The old school of the UK wine market have long loved the wines of Chateau Talbot, and the 2010 would have them purring. Chateau Talbot is a producer that occupies a large (102 hectares) swathe of land under vine in Medoc and makes wines that are set to a more traditional style, including rich wood scents, firm tannins, some rustic charm and a cassis-meets-violet fruit profile. This is a superb release of the wine, reminscent of classic Talbots that are sinewy when young, but still approachable, and for enthusiasts, glorious with cellar time.

The Barossa is home to some of the world’s oldest ungrafted Shiraz vines. The vines were planted in a pre-mechanized and pre-irrigation era where site selection was everything. Dry grown as bush vines with only the best soils, vine material and sites surviving the first years, and only the absolute pinnacle surviving the 100 years thereafter. The low-yielding ‘Centenarian’ vines, noted for their intensity of flavour, were planted more than a century ago around the time construction of the Château itself began. The select parcels are hand-picked and fermented in small open fermenters with hand plunging four times daily before careful basket pressing to extract tannin and colour. Suitable For Vegans And Vegetarians.

Coming from one of the best vintages in recent Barossa history, the Old Block from St Hallett shows what careful vineyard management can do for a wine. Rich, dark and conerntrated but with seamless tannin intergration.

The Torbreck Descendant has a powerful nose of blackberry and tar complemented by floral lavender and a violet lift. Full-bodied and concentrated with ripe silky tannins and plenty of extract this wine has a great future ahead.

Chris Ringland Limit Lodge Cabernet Mataro is a blend of exceptional fruit from exceptional vineyards, a new style from winemaker Chris Ringland and grape grower Adrian Hoffmann. The name Limit Lodge comes from a historical parcel within the Hoffmann vineyards, and is also appropriate given the limited number of bottles made. Matured in aged French oak, this is a juicy Cabernet blend rich in dark, plummy fruits with savoury notes of bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and anise. The finish is long with mouth-coating tannins, and a slight salinity. Plenty of potential for ageing.

Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond Les Rochins, Côte-Rôtie Parcel selection on the Côte-Rozier is located in the north of the Côte-Rôtie AOC, on schist and mica-schist terroirs. Vinification is the same as the previous cuvée, ageing for 20 months in 400 litre barrels, 30% of which are new wood. A Syrah that is typically characterised by cherry, blueberry, olive paste and spiced cake.

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier began its life after a career defining trip to the Côte-Rôtie in the mid 90s which set Tim Kirk on the journey towards producing one of Australia's best Shiraz. Determined to show that Australia could produce elegant but still powerful Shiraz, Tim's work has paid off with his flagship being acclaimed worldwide. In only 15 years, the Shiraz Viognier has attained 'Exceptional' status with Langton's, the highest possible.