From the warmer St Kitts, Milton Park and Kabininge vineyards, Sandpiper is made in the traditional way, by an award winning team with access to the Barossa's best Shiraz. Thorn-Clarke are highly specialised at maximising the quality of fruit off the healthiest vines, achieving wines with vibrant character. Ageing under fine oak has enhanced the palate and softened the tannins. The perfect accompaniement to stroganoff pie or slow roasted standing rib.

Thorn-Clarke are one of Barossa's largest and most highly awarded wine growers. Their Mount Crawford Vineyard, high up in Valley Eden, holds five hectares of choice Grey Pinot vines. Fruit grown here translates into a generously proportioned wine with outstanding varietal character. The Sandpiper label is becoming ever more popular as people discover the fresh and balanced nature of pure Grigio wines. Served alongside crustacea and the freshest seafood, Sandpiper will satisfy all enthusiasts of contemporary styled gourmandise.

The award winning Thorn Clark winemaking team are always excited to see the freshly picked harvests of Merlot brought to their wineworks. Barossa makes outstanding Merlot wines and Thorn Clark retain the finest vineyards. Sandpiper is named after the migratory bird which visits the Thorn-Clarke's property every year from the northern hemisphere. A succession of inspiring vintage releases have claimed impressive accolades on the national wine show circuit.

The Thorn-Clarke family can be proud of a long history, growing the Barossa's finest Chardonnay, the best batches are retained for their own labels. Sandpiper sits lightly oaked, retaining a refreshing fruit character as it undergoes extended yeast maturation. A delicious Chardonnay dominated by nuances of white peach and tropical fruits over a nutty, lengthy palate. Sandpiper makes a stylish aperitif and is exquisite alongside good food, a personable wine of classic Eden Valley charm, creamy with a touch of mineral before a crisp, cleansing finish.

Labelled for a remarkable migratory bird, which can be seen fossicking around the Thorn Clarke vineyards as it prepares to fly north, sometimes as far as Siberia, before the chill of winter shrouds the valley. Is the Barossa really that cold? Sandpiper represents a highly regional expression, showing the greener, slightly more vegetative qualities of temperate clime Cabernet Sauvignon. A long spell under a selection of tightly grained French oak barrels imparts liquorice characters over the essential Barossa dark chocolate and blackberry flavours.

In 1859 William Salter and his son Edward founded the firm W. Salter & Son, which has since evolved into the baronial Saltram label. To celebrate 150 years of winemaking, an extremely limited amount of very rare old tawny from the 1959 vintage has been released. Only 1859 bottles were made to coincide with Saltram's founding year. This eternal wine is drawn from a single growing season, but unlike most vintage fortifieds which have been aged in bottle, Saltram Vintage Rare Tawny has been kept in oak barrels for fifty years to achieve its peerless style.

A personal expression of the Barossa's fine Shiraz tradition, Saltram's The Eighth Maker is the embodiment of the proud winemaking heritage established by founder, William Salter, in 1859. The Eighth Maker is personal, intimate and an insight into Winemaker Nigel Dolan's journey for excellence. The Shiraz from this vintage was exceptional, the fruit displayed strong varietal fruit characters and pronounced aromatics with the finished wines having excellent palate length. The superb Eighth Maker, while drinking exceptionally well now will improve with cellaring.

Winner of the 2003 Jimmy Watson Trophy, the most hotly contested since the extraordinary 1998 vintage. Growing season 2002 produced some of the most spectacular wines in living memory. Temperatures were some of the coolest on record, allowing the old vines to slowly and steadily ripen some of the most intense, rich and well structured grapes ever harvested. Launched at a very special black tie dinner at Queen's Hall, Eighth Maker is brimming with complex fruit, spice and earth characters, a reflection of the unique soil profiles and age of vines.

Saltram No.1 is one of the nation's great icon reds, a powerful expression of Australian Shiraz. In 1859 William Salter cleared ten acres of land at his Mamre Brook homestead near Angaston in the Barossa and planted Shiraz. On March 20 1862, Saltram crushed its first grapes and produced 1800 gallons of a wine that was simply called No 1 Shiraz. For the next thirty years, successive vintages of No.1 performed brilliantly at Australian and International wine exhibitions. The secret to the success lies in a heritage of extraordinary old Barossa vineyards.

Some of Australia's most influential winemakers have passed through the Saltram cellar door during the estate's 150 years. Three generations of Salters made wine until 1937, the Dolans of Pepperjack fame took over the reins in the 1950s, producing many of Saltram's most memorable vintages. Mamre Brook is the original Salter family homestead, built in 1844 near the village of Angaston. Shiraz is sourced from mature Barossa vineyards and fashioned into the enduring Mamre Brook style of penetrating brambleberry flavours over fragrant vanilla oak.

