John Quarisa has been variously described as a “magician” and a “sorcerer” by Halliday. His wines do have a magic knack of winning Gold. His secret? Over 20 years of experience as a winemaker and wine judge – and a great attitude. As John says, “you just can’t take life too seriously”. His ‘Enchanted Tree’ Shiraz certainly has the magic Midas touch, winning a rare Double Gold. It's dark and sumptuous, with silky raspberry and plum flavours, with a dash of creamy oak and lovely sweet spice.

It’s wine like this, made using fruit from premium sites throughout the region, that make South Australia a first choice destination for lovers of big, generously rich and velvety Aussie reds - consider it the state’s great gift to the wine world, not just at home but all over the globe. This red shows distinctive characters of black fruit, eucalypt and spice, smoothed out by delicious dark chocolate and a touch of smoky oak.

You don’t often see Bordeaux’s inky Petit Verdot blended with spicy Shiraz. But here in Australia, there are no rules so winemakers are free to blend them. The result? Gorgeous layers of dense black fruit with a rich helping of smoky spice. This is a beautiful wine that “tip toes and tapdances over your palate”.

The Ethereal One celebrates wines with ethereal qualities - so delicious and graceful in style they seem not to be of this world. This classic Italian style Montepulciano has an intense purple colour and aromas of blackberries, plums and black cherries, followed by hints of chocolate. The palate is dominated with boysenberries and black plum, perfectly balanced with generous silky tannins.

A subtle rendition of this popular Spanish variety, showing enticing aromas of red fruits, with a savoury edge. Nicely svelte palate of bright fruit, soft tannins and bright acidity on the finish. Light and smooth and the perfect accompaniment for anything char-grilled.

Elephant In The Room Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium brick red in colour with a lifted and expressive nose of red berries,blackcurrants and distinct varietal tobacco leaf and forest floor. The palate is fruit-driven and vibrant with an open and approachable core of supple berried fruits, plums and cassis building to a ripe and mouth-filling back palate. A perfect each way betexcellent to drink now but able to improve with up to five years cellaring.

A wine that showcases fragrances of ripe raspberries and sweet juicy red fruits. A particularly long ripening season allowed winemakers to pick grapes at optimum maturity and resulted in a wine showcasing intense ruby colour, vibrant ripe fruit flavours, a rich full palate and soft fine tannins.

Yalumba Y Series Merlot is soft and supple, with sweet, ripe fruit flavours and a hint of liquorice or anise. Merlot is an excellent alternative to the heavier and more tannic red varieties.

Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz Mataro (also known as Mourvèdre) has a history going back to 1960 when Penfolds made a traditional "Burgundy" style. Penfolds have always loved Mataro (Mourvèdre) for its fantastic ability to blend marvelously with traditional South Australian stalwarts like Shiraz. Adding luscious complexity and palate grip, the Bin 2 is aged in older oak to emphasise the spicy savouriness of Mataro (Mourvèdre) that complements the plush richness of Shiraz.

The 2014 Yalumba Y Series Tempranillo has aromas of blueberry, black cherry and fennel seed leaping from the glass. It is juicy and plush on the palate with apparent dark berries and mocha tannins. The finish is rustic and savoury. Enjoy with salt and pepper grilled lamb cutlet.