AROMA: Evoking notes of blackberry, ripe fig, and Arabic coffee. PALATE: It retains an unlikely softness given its serious long-term potential; its silky elegance is deceptive.

Unmistakably, Grange, this 2012 vintage is complex, flamboyant and lifted. An aromatic multi-cultural characteristics. The earthiness is well integrated with the aromas of dark fruits, grounded coffee, red liquorice and black olives, which leads to a firmly structured finish.

John Duval, famously known as the craftsman of the mighty Penfolds Grange, continues to further forge his reputation as a maker of great Shiraz. 'Eligo' from the latin: 'To pick out, select or choose or choose the best' is the flagship wine of the John Duval stable with its main aim to produce a Shiraz with structure and an elegant expression of its terrior. Multi layered with lashes of dark berry fruit, the wine is intense yet still quite restrained. An excellent Barossan Shiraz!

Penfolds RWT Shiraz is a big juicy Barossan Shiraz refined by the use of older French oak barrels. 1998 is considered to be one of the classic vintages of the modern age. Drinking wonderfully now but with many years still to come in its development, this is a great addition to any cellar.

The Bin 389 style evolved as a result of experiments, by Max Schubert, in the 1950s to develop a highly individual wine using a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz with compatible oak treatment. Bin 389 combines the elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon with the richness of Shiraz and demonstrates the traditional Penfolds' trademark - balance between fruit and oak, giving the wine character and longevity.

Extremely rich and full with a viscous palate of raisins, dark chocolate and Christmas pudding. The palate is round, luscious and long but has fine tannins which balance out the sweetness and help make the finish of the wine dry and savoury.

Proudly, a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion or commerce. St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in old, 1,460 litre vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion of Cabernet is sometimes used to improve structure, the focal point for St Henri remains Shiraz.

The initials RWT stand for ‘Red Winemaking Trial’, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995. Naturally, now no longer a ‘trial’, RWT Shiraz was launched in May 2000 with the 1997 vintage. Its style is opulent and fleshy, contrasting with Grange, which is more muscular and assertive. RWT is made from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and plush texture. RWT wines are built for the long haul, with the precision, concentration and balance to age for many years.The palate is generous, with voluminous and enveloping tannins, so silken they betray their density and persistence. This sturdy foundation provides a perfect canvas upon which to display the spoils of the harvest, layers of flavours roll over the palate in waves. Varietally correct and true to origin. Blue fruits, boysenberry, plum and mulberry are front and centre, a signature of RWT. A suggestion of crème brûlée and panforte provide a sweet counterpoint to complex notes of exotic spice and cedary oak.

St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. Proudly, a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion or commerce. St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters with age. It is matured in an assortment of old large vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion of cabernet may sneak into the blend, the focal point for St Henri remains shiraz.Structural descriptors don’t usually lead the charge for St Henri, but they are certainly faithful to the 2019 vintage. A fine graphite core. The warmth and creaminess of Mexican sauce with the weight of wild game: venison loin, braised hare. Eventually sweet custard flavours emerge, smooth and textural. Portuguese tart! A suggestion of fine salinity aligns with mouth-watering acidity, cleansing. As always with St Henri, restrained, no need to be showy. The dark cocoa tannins are so fine they could be spun from silk. Will age and evolve beautifully for decades.

A well-defined focus on palate. Forward facing – line and length. The fascinating interplay between cabernet sauvignon and shiraz providing not only considerable length and structure, but also width and density. Result... completely filling the palate. Always anticipated, a trademark creamy Bin 389 mid-palate. A wine with much to offer even in the flush of youth. Complexing flavours: savoury nuances of freshly sliced fennel, pan wilted radicchio leaf and pickled turnips. Moroccan lamb backstraps on eggplant relish. Red liquorice and cherry provide a sweet counterpoint. Evolved tannins seamlessly drive the palate structure. Will last many decades, if you can wait that long.Bin 389 was often referred to as ‘Baby Grange’, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange.