RIPOSTE BY TIM KNAPPSTEIN The Katana Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

Penfolds St Henri is one of Australia's greatest red wines. The Shiraz for St Henri is selected for subtlety and elegance and the finished wine has the structure complexity for extended bottle maturation. The 1991 is a classic St Henri vintage that is good to drink until 2022.

Part of Two Hands super-premium, single vineyard range, this classic McLaren Shiraz style has nuanced blueberry, mocha and spice characters. Always made to be plush, rich and smooth, the Lily's Garden never seems to be void of any complexity though. Super long length and superb tannin structure also help the McLaren Vale beauty truly sing.

Although this wine is plush, dense and rich, it possesses a compelling percussion and balance. Right up there with Grange and Hill Of Grace as one of Australia's best Shiraz, and from one of the greatest vintages too!

Cuvée des Peupliers Bourgogne Rouge Drawn from a parcel directly below the Route Nationale in Chambolle, abutting the Morey border. Ponsot has been farming this site since 2002 and it is, if you will, a launching pad into Chambolles evanescent glories of crunchy red fruit, silken tannins and chiffon-like detail. A waft of spice and sous-bois accents top it all off. A mere quarter of the cuvée was raised in oak facilitating imminent accessibility and enjoyment, high on the drinkability spectrum.

Crafted from three premium Yarra Valley sites, combining both MV6 and D2V4 (pommard) Pinot Noir clones. The first parcel was hand-picked on the 20th of February, with the final parcel coming in on the 1st of April. All batches were fermented wild utilising different ratios of whole-bunches, the final blend equating to 25%. Matured in French oak puncheons (30% new), where it saw 10 months élevage prior to bottling.

Maison Les Alexandrins is a collaboration between two renowned winegrowers from the Rhone Valley - Nicolas Jaboulet and Alexandre Caso. Their wines are crafted in a signature style that is at once contemporary and timeless, and always from exceptional vineyards unearthed by Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the Northern Rhone. 100% Syrah grown mainly on alluvial soils from the south of the appellation, with some vineyards on terraces containing stones washed up by the Rhône. Beautiful deep-purple colour with shiny reflections. In this sunny vintage, the nose is particularly seductive with delicate floral notes subtly mixed with aromas of small red fruit. A remarkable balance on the palate with a beautiful crispness of fresh and light red fruit supported by very fine tannins, revealing a wine of tremendous elegance.

AZIENDA AGRICOLA SORDO GIOVANNI Parussi, Barolo DOCG

Eden Valley gets the full Torbreck treatment here, a small plot of Eden fruit transformed into a rich lush full bodied wine. Drink now for a velvet sledge hammer, or cellar for a wine of elegance and finesse.