Most of the Pinot Noir grown in Australia can trace their lineage back to a single block of clone MV6 Mothervine, directly in front of the Mount Pleasant wineworks. A mix of whole bunches and stemmed grapes are all selectively hand picked and cold soaked over several days for a wild indigenous yeast ferment, followed by a press into a selection of seasoned and new French oak puncheons for malolactic and ten months maturation. Perfumed of violets, redolent and ripe, a beautifully structured style of gentle fruit tannins, sassafras, sen sen and spice.

Maurice O'Shea Shiraz is made from vines over a hundred and twenty years of age, planted by the estate's original proprietor, Charles King. A smaller portion is sourced from eighty years old rootstock on the adjoining Old Paddock Vineyard, planted by legendary winemaker Maurice O'Shea, who recognised the special characteristics and longevity of Hunter Valley wines. One of the nation's great wines, Maurice O'Shea once outscored Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace to be the highest rating Shiraz in the Halliday Wine Companion.

Indentifiably Hunter Valley Shiraz from a number of well sheltered, higher altitude paddocks under the lee of Brokenback ranges. Fruit is destemmed into traditional open top fermenters for a fortnight's vinification, pressed into a mix of seasoned and new larger format French oak barrels and aged for fifteen months. A subtley structured style of elegant dark licorice fruit characters, seasoned by cinnamon and varietal black pepper, its silky mouthfeel, balance and length are supported by soft velvety tannins and framed by a delicacy of gentle nutmeg, carob oak.

Moppity are all about good wine from good fruit, selection of site is paramount and uncompromising standards of viticulture are essential. Lock & Key have embarrassed some pretty big names at conspicuous national wine show competitions, establishing Hilltops as the rising star growing appellation for Australian Shiraz. A rich, totally mouth filling wine with a deep, dark colour that's characteristic of Hilltops Shiraz. The palate is intense and concentrated, with loads of ripe dark berry, pepper and spiced cherry plum flavours.

Moppity have claimed many conspicuous accolades at national wine shows and international competitions. Their property sits at the highest elevation of the Hilltops region, its distinguished vines are among the eldest in the area, the source of fruit for many memorable vintages including the 2009 Jimmy Watson winner. Lock & Key is Moppity's entry level effort, a pure single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from mature, low yielding vines, fashioned to be approachable and satisfying for early drinking.

As the name suggests, Montage is an assemblage of varietals, brought together to produce flavoursome fruit driven wines which accompany good food, perfectly. Montage impresses as the perfect partner to fine faire.

The development of the Riverina as a major winegrowing region was primarily due to the foresight of the McWilliam family. The estate's founder was greatly impressed by the soil profiles and access to irrigation. From bountiful vineyards within the McWilliam's portfolio of premium viticultural assets, the team has assembled a forward drinking Shiraz Cabernet wine with rich ripe fruit flavours and malleable tannins. Inheritance finishes long and lingering, the perfect accompaniement to grills and red wine sauté.

McWilliam's inject a degree of excellence into all their production regardless of pricepoint. The winemaking team focuses on applying generations of accumulated expertise towards their expanse of vineyards in a manner that few other operations across the country can mobilize. Inheritance is fashioned to be approachable to all, an affable and flavoursome Cabernet Marlot that's built for immediate enjoyment, innately food friendly, simply splendid with bolognaise.

Peter Robertson was a Lancaster gunner during World War II. Over the course of thirty missions, he was introduced to wine by his pilot, John Seppelt of Great Western. Robertson turned to farming after the war and planted the Hilltops first vines in 1969. Robertson's Barwang property has since produced some of the most memorable vintages. Parcels from two elite blocks are vinified into a richly concentrated, classically structured Cabernet Sauvignon, showing great length of black fruit flavours, olives, currants and eucalypt, over a structure of elegant oak and sound tannins, a wine of opulence and grace.

In commemoration of the year Samual McWilliams planted his first vines, 1877 is a national flagship, crafted from the best fruit of vintage. The choicest parcels of estate grown Shiraz are sourced from superior mature vines on the original McWilliams plantings at Barwang among the Hilltops. Since inaugural release, 1877 has accumulated a breathtaking list of wine show trophy wins and countless gold medals. A wine of immense power and drive, its refined line of tannin holding it all together in an act of balance and precision.

Rich and flavoursome red wines continue to be an Australian favourite, McGuigan excel at delivering, year in and year out. The first thing you notice about Black Label are the lovely berry and spice aromas, followed by a generous palate of ripe red/ black fruit characters and tender tannins. Black Label is nicely balanced with splendid concentration and persistence of flavour.

There's never very much of it around but Hunter Valley Shiraz commands respect, as much for its personable regionality as its esoteric, epicurean appeal. Dr Lindeman planted his first Shiraz in 1843, labelling it Cawarra Claret for export to Europe and the Empire, where it claimed honours at the prestigious competitions of London and Paris. The legacy of some great old vineyards endures, crafted to the timeless Hunter Valley style, elegant with savoury fruit over a structure of lithe tannins, cosseted by a veneer of refined and polished oak.

Excellent Langtons Classification. How good are these guys? Only two wines are made, one white and one red, found on the world's most discerning winelists, including France's prestigious Freres Troisgros. The first and one of the most famous of Australia's small batch boutique wineries, with an enviable reputation for exceptional quality and remarkable style. Old vines, low yields and impeccable quality of fruit. A distinguished Hunter Valley site, traditional vinification and French oak, in Lakes Folly you have a pure and exclusive single vineyard wine.

From the earliest days of viticulture, farmhands would prune vines each winter to ensure a good crop of grapes the following season. They discovered that meats grilled over the discarded canes acquired a unique, slightly sweet smoky flavour. All across Europe, the burning of vine canes became a midwinter festival. The team at Hungerford Hill have revived this ancient tradition, a celebration of the synergy between barbeques and good wine, Vinefire makes the perfect match to grilled meats and seafood, seared vegetables or fried rice.

Cabernet Sauvignon has always been a speciality of Helm. A trip to Bordeaux inspired winemaker Ken Helm and grower Al Lustenburger to perfect the most profound constructs of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Canberra district is perfectly suited to growing this noble grape, as the mesoclimes, so similar to those of Bordeaux, are influenced by trade winds during summer which carry a whiff of sea salt and stimulate the vines. Helm's inaugural vintage immediately attracted praise from the industry press and claimed significant wine show awards.

The Canberra district is well known for its temperate climes, briskly invigorated by the salty ocean breezes known as Bateman's breath, its surrounds are so very similar to the venerable viticultures of Bordeaux. Ken Helm planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines here in 1973, coddled since establishment and husbanded by Helm, they yield the most exquisite harvests. An old world style of winemaking encourages the fruit to speak for itself. Matured two years in a luxuriously high proportion of new French oak, a bed of firm ripe tannins underpin a compelling construct of our nation's, most capital Cabernet.

The most sensational harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon that Helm have countenanced in over four decades, assembled around a fifth of superior block Canberra Shiraz. A gentle, traditional, minimalist approach to vinification encourages the quality of fruit to speak for itself. The timeless and enduring Aussie accord, albeit in a very Canberra way, Cabernet provides elegance and structure, Shiraz populates the palate with an intensity of blackberry characters and piquant, peppery plum.

Hardy Wines command an impressive array of viticultural assets throughout Australia from which to allocate the right fruit for each unique winestyle. Hardys have developed vineyards that are highly specialized to yield grapes exclusively trained and husbanded for a non preservative wine. Focusing on ripe and healthy, highly flavoured Cabernet fruit grown to the sultry microclimes of Riverland and the Riverina, Hardys have fashioned a scrumptuous wine without the use of any additives, purely for the purpose of enjoying good Australian Cabernet without additives.

A solidly fruit focused, complex Shiraz Viognier, with a tot of Durif providing Je Ne Sais Quoi. Dry, arid conditions prevailed around southeast Australia's winegrowing regions, yet below average temperatures were experienced – very similar to the conditions of the classic 2002 vintage. The result was a refined and delicately flavoured Shiraz Viognier, with amazing depth of flavour and virility. 27.6% Hilltops, 25.7% Limestone Coast, 12.9% Heathcote, 11.4% Orange, 7.8% Riverina, 6.1% Barossa Valley, 3.1% Eden Valley, 3.1% Fleurieu, 2.3% Yarra Valley.

