Chapel Hill's Michael Fragos loves using The Parson Shiraz to showcase McLarenVale's diversity and varietal character. The Shallow soils over livestone in maritime influenced vineyards between McLaren Vale and Masline Beach and also around Bowering Hill, provide explosive blueberries and liquorice with finesse and a wonderfully framing tannin structure. Up in the foothills of the Mount Lofty ranges, a Kangarilla vineyard offers Indian spice complexities that many higher priced wines would simply love to have. The added length and savoury tannins of this component and the use of some French oak result in a beguiling final release that is extraordinary.

Produced from low yielding, hand harvested vines and made using traditional techniques, D'Arry's Original is a smooth, textured, full bodied red which typifies the generous McLaren style. Always one of those little cellar stars that you can buy up a case or two, hide under the house for a decade and be quietly content that d'Arry's Original will be shining in a decade.

Restrained and supple, lots of ripe dark plum, pepper and spice of Shiraz with the rose petal perfume lift and red cherry taste of Grenache. Lovely lightness and brightness to the back palate with a faint dried herbal and savoury edge, making it terrific immediate drinking but will cellar nicely for 5-10 years.

Medium bodied, with lots of chocolate and blackberry, sophisticated supple tannins supporting deep fruits and appealing savoury balance. Has enormous appeal now yet will age gracefully for 8-12 years.

This Shiraz is sourced from the McLaren Parish Vineyard in the classic Shiraz region of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Aromas of glace cherry and poached blood plum melded with dark chocolate, leather vanillin and all-spice. A rich and full bodied wine displaying powerful concentration of juicy dark plum, dark chocolate, black pepper and earth.

Generous, layered, bright and textural. Intense aromas of blueberry, mulberry and spiced vanilla oak. Rich, lively fruit, cocooned by oak and balanced acidity. Gemtree is a third generation family owned winery in the heart of McLaren Vale. Since 2008 the winery has operated using biodynamic practices ensuring an outstanding quality of fruit. Winemaker Mike Brown is a passionate advocate for environmental practices in the vineyard including sustainable agriculture to produce the best results in all of the Gemtree wines. The same philosophy is adopted by the viticulturalist - his wife, Melissa. Gemtree Vineyards are located just 35 kilometres south of Adelaide in the heart of the McLaren Vale wine region. Its considered one of the best regions in the world to grow grapes thanks to its ancient soils and Mediterranean climate plus cooling sea breezes from the nearby Gulf of St.Vincent. Soils in the area range from shallow red brown earths over limestone to deep fertile clay soils. Gemtree Vineyards comprises 260 acres under vine planted with Chardonnay, Verdelho, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese. Working in tandem with his wife Melissa in the vineyard and taking a minimal interventionist approach to the winemaking is integral to Mike, to allow the wines to simply express the region in every glass.

Deep, dark red in colour. The nose is pure and unobstructed by newoak, lifted with dark fruit flavours of blackberry, chocmint, and anise. Dustings of white pepper spice, vanilla, and black olive tapenade provide an intriguing savoury counterpoint to the more primary fruit characters. On the palate is a concentrated, uscious rolling texture packed with fresh blackberry, dark chocolate and liquorice flavours. The wine is juicy and plush with silky tannins that linger, providing a drying, savoury finish.

Produced from a mature low yielding vineyard in the heart of McLaren Vale, Gemtree Uncut Shiraz is a superb expression of the region. Generous dark fruits abounds on the palate with fine tannins and balanced acidity, which leads to a lengthy finish.

With the Southern Ocean coastline just minutes from Gemtree's vineyards, the maritime influence runs deep at this winery. Couple this with the certified organic vineyards that are tended by hand and you have a perfect recipe for a bold and full-bodied Shiraz; the Dragon's Blood McLaren Vale Shiraz. Choosing sites that offer the greatest varietal expression, concentration and finesse, the wine then saw maturation in French oak of sizes ranging from barriques (225L) to puncheons (500L) for 12 months. The result is a foreboding Shiraz that displays notes of blueberry, blackcurrant, aniseed and balancing earthen touch. Ideal served on its own to fully appreciate the rich and complex flavours but also at home when paired with French cutlets and slow cooked duck.

Ben Riggs has hand-crafted a delicious Shiraz Cabernet Merlot blend here that pays homage to the three-spiked prickle that can be found in the McLaren Vale region and the fact that it's hard to ignore. This unctuous red blend is also extremely hard to ignore with its seamless varietal integration that produces a wine full of richness and opulence. Ripe, dark berry fruits courtesy of Merlot along with spice elements from the Shiraz and a firm, but balanced structure from the Cabernet all come together superbly.