A memorable Durif, awash with lush black fruit and spice that comes in an appropriately distinctive bottle. Bill Calabria has won won Trophy after Trophy after Trophy for his wines – including the prestigious Stoddart. He has been on a short list for the Jimmy Watson Award at least twice, His ‘3 Bridges’ alone has been recognised at the Sydney International Wine Competition, as ‘Most Successful Winery or Brand’ … he’s been praised by Robert Parker and Halliday who’s placed four wines within his 1001 Top Wines. He was a local boxing champion as a teenager, winning 12 out of 13 fights (with seven KOs) before his mum found out and put a stop to it. “I made a lot of friends out of boxing,” he says. It’s given him rare opportunities including sparring with the Australian champion, and has also come in handy in other ways. A few years ago he confronted three men who’d come to the winery to steal wine. After they started throwing punches Bill fought back, literally knocked some teeth out, and they fled empty handed. This is an unashamedly weighty, full flavoured red with masses of lush black fruit, spice, liquorice and herbal hints and a toasty oak finish.

Bernoota was the original name of the Lake Breeze homestead and now the Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet is rightfully considered to be one of Australia's favourite Shiraz Cabernet blends. And they don't come much better than Bernoota for the price! Not only is it rich and luscious, filled with blackcurrant, spice and pepper, it has a touch of dark chocolate on the finish. The 2009 is a 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet blend and spends 20 months in a mixture of French and American Oak that will see the wine not only be enjoyable now, but develop beautifully in the bottle for a further 8 to 10 years.

"Our single vineyard range represents the pinnacle of what we do at Mountadam Vineyards. Each wine is made from fruit selected from a single Estate block". In the 1860s a South Australian landowner Sir Samuel Davenport was given a cutting of “chardonuet” by a French horticulturist. Somehow the cutting came to be grown in the South Australian Governor’s summer residence, a property known as Marble Hill in the Adelaide Hills. The vines eventually came to the attention of renowned wine industry pioneer David Wynn, who took a cutting and propagated further vines at a nursery in Adelaide. He planted them out on a beautiful elevated site on his Mountadam vineyard in 1972, making these the oldest cool climate chardonnay vines in Australia. The clone no longer exists anywhere else in the world.

Old, extremely low-yielding McLaren Vale vines are responsible for d'Arenberg's Dead Arm Shiraz - a wine of enormous power, intensity and real complexity - an absolute must for any serious wine cellar and d'Arenberg lover. One of the flagships for McLaren Vale for many years, this wine continues to shine with a balanced between tradition and Chester Osborne driven innovation.

The making of Dragonfly Sauvignon Blanc Semillon centres on capturing the fresh and alluring tropical and seasonal fruit flavours from the region. A minute portion is fermented in French oak barriques to add a layer of intrigue to the wine. Enticing aromatics of passionfruit, tropical notes, kiwi fruit and lime zest. The palate is crisp and refreshing, having a depth of flavour, tropical spectrum, and a long fine finish.

Portuga is made by Casa Santos Lima, a grand Portuguese estate in the Lisboa region, just north of the capitol. João Santos Lima founded it in the 19th century and it has been in the same family for three generations. Diogo Sepúlveda is the winemaker today. He has worked vintages all across the world, including Bordeaux's prestigious Pomerol and California's Napa Valley. He is a talented winemaker, who relaxes in his spare time by wrestling bulls (all muscle, no knives!). Portuga is a rich, velvety blend of traditional native varieties, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, aged gently in oak. Delicious either served on its own, with rich pork dishes, or tangy tomato pasta. It's an ideal wine for a barbecue too or with mature hard cheeses.