William Salter was one of the first to purchase land in the Barossa. He built a stone house for his family naming it Mamre Brook, after Abrahams spiritual home in the book of Genesis. Mamre Brook House still stands today as the spiritual home of Saltram. Three generations of Salters continued to make wine until 1937. Today it is the home of Pepperjack and the domain of Jimmy Watson winemaker Nigel Dolan. Mamre Brook is an exciting Shiraz wine showing dense colour, excellent varietal character, finesse and soft, ripe tannins.

Mamre Brook remain one of Australia's most dearly loved family of wines. Saltram draws Riesling from its vineyard just next to the cellar door, as well as from good growers throughout the more eminent viticultural precincts of Barossa Valley. Batches from highly specialized and distinguished Riesling sites atop the cooler aspects of Eden Valley are happily wedded to parcels gathered from the warmer climes across the valley floor. A well rounded Riesling wine of lovely floral and citrus characters, gentle structure and racy natural acidity.

Richly stylized Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon, previously winner of the Stodart Trophy, made for many years by the family behind the illustrious Pepperjack. The story of this enduring wine dates back to 1844, when William Salter built a stone house for his family naming it Mamre Brook, after Abrahams spiritual home. The eminent Dolan family, twice Jimmy Watson winners, crafted many of Mamre Brook's most memorable vintages. A fully aromatic Cabernet, perfumed with new French vanilla oak, endowed by a cornucopia of ripely spiced berry flavours.

Fresh from the Rymill stable, fashioned exclusively from estate grown fruit, the Yearling is a vibrant Coonawarra that's absolutely perfect to enjoy right now. An alluring perfume and zesty palate showing exciting herbaceousness, fine citrus and tropical fruit flavours, reinforcing the reputation of Sauvignon Blanc as Coonawarra's essential varietal white wine. Crisp and appealing, a sassy Sauvignon Blanc, enjoy chilled, alongside anything fresh from the garden or the sea.

Rymill maintain a commitment to the health and sanctity of the rich, red soils which set Coonawarra apart. The younger estate vineyards which are the source of Yearling Shiraz are managed to the highest standard of sustainable viticultural practices. Yearling is a gallant one year old, presenting a vibrant nose of ripe berry fruits rounded out by more complex undertones of spice and toffee. These flavours carry through on the palate, enhanced by a rich mouthfeel and soft, round tannins. A vital, polished Shiraz of substance and style to enjoy today.

Fresh from the Rymill stable, Yearling is a graceful one year old Cabernet, specially trained to present lively fruit aromas over a soft, supple structure, immediately upon release. Yearling explodes the myth that Coonawarra Cabernet needs to be cellared and aged before it's ready to drink. The softness and affability makes it the ideal partner to traditional red meats, intermediate dishes like pizzas, pastas or curry, versatile enough to accompany game and white meats. This vibrant and approachable Coonawarra Cabernet is perfect for enjoyment right now.

John Riddoch founded Coonawarra as an agricultural district in 1890. His daughter married neighbour Robert Rymill, they had a son who became a distinguished equestrian and lead the 1934-37 British Graham Land Expedition to the Antarctic. It was his son who founded the Rymill wineworks in 1974. Rymill make a powerful Coonawarra wine from harvests of Shiraz grown to distinguished old vines up to forty years of age, enhanced by an extended ageing in predominantly French oak, to achieve harmony, contribute volume and enhance depth.

John Riddoch founded Coonawarra in 1890, the list of his accomplishments in the development of Coonawarra as a premiere agricultural region is breathtaking. His descendants were also highly accomplished, among them are polar explorers and scientists, sailors and equestrians. Riddoch's great grandson established Rymill on the very centenary of Coonawarra in 1990. Stately and profound, the definitive Coonawarra Cabernet, displaying benchmark regional style, distinguished yet approachable, decanting is recommended before service.

The famous red Coonawarra soils infuse grapes with evocative characters and impart distinctive richness into the wines. Rymill Brut is exclusively Coonawarra, a mostly Chardonnay sparkler with inclusions of Pinot Noir and Meuniere, crafted to true Methode traditionelle, lined with beautiful textures, brimming with opulent aromas and layered with an intensity of flavour. A superb aperitif on its own and a delight alongside fine hors de oeuvres, Rymill Coonawarra stands out as a Brut wine for its effortless exuberance and engaging complexity.

