Welcome to the final word in libatious indulgence, the artisanal exploit of an ancient technique which concentrates fruit into a wine of remarkable intensity. This is Amarone country, where the traditional grapes of Valpolicella Classica, Corvina, Rondinella e Molinara, are spread out on bamboo racks in winter, appassimento style, to air dry the berries into little treasures bursting with flavours and perfume. Its opaque ruby colour precedes an unctuous palate of plum and cherry syrup richness, seasoned by curls of cocoa and coffee oak.

The exclusive mix of indigenous Veneto grapes, Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, made to the extravagant Amarone technique, articulating the wanton intensity of the Super Venetian style. Masi were at the very genesis of the commercialization of appassimento, a painstaking process of concentrating the flavours and natural fruit sugars in grapes as they dry under the Veneto sun, achieving a powerful red wine of heightened opulence and amazing richness. Its heady perfumes presage a velvety palate, layered with dulcet dark fruit.

MASI vinifies a modern style of red from an assemblage of traditional Veronese grapes, mostly Corvina with a lesser component of Rondinella and minor portion of Molinara. MASI drinks well with many dishes, from grilled meats to pasta. Bonacosta refers to the area at the foot of the slopes where MASI grow grapes for Amarone. The gentle aspects are endowed with rich top soils, as the vines are rejuvenated by soft valley breezes which stimulate the fruit to develop vital flavours and cozy tannins.

A sensational accord of two stately arcadian varietals which coalesce into a dulcet harmony of sweet, savoury and spiced red winegum characters. Grapes are all hand picked and de stemmed, crushed and traditionally fermented in open top vessels, followed by a year's maturation in a mix of well seasoned French oak hogsheads. Shiraz bring the bouquet forward with spicy peppered currant notes, the palate brimming with crunchy berry fruits, Barbera contributes a measure of juicy, cherry brightness, taut acid backbone and wonderfully seamless structure.

Longview practice a highly personal style of viticulture, each parcel is managed as aseparaete little vineyard, every vine is uniquely husbanded, to create wines of complexity, seamlessnes and exquisite balance. From four distinct clones of Nebbiolo, planted to four separate blocks throughout the Longview property, hand picked, de stemmed and crushed for a clean, low phenolic ferment. Vibrant salmon pink, fragrant of orange peel, musk and ripe peac, the palate bursts with raspberry and maraschino, finishing savoury, refreshing and dry, unmistakably a blush hued Nebbiolo.

Situated among some of the most picturesque vineyard country, Longview's salubrious southerly vistas are leading the charge of contemporarily styled Adelaide Hills reds, drawing international critical acclaim and a swag of awards. Longview make wine the way nature intended, as an expresssion of the soil and season in which they are cast. Nebbiolo in the Vino Novello style, redolent of fragrant florals and fashioned for early drinking, the perfect suitor to rosemary lamb, duck breast in berry jus or Italian style sheperd's pie with oven dried tomatoes and basil eggplant. Yum.

Kennedy is all about fastidious viticulture, pruning is painstakingly applied, to husband vines which are perfectly balanced for yields of evenly ripened fruit. Each separate parcel is hand picked over the course of several days, de stemmed into small open vessels for indigenous yeast ferments and a course of gentle plunging, pressed to oak and treated to a natural malolactic during the spring. Only the best barrels are selected for the Kennedy estate label, assembled and matured for a year in a selection of the finest French oak barriques.

Mostly Nebbiolo with judicious measures of Sangiovese, Primitivo and Barbera, vinified through the actions of wild yeasts, sent to a repose of seasoned oak for a languid course of cordial integration and timely age. Do these evocative Italians really mix? Indeed they do but it takes the craft and guile of a highly accomplished team to introduce equity and to coalesce the accord into a whole that's so much greater than the sum of parts. Fashioned in the old world way to accompany piquant, fire roasted vegetable recipes or the comfort of succulently braised meats.

The noble varietal grape of Tuscany and essence of the rich Chianti blends, sassy Sangiovese requires special care in the making. Selection of soils and of clone, aspects and microclimate, all play a significant role in unlocking the inimitable mix of fruit characters within this evocative grape. Gracebrook is a product of passion and skill in the vinification. The aim is to preserve the innate qualities of chewy tannins and titillating spice, to retain the masculine nose and muscular palate in a fruit driven style that has made King Valley famous for wine.

Heir to a family tradition of dedicated vignerons who treat their vines with devotion, the soil with reverence and environment with utmost respect. A place of superior fertility and favourable climes, the Nebbiolo of La Morra are renowned for their fuller, complete ripeness, grace and finesse. The pick of estate grown fruit is treated to the extravagance of two long years in mostly new 500L French aok puncheons. A beautifully detailed wine in the tradtion of all grand Barolo, saturated with layers of sweet and savoury fruit, engaging and complex, elegant and refined, over a length of opaque, brooding tannins.

Sangiovese and McLaren Vale share a great affinity, a home away from home for the vines, stimulated by the sultry Mediterranean climes around Gulf St Vincent. Geoff Merrill's grandfather grew up amongst the pastorals of old Italy, he would wax poetic about the delights of Tuscan wine and ultimately inspired Merrill to plant Sangiovese. Treated to a lavish thirty two months in American and French oak puncheons, followed by an extended term in bottle, Joseph Cilento has evolved into a more elegant, European style, commendable with Cotoletta, ideal with Agnello.

Gapsted winemaker Michael Cope-Williams samples a myriad of candidate wines each vintage, to consider the option of Rosé styles. Five different wines from five unique varietals are made in the preparation of Ballerina Canopy Rose. In the end it is a balanced alliance between the parched dryness of Spain and savoury fruitiness of Italy, the torrid spice of the sun drenched Tempranillo marries beautifully with the cherry ripe of Sangiovese.

After six centuries of viticulture, the Mazzei family remains committed to Tuscan viticulture and fine Chianti. The personality and clonal composition of their Sangiovese has evolved and been perfected over generations through an ongoing discipline of research and innovation. Parcels of fruit grown to the Fonterutoli and Belvedere vineyards each contribute unique characteristics to the finished Chianti Classico. Mostly Sangiovese with the inclusions of Malvasia Nera, Colorino and Merlot, assembled into an elegant, fruit filled wine supported by malleable, drying tannins.