The best

• red wine
• white wine
• champagne
• rosé
• whisky
• spirits
• beer

deals in Australia

THE STANDISH WINE COMPANY The Schubert Theorem Shiraz, Barossa Valley Dan Standish is indisputably one of the Barossas most celebrated Shiraz producers now. Joe Czerwinski has deemed him, the reigning king of Barossa Shiraz. An alumni of Torbreck, Standishs Shiraz expressions are outstanding expressions of a region defined by this wine. The Schubert Theorem is an appropriately powerful composition, made from vines planted over 100 years ago in the Vine Vale region. Standish himself likens The Schubert Theorem to the wines of the Northern Rhône. It is basket-pressed and aged in French oak for 30 months. Inky, deep purple juice is as intense as it looks. Rich Black Forest fruit and aniseed marry with spice, earth and dark chocolate on the nose. The palate is decadent and opulent, rich with juicy black fruits, plum and liquorice. This is a superbly concentrated wine, the structure showcasing exceptional fruit purity. The finish is incredibly long and powerfulif only it could go on forever.

Based at their Home of the Brave winery in the Barossa, First Drop describe their wine-making philosophy as a sensibility for tradition with a passion for innovation. The Cream is blended at the optimum time from the best barrels from First Drops most prized vineyards to create the ultimate expression of Barossa Shiraz from the vintage.

Like the Command block, which is an amazing resource to the Elderton Estate, the Ashmead block has consistently produced small parcels of excellent quality fruit. The vineyard was almost destroyed in 1997 to make way for higher yielding vines, however the family made the decision to promote the vineyard to a higher destiny thus the Ashmead.

TARDIEU-LAURENT Cuvee Speciale, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz is a very powerful, concentrated cellaring style with plenty of fruit richness, chocolaty tannins and underlying malty oak. The 1.6 hectare Block 6, which forms part of the Kay Brother's larger 22 hectare Amery Vineyards, was originally a "pumpkin patch" of old bush vines. The Block 6 fruit is batch-vinified in three to five tonne traditional open fermenters originally built by the Kay Brothers in 1895/6. Some parcels are hand plunged while others are fermented under header boards. At completion of fermentation the wine is drained and basket pressed into a combination of one-third each new, one year old and two year old American and Eastern European oak. Maturation takes place for around 18 to 24 months before assemblage and bottling under screw cap.