Shiraz and Grenache are erstwhile mates which are often paired for fashioning into a well structured, Rhone styled red. Gapsted retain some of the finest Dolcetto vineyards in Australia, the name of the grape is Italian for sweet, it makes a delicious match with Shiraz and Grenache, textural, seamless and soft, with a titillating sprinkle of spice. An amazing refresher when served slightly chilled, revitalizing as aperitif, the red wine of choice to accompany pork fennel sausages and applesauce, mozzarella lasagne or mushroom gruyere pie.

An assemblage of King Valley fruit, some parcels acquire their individuality in the vineyard, while others develop their charm in the vinification and ageing. Previous vintages have claimed conspicuous accolades including a silver medal at the prestigious London International. Much of the fruit is sourced from eminent sites around Whitfield in King Valley, not far from the Gapsted wineworks. Growing conditions can be close to perfect in these higher altitudes and the team make it a priority to capture and preserve the exceptional quality of Shiraz.

Gapsted have taken the opportunity to acquire superior harvests, grown to the upper and middle reaches of Valley King, constructing a Cabernet Sauvignon of wonderful warmth, integrity and charm. A component of exquisite Barossa fruit contributes comforting chocolatey richness, a precious parcel from a choice site in Heathcote adds palate weight and splendid savouryness. A whole that's greater than the sum of parts, suede textural mouthfeel, generosity of fruit and sound structure, finishing in precisely the right direction.

Gapsted are real wines made by real people, a partnership between dedicated viticulturalists and a distinguished winemaking team. The propitious compact means that everything by Gapsted carries the signature and personality of the people involved, the charm of small vineyards and influence of choice microclimes. The labour of love and passion by mates who share a desire to create appealing and personable wines, Tobacco Road is a compelling example of high country Merlot, endowed by ripe red fruit flavours and supported by well structured tannins.

Yalumba have been making the Galway range of wines since the 1940s, named in honour of Colonel Sir Henry L. Galway, governor of South Australia from 1914 to 1920. He was a keen wine man with a good palate and was a regular visitor to the Yalumba wineworks at Angaston. Success with the early editions of Galway were the foundation upon which Yalumba built it's peerless reputation for fine Barossa reds. Galway is still made to the enduring traditional style with rich colour, distinctive spicy fruit and perfectly integrated oak, balanced and elegant.

Galli's Camelback vineyard, situated northeast of the Heathcote township, enjoys a warmer clime, and the rainfall is always very limited. Growing seasons are normally dry with relatively even temperature ranges during veraison. Shiraz wines from this vineyard are delightfully flavoursome with earthy notes and a finely structured palate of some elegance, distinctive varietal character and sturdy tannins.

Freycinet Vineyard lies on a namesake peninsula in northeast Tasmania. Situated on the 42nd latitude, the property enjoys a unique microclimate. The long growing season extends into May, combining much sunshine and warm days, winter rains with no frosts, ideal for the production of excellent quality cool climate fruit. The vineyard sits a hundred metres above sea level, at a distance of twenty kilometres from the coast, the climes here are very maritime. At harvest the grapes are bursting with flavour.

Such are the favourable microclimes around Tasmania for the production of world class Pinot Noir, that they have attracted the interest and investment of some of the great Maisons of Burgundy. The soils that lay beneath the vines at Freycinet are terre extraordinaire, it works closely with the low altitudes, idyllic conditions and refreshing maritime winds, to encourage the vines into yielding the most extraordinary harvests of Pinot Noir. Louis brims with splendid cool climate characters, impressive for it's burgundian styling, while being unambiguously Tasmanian.

Freycinet Vineyard is situated on Tasmania's sunny eastern coast, approximately halfway between Launceston and Hobart. The philosophy is to keep things simple, to make a wine as big and as beautiful as possible, to allow the fruit of the vineyard to express itself with little human influence. Vines were established 1980 and yield limited harvests of the most intense fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Franc are treated to the extravagance of eighteen months French oak, for a succulent Medoc style, redolent of black currant and bramble, olives, herb and cedar perfumes.

Inspired by the great Crus of Bordeaux, the aim is to build complexity within a single vineyard wine, to allow the fruit to shine, as complemented by the finest oak, a Cabernet of profound structure, polish and finesse. The inclusion of small portions Merlot and Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, are treated to a regimen of cutting edge and old world vinification techniques. Fraser Gallop's superlative Cabernet vines are the highly regarded Houghton clone, sourced off unirrigated blocks yielding fruit with a massive concentration of flavours.

