La Dame de Montrose, first vintage 1983, is the highly-regarded second wine of Chateau Montrose, the St. Estephe deuxième cru (second growth). Montrose has a little more than 90ha of vines, the entire site overlooking the Gironde. The vineyard is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Around 50% (or less) of the crop goes to make the grand vin and around 30% (or more) goes into La Dame de Montrose. (The rest is used elsewhere or sold in bulk.) In good years La Dame de Montrose is considered a bargain, in the best years it stands alone as a great wine. The Dame de Montrose herself is the late Yvonne Charmolüe, who ran the estate from 1944 to 1960.

The Iron Duke is a premium Langhorne Creek Cabernet from Bleasdale the regions oldest winery, founded in 1850. The wine, made in limited quantites, is a blend of the best parcels of Cabernet fruit from the vintage. Rich, medium bodied and showing sublime regional and varietal typicity, The Iron Duke is racked before bottle without filtration. Named not after Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, but after founder Frank Potts own rifle. The wine honours Franks readiness is organising Langhorne Creek locals to defend against a potential Imperial Russian Invasion a real fear at the time.

This intense, gorgeously scented, rich and voluminous Cabernet blend is typified by mocha, espresso, blackcurrant, truffle aromas, savoury new oak and fine-grained tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon dominant Terra Rossa First Growth, with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc is made along traditional Bordelais lines with extended maceration and maturation in a combination of tightly-grained new and used French oak for 20 to 24 months.

The first impression of the palate is of richness and depth. Further exploration shows layers of toasty oak and some dark chocolate flavours, along with pleasant mint and blackcurrant. The wine is mouth filling with great length.

The Glaetzer name comes with as much heritage as this classic Australian blend. Rich, ripe and full bodied, this unfiltered red is a parfait of mouthfilling complexity. Made by Ben Glaetzer, the Anaperenna Shiraz Cab is not only striking in label, it's also striking on the palate. Destined to be a long lived blend with the Cabernet structure keeping the plush and vibrant Shiraz fruit in check.