Alain Graillot has proved beyond a doubt that it is possible to make rich wines from the gently sloped alluvial plain where the Isère River meets the Rhone. His concentrated reds demonstrate all that is exciting about the Syrah grape: black fruit, intense aromaticity, pepper and spice complexity underpinned by crisp acidity and fine tannins. Graillot works organically, harvesting fruit by hand and fermenting in whole bunches. He chooses to age his wines in used barrels, one to three-years-old, purchased from Burgundy’s best estates. His Crozes-Hermitage is difficult to resist young. Despite the tannins that inevitably come from the inclusion of whole bunches in fermentation, Graillot wines are seldom hard-edged, overly tannic, or in need of extended cellaring. In fact, they are often flat-out delicious very soon after release. That being said, their track record for rewarding patient cellaring is exemplary. La Guiraude is a tête de cuvée, a barrel selection made only in vintages where it is felt there are some barrels that exhibit particularly intense and age-worthy personalities. Not necessarily a ‘better’ wine than the Domaine Crozes, it is typically more powerful and in need of longer cellaring.

APPEARANCE: An intense, dark-ruby colour. AROMA: The nose develop aromas of ripe black fruit (such as blackberry), cherry and spice box. PALATE: The palate reveals the presence of tannins, in high quantity and elegant. The finish is long and luxurious. This is the Châteauneuf du Pape expression, displaying all the characteristics of the terroir.

THE STANDISH WINE COMPANY Lamella Shiraz, Barossa The Standish Wine Company produces a number of small-volume, single-site wines from various parts of the Barossa and Eden valleys. This one is 100% Shiraz from Hutton Vale Farm in the Eden Valley. Dan Standish is a sixth generation Barossan and seven generations of the Angas family have worked Hutton Vale. The Lamella is a transcendent Shiraz of great density and purity, yet also has a feeling of elegance maintained through careful and sensitive winemaking. Dan Standish is an important figure in the Barossa. He founded The Standish Wine Company in 1999 and in 2000, after leaving Torbreck (then soon to have two Langtons Classified wines), he co-founded Massena, another label that has played an important part in redefining modern Barossa Valley.winemaking.He has also made wine in Californias Napa and Sonoma valleys, the Rioja in Spain and the Rhone Valley of France. His aim is to showcase some of the Barossas finest sites with seductive wines that combine power and finesse. He has built a reputation for being able to make wines with a distinctive X-factor.

TWO HANDS Dave's Block Single Vineyard Blewitt Springs Shiraz, McLaren Vale