Fraser Gallop have successfully tamed the assertive tannins of sanguine Margaret River Cabernet with the inherent palate richness of the gentler Merlot. From unirrigated blocks yielding concentrated fruit, treated to the latest Turbo pigeur technologie from France, a lavish process which can pump whole intact grapes without grinding pulp and skins, leading to better homogenisation and extraction, translating into a wine of great vigor. Offers the structure for extended cellaring if you can resist it's abundant charms today.

Isolation Ridge are part of a larger wool growing enterprise. The decision to diversify the farm and plant vines came after a tour of French vineyards and two vintages worked at Bordeaux's Chateau Senejac. The Isolation Ridge vineyard is managed to organic viticultural practices which is reflected in the depth and concentration and palate weight of the finished wine. An elegant, tightly knit Shiraz wine that unfolds to reveal opulent flavours and savoury stylishness, the fruit of meticulous care in the vineyard and winery.

Hand tended vines yielding harvests of hand sorted fruit to be vinified into hand made wines is the Foxey's Hangout way. After two decades of operating award winning Melbourne restaurants, Michael and Tony Lee followed their hearts to a property on Merricks North near the conspicuous Mornington junction at Foxeys Hangout. The brothers planted their first vines in 1997 and later assumed management of the eminent Massoni Vineyard. Red Fox is crafted by the Lee Brothers to be eminently drinkable upon release, in the most profoundly Mornington Pinot Noir way.

An accord of three very different parcels of superior McLaren Vale vineyard, vinified on skins for a week and a half in traditional open vats, followed by transfer to a selection of seasoned and new French oak barrels for completion of malolactic and eighteen months maturation. The individual Blocks of Cabernet were cannily shifted between different cooperages of oak to impart layers of flavour and enhance structure, the final assemblage is a judicious draught of vineyard parcels to achieve layers of flavour and opulent tannin profile.

Short Row is crafted from harvests of intensely flavoured Shiraz grapes, sourced off the best McLaren Vale blocks and from Fox Creek 's own short rows of vine, adjacent to the estate cellars. Short Row boasts an illustrious history of wine show triumphs ever since inaugural release. Endowed with rich and powerful aromas, an amazing palate of blackberry fruit, toast and sweet red berries, all wrapped in velvety soft tannins, culminating with a long and dry, flavoursome finish. The classic McLaren Vale style, it responds well to a course of decanting.

Excellent Langtons Classification. An eminent performer on the international wine show circuit, one of the nation's most celebrated Shiraz, the best of McLaren Vale. Fox Creek Reserve is assembled from a ruthless barrel cull of the best parcels to come out of each vintage. Offering great weight of fruit on the palate, an extraordinary range of flavours, the finish is long and legendary. Highly cellarable yet fully approachable when young, a Shiraz of great purity and unequivocally fine acidity, decanting and breathing are a must.

The Baron is back, gladly exchanging his bright red triplane for a bottle or two of good red wine. This suave Shiraz is crafted from some of the best Fox Creek estate grown fruit, much in the same way as the eponymous flying ace took out his pick of prey in the skies over France. A smooth, satisfying effort by one of Mclaren Vale's baronial winemaking estates, rich in character, distinctive in style and silky in texture, guaranteed to charm and to captivate. Introduce the Baron to barbequed scotch fillets or a potato crusted meatball pie.

Physicians traditionally harbour a penchant for good red wine. Their analytic skills come in handy when it comes to choosing a site and establishing McLaren Vale vines. Meet the Fox Creek's bespoke elixir for good health and happy life, the perfumed lift of Grenache, juicy red berry fruits, Shiraz for fleshy plum and spice, old vine tannins for elegance and structure. Mourvedre ties the palate together as it adds tannin volume and earthy texture. An, intense berry ridden palate, which will leave you looking forward to the next sip.

James Stanley Malpas, born of Willunga, served with the 27th Infantry Battalion AIF during World War I in Gallipoli and France, decorated with the distinguished Military Cross, he returned to McLaren Vale and cleared the land known as Fox Creek. Three quarters old vine Shiraz, a fifth of Cabernet and soupçon of Franc, JSM makes a wine of complexity, substance and panache, it's all luscious fruit, framed by long textural Cabernet tannins, fully integrated and balanced by the patience of nineteen months in the pick of well seasoned oak.

Fox Creek began to flow when a group of medicos decided to realize a lifelong passion and create the best possible wines out of bare earth and sunshine. The Fox Creek vineyards were established from the ground up to be the most environmentally friendly, whilst the vines themselves are spoiled with attention. Dr Jim Watts writes the recipe for a whole that's greater than the sum of parts, Merlot for elegance and plummy fruit, the silk of Cabernet tannins, aromaticness of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot for titillating spice and dazzling blueberry fruit.