Yalumba and Hill Smith have found a natural home for the torrid Tempranillo grape amongst their splendid vineyards at Wrattonbully. Tempranillo is highly influenced by viticultural factors such as climate, soil and clone, as well as ripeness at time of harvest and characteristic style of the winemaker. The iron rich soils of Wrattonbully encourage development of the distinctive Tempranillo varietal characters, raspberry, pomegranate and red currant. An exciting wine, bright in colour, rich in fruit flavour and gently oaked, lined by a contour of pliant, juicy tannins.

Running With Bulls are crafted by stars of the Yalumba winemaking team, they have enjoyed astonishing success ever since inaugural release. The wines are realized from parcels of fruit grown to vineyards which have been trained by the finest viticulturalists to yield grapes which are exemplars of their varietal. Vermentino hails from the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia, new to Australia, it makes an engaging wine characterized by ripe, nutty fruit characters and herbaceousness. Running with Bulls is approachable, engaging and innately suited to food.

It's 7.00am, singing erupts from the impassioned crowd, Viva San Fermin! A rocket focuses everyone's attention, the bulls are on their way. The congregation begin to stampede, slow at first, now faster as the sound of hooves descend. It's a blur until the third rocket. Relief and celebration, the Encierro is over! Fruit is sourced from good growers in the western ranges of Barossa, through to the valley floor and into Penrice. A great range of aroma and flavour profiles are assembled into a stylish and engaging expression of new world Tempranillo.

Peter Rumball is an Australian Methode traditionelle specialist who led the 1980s renaissance into sparkling red. Rumball produces a wine, rich in varietal character, which has made him famous amongst cognoscente. The palate of SB19 is an accord of dulcet Coonawarra fruit and dusty Terra rosa tannin. Rumball makes a priority of striking perfect balance, the interaction at time of disgorgement with liqueur dosage is taken very seriously. SB19 will evolve handsomely over time, although the palate is set up for maximum enjoyment right now.

Founded by the Redman family in 1954, Rouge Homme has established a tradition over five decades, of providing excellent quality Coonawarra wines displaying richness and warmth, while maintaining the medium to full body of the cellar style. A splendid Aussie claret style, very approachable on release, Redman evoloves handsomely. A Shiraz Cabernet that shows an abundance of fruit and a fine tannin structure, indicative of the finest Coonawarra. An immensely satisfying red wine of tradition and stature, flavoursome and long.

Rouge Homme evoke fond memories of the enduring Aussie claret style. The winemaking team, as custodians of Rouge Homme's illustrious heritage, continue to fashion a rich and approachable Cabernet Sauvignon with balance, structure and style. Rouge Homme wines are frequent gold medal winners, particularly the reds. Sourced from premium vineyards along the Limestone Coast and Coonawarra, fastidiously crafted by the wineworks which has claimed an eminent Jimmy Watson Trophy for the extraordinary quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon.

William Redman came to Coonawarra as a fourteen year old boy, during the year of Australia's federation in 1901. He worked at the historical John Riddoch wineworks, learning his trade under tutelage of the great Ewen McBain, Coonawarra's first ever qualified winemaker. Redman continued to acquire land and plant vines, eventually becoming one of the region's most prominent landholders and founding the Rouge Homme label in 1950. The house style remains one of the most enduring legacies, from the establishment of Coonawarra to the present day.

Few winemakers have played as significant a role as Rosemount, for bringing Australian wines to appreciative enthusiasts around the globe. Quality is the key to success, traditional techniques such as natural yeast ferments, malolactic and luxury oak, remain at the core of winemaking methodology. At the Rosemount McLaren Vale wineworks, a collection of old open vats, a century of age, are still employed to craft parcels of Grenache, Mouverdre and Shiraz, selected from the finest local vineyards, on the basis of fragrantly perfumed aromatics, intensity of complex flavours and ripe, velvet tannins.

Rosemount have drawn many of their most memorable vintages from McLaren Vale, they retain an inventory of the finest sites and know the best growers. First released in 1994, GSM is Rosemount Estate’s ultimate rendering of McLaren Vale, the rich, spicy fruit flavours of old bush vine Grenache balances the opulence and power of Shiraz, the firmness of structure from Mourvèdre. A highly fragrant style, bursting with a cornucopia of red cherries, mulberry, violets and lifted floral spice, its dark plum palate is underpinned by a length of white chocolate and nutmeg oak.

