Blackwood Valley Wine Region, WA Tasting: Super rich, with plenty of intense berry fruits.Blackberries and dark cherries intertwine with raspberry and spice. Fruit-first, and a very attractive wine. Firm tannins that aid in structure and complexity, while remaining silky and highly approachable. Subtle earthen notes, with tobacco and cigar box. Winemaking: The fruit here comes from the Boyup Brook Vineyard. Small, concentrated berries are the source of the depth, structure and complexity of this wine. Fermented in open-tops and plunged twice daily until optimalextraction and maceration was achieved. Pressed off the skins and allowed to finish ferment in stainless tanks, before being racked to barrel and aged for around 8 months in older oak. Precise blending of the two varieties took place to achieve the desiredcharacter of this wine.

The vineyards for the Rose are at 800 meters above sea level, with a very cold winter and dry summer, warm by day and fresh at night. Very bright salmon color. Nose of good intensity, floral, with hints of red fruit. On the palate, very fresh, sweety, crispy and perfect acidity. Very attractive and well balanced.

The Silver Route (named after La Ruta Via de la Plata) is a very appealing red from Extremadura in western Spain. This frontier region is the size of Switzerland, yet has just a million inhabitants. It also has an abundance of cork trees, oaks, black Iberian pigs, and old vines, the age of which ensures intense, ripe, juicy wines. And that’s what you’ll enjoy here. Vibrant, strawberry rich Tempranillo, turbo charged with peppery, black, brambly Syrah, with that concentration only sun-baked, low yielding, old vines deliver. Delicious proof that “the most exciting aspect of modern Spain is not what is new, but what is old: ancient vines in undiscovered places” (FT Weekend). Lovely on its own, even better with barbecued kebabs or Spanish ham.

This Rioja wine has a wonderfully fruity palate, with dense black fruit flavours. On the nose a blend of toasted wood and hints of spice, combined with notes of candied red fruit and hints of liquorice.

Another step on the pioneering path for Margan, this is a field blend with the three varieties vinified together each year. The grapes are from Margan's Timbervines vineyard, planted to red volcanic soils and covers a tiny 2 hectares. There’s a lovely plushness to this red, with forest berries, violets and dark chocolate notes singing together. Soft tannins and that trademark refreshing acidity in place. A revelation.

Kings of Prohibition Tempranillo is complex with delicious flavours of cherry and plum with fine seductive velvety tannins.

Rich and ripe, blueberry and chocolate flavours, tempered by savoury tannins and well balanced acidity. Pikes Wines is a beautiful location at Polish Hill River, near Sevenhill in the wonderful Clare Valley. With a history dating back to 1878, the Pike family has a past rooted in winemaking. Current custodians, Neil & Andrew form a formidable partnership creating wines that express terroir magnificently. Neil Pike grew up amongst his father, Edgars vineyards in Langhorne Creek and Padthaway . After doing a vintage in 1978 at Wynns Coonawarra he decided to study wine production and marketing at Roseworthy College. After he graduated in 1981, Neil worked as a winemaker making wine for several Clare Valley wineries before starting Pikes with brother Andrew in 1984. He has now completed 38 vintages in the Clare Valley. Andrew was introduced to the wine industry through his father Edgars vineyards in Langhorne Creek and Padthaway. Andrew attended Roseworthy Agricultural College, graduating in 1976 with a Diploma in Agriculture, and immediately joined Wynns Coonawarra Estate. After almost 4 years at Coonawarra, he joined Penfolds Wines in 1979 where he established a new vineyard project in the Clare Valley. The seeds for Pikes Wines were immediately sown, as he quickly realised Clares potential. Andrew become General Manger Vineyard Operations for the Southcorp Wine Group where he was responsible for over 6000 ha of corporate vineyard and all grape supply on a global basis. During this time he was also involved in the establishment of Pikes Wines in the Polish Hill River Valley sub region of Clare. In 1998 Andrew resigned his position at Southcorp to assist his brother Neil in the running of the Pikes family business.

What a coup to get this wine into our range. Certainly and deservedly one of the most highly regarded Rioja producers. These are the Riojas from which dreams are made. Think leather chesterfields, smoked meats and cigar-box.