Established 1917 amongst the unique agricultural landscapes which form the environs of Griffith, Hanwood Estate stands today as a pillar of winemaking excellence, passionate about making wines of distinction. Within the expanse of operations at Hanwood lies a small winemaking facility, dedicated to handling minimal amounts of the choicest fruit, treated to state of the art vinification techniques and traditional standards of excellence. Hanwood assembles the pick of Shiraz from local vineyards, Heathcote and Gundagai, Hilltops and the Coonawarra.

McWilliam's extensive vineyard resources translate into wines which are consistent in quality and style from year to year. Hanwood Estate fashions tightly fruit focused, complex wines with great structure and superb integration. The highly awarded winemaking team reaches out from Hanwod's environs along the Riverina to assemble grapes from sites trained to yield small, intensely flavoured berries which can be vinified into a stylish effort that's highly representative of the great Australian tradition of mouthfilling Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

From a parcel of old Touriga Nacional vines on Block 13 of Farm 130. Grapes are carefully de stemmed for three days of cold soak, vinified through the action of natural yeasts and hand plunged thrice daily over a week of ferments, pressed and settled into seasoned French oak for fifteen months maturation. A juicy style characterised by red cherry and violet perfumes, juicy red berry characters within a light, fragrant structure dominated by its freshness and roundness of palate, a supple red wine showing great purity of fruit over a smooth length of fine savoury tannins.

Crafted from a single parcel of Durif at Block 2609 on Delves Farm, yields are low, the tiny berries are intense with flavour and wrapped in ripe juicy tannins. Grapes are de stemmed and inoculated, plunged thrice daily over a week of ferments, pressed and settled into seasoned French oak barrels for fifteen months maturation. A mouthfilling wine of black cherry and blood plum characters, dark chocolates and spice, full bodied and seductive, its structured Durif tannins in support of a mouth filling, savoury fruit driven palate, defined by its linearity, persistence and drive.

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.

Grove Estate became the go to vineyard for esteemed national brands on the hunt for stellar quality Hilltops Shiraz, some very choice parcels of Grove Estate found their way into the winner of the Finest Australian Shiraz Trophy. Immediately identified by early settlers who planted vineyards and made great wine, the Hilltops are renowned for a unique confluence of superior winegrowing aspects. The region's elevated altitudes and slow ripening climes encourage the sultry Shiraz to develop luscious fruit esters and piquantly spiced, milled pepper characters.

New South Wales Hilltops breed a very special style of Cabernet, structured and well endowed, a slightly more savoury palate with brooding bouquets, ripe and ready for early appreciation. Grove Estate played an important role in the development of Hilltops as a significant Cabernet Sauvignon growing region, supplying much of the finest fruit to esteemed national brands before establishing their own label. Fragrant of cocoa curls and melty Swiss chocolate around currants and black bramble, exquisitely balanced along a long line of refined, affable tannins.

A decidedly cold climate style of Shiraz from some of the chilliest terroirs in the land. Its piquantly spiced black pepper nose, blackberry bouquets and winsome floral notes, waft on to a palate of sweetly dark berry flavours, medium bodied Rhone style of delightfully chewy tannins and persistent brambleberry acidity, resolving on a long savoury finish.

The fruit of choice blocks from two superior vineyards are treated to a regimen of old world techniques, including whole bunch and small batch ferments through the action of wild indigenous yeasts. A redolent Pinot Noir of fragrant red licorice and lifted spice notes, bright blue plum and red fruit flavours, apples and briar over a long velvety palate, dressed in a negligee of smooth velvetine tannins.

From the home of the 2009 Jimmy Watson, just twenty kilometres outside of Canberra. The team at Eden Road operate a single estate vineyard at Murrumbatema, they also collaborate with leading local growers and retain access to the finest harvests in the greater Hilltops region. The aim at Eden Road is to take a highly exacting approach to the winemakers art, subjecting samples of candidate parcels to a scientific analysis, while endeavouring to work the fruit in a way that's gentle and unobtrusive, for the realization of articulate, high country wines.

De Bortoli have the winning touch with the more obscure and esoteric varietal grapes, by virtue of an impeccable attention to detail and consuming passion to make good wine. Petit Verdot is a thick skinned, late ripening grape, which is often included in Bordeaux styled reds. It thrives under the warmth of the Riverina sun and produces a solid wine with rich bramble flavours and swarthy tannins. A match to sauced lamb and flavoursome, juicy casseroled meat dishes.