed by a local freshwater spring. The Shiraz is beautifully crafted by McLaren Vale stalwarts, the Scarpantoni brothers, who back in 2007 won the highly prized Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show. Blackberries, plum, a chocolatey texture, with smooth tannins and a touch of savoury spice, means this suits many dishes from herby lamb to tomato pasta.

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. A soft and fleshy Shiraz boasting a lively palate of juicy red berry fruits, plum and spice, along with subtle chocolate and savoury characters from the oak maturation.

It's made by the talented John Quarisa, who has enjoyed a “distinguished career as a winemaker spanning over 20 years” (Halliday). John likes his wines to express big personality and juicy fruit and value for money – he’s certainly achieved that here! Ripe and round blackberries conspire with flavours of plum and cinnamon spice. On the palate, rich red berries and brewed coffee make for a very appealing wine.

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.

Bleasdale is “one of the most historic wineries in Australia ... in 2015 celebrating 165 years of continuous winemaking by the direct descendants of the founding Potts family.” (James Halliday). Last year, winemaker Paul Hotker, a “master blender” , was named Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year. This “clever” 96pt blend shows his skill and style. “Clever cabernet-dominant blend incorporating malbec, franc, merlot and petit verdot to great effect. Red and black fruited, leafy cabernet, fine savoury tannins, line and length to burn. Gold at the National Wine Show ‘17 speaks volumes ... 96pts” (Halliday).

Bleasdale is “one of the most historic wineries in Australia... in 2015 celebrating 165 years of continuous winemaking by the direct descendants of the founding Potts family.” (Halliday). Among many major awards, they’ve won the Jimmy Watson Trophy and they recently made the 2023 Shortlist for the Halliday Wine Companion's Best Value Winery. Winemaker Paul Hotker, a “master blender”, was named Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year 2018. This fine red is another example of why Langhorne Creek Shiraz is regarded by many as delivering Australia’s best-value reds, vintage after vintage. Intense aromas of blackberries, plums and Asian spice. Juicy dark fruits define the medium-to-full palate, with clove and liquorice notes dancing up back. Soft tannins.

Peter Lehmann was known as the ‘Baron of the Barossa’, was a member of the Order of Australia, was called “a legend in his own lifetime” (Halliday) and “the most famous man in the Australian wine business” (Matthew Jukes). Barossa Cabernet is lavishly dark and mouthfilling ... as you’ll see when you taste this luscious Gold-winning example. Classic, inky black colour with generous lashings of rich dark blackcurrant, forest fruits, chocolate with eucalypt mint and spice undertones.

Not many wines can boast 23 top Gold medals in six years, but that’s the triumphant haul for this claret, 2015 to 2020. It’s from a small estate in Saint-Germain du Puch, between Bordeaux and Saint-Emilion. The estate grows Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet on clay and limestone soils typical of the greater Saint-Emilion region. Owners Agnès and Alexandre Sueur and winemaker Gregory Dalla Longa make wines that reflect this special terroir and the unique character of each vintage. And Bordeaux 2020, with its long, warm summer, was certainly high quality. "Bordeaux has another terrific vintage on its hands with 2020" wrote Jeb Dunnock, "outstanding quality level" put Suckling. Decant at least an hour prior to serving it with roast lamb or duck.

In 1912, horse fanatic Joseph Osborn sold his stables and horses and bought the family the d'Arenberg estate in premium McLaren Vale. Joseph chose McLaren Vale as it has some of Australia's oldest vineyards, and with an array of soils and the cooling affect of the nearby ocean, it's ideal for vines. Winemaker today is sixth generation Chester Osborn. He continues the family tradition of treading the grapes by foot part way through fermentation. It certainly ensures plenty of dark colour, character and richness in the wines. You'll always spot a d'Arenberg wine with its bold red stripe on the label.

This beautifully mature 2017, has a Top Gold, 7 Golds and 96pts from Halliday. "Peter Lehmann's Margaret Semillon provides complex drinking and a length of flavour that many producers aspire to. It's a regional classic, and rightly so", as Dave Brooks writes in The Halliday Wine Companion, "All lemon butter spread on freshly toasted brioche with hints of soft spice, marzipan, wildflowers, crushed stone and drying fields. Dry, savoury, long and compelling. Some crustaceans and some of this and you are in a very good place. 96pts. Great Value.”