A backbone of Christa Rolf and Heinrich vineyards Shiraz, assembled alongside five choice Barossa parcels, embellished by the inclusion of estate grown Mourvedre and Grenache. All batches are crushed as one, pumped over and traditionally worked throughout the course of open ferments, followed by a year in American and French oak hogsheads. Blood red, bramble berries and dark bitter chocolate, pepper and anise, seamless and sound, its generously proportioned palate, exquisitely balanced over a languid length of creamy, velvet tannins.

Rolf Binder's story begins in 1950 when his parents arrived from Austria and Hungary, part of the large influx of post war immigration. They worked the Victorian railways for three years and picked grapes in the Barossa, before acquiring an old winery on Langmeil Road in 1955. RHB is made in the way that Rolf's father enjoyed his wine, full bodied, opulent, the old world style of Aussie claret with solid tannins in support of powerful fruit. An extravagant two year term in French and American oak hogsheads, integrates RHB into a whole that's so much greater than the sum of parts.

Half Shiraz from the estate Stephanie vineyard, just adjacent the Rolf Binder wineworks. A third of Mourvedre, picked off a precious block of bush vine planted in the 1880s. The balance in Grenache from old Binder vines at Gomersal and Light Pass. A moreish medley of blue bramble, raspberries and chocolate box allsorts, underpinned by the savoury of smoked meats and simmering stockpot. Open fermented in the traditional old world style to deliciously dry, a salutory measure of subtle oak and kindly tannins in support of a lingering, chewy liquorice finish.

A rare and exclusive regional flagship, by one of the most peer respected winemakers in all Barossa Valley. Hanisch is nothing short of spectacular, harvested off the same rows of superior vine each year, its precious ferment of ten or so barrels, yielding just 250 dozen bottles of vintage. The superlative site was acquired from Punch Hanisch and added to Veritas Vineyard in 1968. The parcel was planted to vines by Binder father and son in 1972. By the mid 1980s, it was recognized that a small block of several long rows made an incredible Shiraz wine.

An enduring cult wine, originally vintaged in the 1960s, still hand crafted in small batches, from priceless pressings of century old Mourvedre bush vines. Veritas was a quaint but salubrious wineworks at Tanunda along Langmeil Road, The Rolf Binder headquartes for a half century, Veritas sired many of the Barossa's most memorable vintages. A judicious inclusion of estate Shiraz to the ancient bush vine Mourvedre contributes essential peppery spice, the affable earthyness of Barossa melty chocolate, plush tannin ripeness and sweet fleshy plum.

Exceptional Langtons Classification. From ancient Barossa vines up to 140 years of age.

Exceptional Langtons Classification. One of the Barossa's great arcane treasures, most of Rockford's limited production is cornered by its cult of local enthusiasts.

Exceptional Langtons Classification.

Bunches of Grenache are all hand picked and quickly pressed to extract just the right amount of precocious pink hue, vinified to dryness over the course of a fortnight and treated to a course of lees stirring battonage for optimal palate richness. A fragrant, delightfully drinking, strawberries and cream style of blush wine, brimming with bright red berry fruit characters, peach notes and zesty blood orange tang, slightly savoury at the finish, ideally to accompany pink fleshed fishes, flavourful Mediterranean recipes and Al Fresco fare.

Some of the gnarled and twisted old vines which yield the grapes for Rockbare date back to the first days of Barossa settlement in the 1840s, when pioneers replanted their precious cuttings from Europe. Grenache is hand harvested, hand sorted and vinified to dryness over the course of a fortnight, basket pressed into seasoned French oak barriques for malolactic on lees. Vibrant, punchy and driven by red berry notes, fashioned to display fresh lively fruit character, textural complexity and a savoury finish on a fine length of malleable walnut tannins.

The Rockbare team love their viticulture, they work tirelessy in the vineyard to realize the most splendid harvests, the definition of McLaren Vale Cabernet, prize parcels of fruit exhibiting deep, rakish colour and lined with polished showroom tannins, profound varietal character and alluring regional charm. A course of extended macerations, long slow ferments and judicious measure of refined French oak, has achieved a compelling Cabernet Sauvignon that's seamless and superb, artfully fashioned for accompaniement alongside the finest fare.

From a splendid, hand chosen site in McLaren Flat, its deep, fertile soils encouraging the large, pungent Tempranillo berries to ripen with an abundance of flavour. Samplings of fruit off the vines become ever more frequent as harvest approaches, such is the pleasure of tasting the grapes, a swarm of local bees are equally excited by the juicy sweetness. Winemaking inputs are kept to a minimum, purposefully matured in a selection of larger format, seasoned French oak, taming the tannins while allowing the quality of fruit to shine.