Cabernet and Merlot perform brilliantly on the Strathbogie Ranges. Assembled into a single wine, they capture the heart of suitors in search of a soft, early drinking table red. 490m is an inspired effort by the team at Plunkett Fowles, who consumate the most gratifying wines from within the environment of their high altitude home. A vibrant accord of fruit, supported by the most congenial tannins. Soft and approachable, keen to cultivate your friendship, 490m loves pizza, a shared bowl of pasta or a quiet drink by the fire.

The Four Sisters are called upon countless times each day, at luncheon tables around the country, to deliver the quality of wine which makes a success out of every meal. The Four Sisters are the specialists, they love making wine almost as much as they enjoy drinking it. One of Australia's most cherished and enduring Shiraz, consistent and approachable, full of ripe plum and dulcet jube flavours, gently spiced and delicately enhanced by a treatment of supple oak, supported by a measure of soft, flattering tannins.

Winemaking legend Trevor Mast's daughters created the concept of the Four Sisters as a birthday surprise. Delighted with the idea, Trevor fashioned a small production wine from vines growing behind the family home. It has become one of the nation's most recognizable labels. Enter, Australia's favourite Merlot, a soft, rounded wine with delicate flavours and a subtle hint of sweet cocoa oak, a perfect match to mushroom risotto, beef teriyaki or peking duck.

In 1891 William Formby wielded his leading team of Clydesdale horses into action, planting the first two acres of Cabernet Sauvignon at Metala. Today his great, great grandson continues the family tradition. Guy Adams grows fruit for some of Australia's most esteemed labels. The pick of the crop however, from four individual plantings on the eminent Metala property, is held back for Formby & Adams, the Cabernet contingent from Brothers in Arms.

William Formby was among the early ardent pioneers of Langhorne Creek, he planted his first acreages of vine in 1891. Today his progeny still husband vines, the Adams of Langhorne Creek, are at the cutting edge of regional viticulture. Fruit is harvested from some of the most noble blocks on the Metala estate, to be fashioned into the enduring style of Aussie Cabernet Shiraz, a suitable match to roasts, stir frys or grills.

A complex cepage of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a balance of Merlot, totted up by smaller portions Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, sourced from neighbouring properties at Yallingup, the northernmost district of Margaret River. Particular attention is paid to inclusion of fruit from auspicious gravelly soils. Fashioned to retain youthfulness and fruit integrity, even after an extended ageing in French oak, a medium bodied, contemporarily styled Margaret River claret style to be enjoyed alongside meats with rich sauces or ripe, pungent cheese.

Established 1965, Forest Hill is the oldest cool climate vineyard in Western Australia and the first ever commercial planting in all of Great Southern. This solidly structured Shiraz demonstrates the virtues of a region that's endowed with an outstanding potential to craft the most intensely structured Rhone style wines. A medium bodied, fleshy style, Forest Hill displays white pepper and subtle spice on the palate enhanced by delicate toasty vanilla and perfumed Burgundian oak flavours, fine chewy tannins and a full firm finish.

Mount Barker shares an uncanny confluence of soils and clime with the world's great Malbec regions, the unique gravelly terroirs of Bordeaux, the nether latitudes and invigorating elements of Mendoza. Malbec was planted at Forest Hill in the 1990s, now in their third decade of productivity, they yield the rare quality of Malbec that merits bottling as a pure varietal wine. Multi dimensioned and structured, an intensity of blackcurrant, cherry and cloves, its well proportioned palate lined with mocha, supported by the softest tannins, resolving on a lingering, black olive finish.

The Forest Hill philosophy is to make individual wines of the highest quality which can express the distinctive regionality of Mount Barker. They have taken aim to produce an approachable, understated Cabernet that's a pure expression of the unique blocks that lie within the forty year old Forest Hill vineyard. An exuberant wine displaying intense layers of plump black fruits, chocolate box aromas and well integrated, luxuriously tight grained oak. An accomplished Cabernet of finesse and elegance, of power and suitably vigorous varietal definition.

Forest Hill work hard at extracting the best possible Shiraz out of Block 9. Better soil maintenance with no herbicides and more composted material, while leaf plucking is applied earlier in the season and more diligently. The maturity of the vines, management of the property and evolution in the quality of fruit all impact on the excellence of the finished wine. Its long and fine, chewy structure is dominated by bold varietal fruit characters, while the background gamey nuances intensify the palate, along with subtle earthiness and sweet spice undertones.

One of the great endowments of Forest Hill is the age and maturity of its cool climate vineyard. Home to the Great Southern's eldest Cabernet vines, the original plantings are over forty years of age. These unirrigated vines on their own roots produce concentrated and complete wines, elegant and refined. Fashioned from the estate's very best parcels of select, hand picked Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Block 5 exhibits splendid concentration of silky, grainy tannins, extraordinary intensity and ripeness of fruit with engrossing overall complexity.

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.