is blended from mostly old vines Carignan and the rest Grenache and Syrah; it’s got bright, caressingly soft and velvety bright and pure fruit that has incredible freshness and clarity and a stony, sappy core — Jean Foillard’s influence here has produced an incredibly stylish wine that tastes like a Languedocian version of his famous Morgon 'Cote du Py' - it’s the combination of fruit concentration and mineral savour that puts it on par with some of the greatest red wines of France, from Cru Beaujolais to Cornas and beyond. It defies classification in the most delicious way.

The estate was started in 1955. Patrick and Christophe Bonnefond now control 65 acres in northern Rhone of which 18 acres is in Cote Rotie. Colline du Couzou comes from an assemblage of plots in the north and south of the Cote Rotie appellation. The fruit is 80% dedstemmed and consists of 95% Syrah and 5% Cinsault. The wine is aged in small barrels for 18 months.

Our flagship wine. Bright mid-density color with purple hues just adding to the appeal. The use of large format French oak allows the red spice and bramble fruit of Hunter Shiraz to shine. Initial palate is very supple and complete, giving a lovely flow from start to finish. The importance of acidity can never be underestimated as this underpins the structure and carry. A classic, medium weight Hunter Valley Shiraz with fine long tannins with persistent length. A wine that will only build with time.

One of the benchmarks of Barossa Shiraz, Peter Lehmann's Stonewell is a classic example of the rich concentrated old vine style. While bold on the palate, there is always an inherent complexity to the Stonewell that enables it to be compared with all of the great Australian wines produced today.

A new label and new take on a classic. The Eileen Hardy Shiraz is juicy, plump and full of life with a magnificent backbone of tannin and spice without being overbearing. A classic in the making.

The Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz is a relatively new addition to the Penfolds stable, sourced from the Barossan sub-district, Marananga. Simply a revelation, this wine is an inky, black beast in the glass with lashings of dark chocolate and coffee accented fruit, yet this years offering shows a lingering, soft structured finish that will see the wine cellar very nicely.

McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz continues lead the pack of great Hunter Valley Shiraz. A lovely return to old form, this Maurice has a striking purple hue to it in the glass. To the nose aromas of liquorice and spice with hints of cedar will beguile. Layers of complex flavours dance across the palate including savoury, spicy dark fruits like dark plums and cherries. A classic of classics.