It is sweetly fragrant and instantly appealing on the nose showing dark and purple fruit aromas together with tar, game, cocoa and spicy oak nuances. The palate is rich, intense and fleshy, displaying excellent power as well as rounded mouthfeel, wonderfully complemented by velvety texture and silky tannins. Impressively flavoursome and very long on the finish with loads of delectable flavours. At its best: now to 2027

The wine is gorgeously fruited and fragrant on the nose showing dark fruit richness with smoked game, vanilla, chocolate tart and cedar characters. The palate is concentrated and wonderfully weighted, delivering fabulous fruit intensity and stylish oak infusion, backed by fine chalky tannins, finishing superbly long and sturdy. At its best: now to 2025.

ColourDeep red/ purple huesAromaBlackberry and blackcurrant evident at first and followed by satsuma plum characters.PalateHerbaceous, capsicum flavours at the front palate. Blackberry and satsuma plum characters are supported by firm tannins leading to a lingering finish.

THISTLEDOWN WINES Sands Of Time Old Vine Single Vineyard Grenache, McLaren Vale

The wine has a mouth filling lusciousness, densely packed with generous plum and dark cherry fruit flavours along with subtle floral violet characters and a smack of vanilla underlying the opulent oak expression.

DANDELION VINEYARDS Firehawk Of Mclaren Vale Shiraz, McLaren Vale

The best parcels of wine that make up the Coppermine Road Cabernet mostly come from a rare low-yielding clone which is characterized by its violet and anise perfume, concentration and great acidity.

This is a wine of great generosity and depth. The nose exhibits an abundance of purple fruits, mulberries and plums - with a mix of baking spices including nutmeg, cinnamon and star anise. The palate is fleshy and juicy with an almost velvet like texture. The Grenache adds fruit character and balanced acidity, the Shiraz fills out the wine and delivers early structure while the Mourvedre provides red fruits and dried herb notes and provides a core of fine tannins.

This wine forms part of Clarendon Hills 'Grand Cru' classification and is the ultimate expression of Grenache for the winery. Something to keep an eye on over the next 20 years.

In the glass the 2010 S has a black core with a deep red rim. There are elegant aromas of red black fruits, and spicy earthy notes with a hint of grilled meats, graphite and controlled oak. On the palate the fruit continues with rich plums, and blueberries and delicate spice and chocolate which all roll on to a juicy palate with fine tannins that go on ... and on. Smidge recommends drinking this wine betwen 2014 and 2030.