What's Hot

Marcarini’s Lasarin Nebbiolo combines fruit from their youngest Barolo vineyards and an old vineyard in Roero, uniting the grape’s noble heritage with an enjoyable freshness. Made in stainless steel only with a shorter maceration on skins.

Deep dark red colour with a slight tinge of black to the edges and a light red hue. Aromas of red cherries lightly tinged with roses are followed by some earth, traces of leather and spicy herbs. Lively flavours of red to dark cherries fill the light to medium bodied palate with an undercard of light earth and fresh herb infusions. Finishes dry with bright acidity and notable grainy tannins. Aftertaste of crunchy red and dark cherries, light earth and spicy fresh herbs.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13.5%

A delicious, lively, fruit driven Pinot.

The fruit for this wine was sourced from Paringa’s Estate three leased Red Hill Vineyards and a number of other high quality grower vineyards across the Mornington Peninsula. Maturation took place over 11 months on lees in French oak barriques. Semi translucent vibrant dark red colour with a bright crimson hue. Fragrant red cherry, strawberry and plum aromas laden with violets blossom from the glass followed by anise and subtle spicy cedar. Light in body, delicious flavours of ripe red cherries, plums and strawberries fill the mouth over subtle infusions of anise and light spicy cedar. Supple mid palate finishing fresh with vibrant acidity and fine grained tannins. Excellent power wave with a long bright and juicy aftertaste of ripe red cherries, plums, strawberries, some anise and spicy cedar.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Matured for 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned French oak hogsheads. Totally opaque midnight black core with a dark red black tinged hue. Pronounced black and red currant aromas intermix with mulberry, liquorice, cedary tobacco characters, dried herbs and spice. Medium bodied with dry, grippy yet finely grained tannins forming the framework for the mouthfilling blackcurrant, mulberry, subtle liquorice, cedary tobacco characters, dusty earth and spicy dried herb flavours. Rich, yet with an elegant structured mouthfeel, it finishes with a long black and red currant, mulberry, cedary tobacco, dried herb and spice aftertaste.
Cellar 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%

Greywacke is the Marlborough label of former Cloudy Bay winemaker Kevin Judd, where he presided over that company’s first 25 vintages establishing the reputation that it has today. The name Greywacke was adopted by Kevin and his wife Kimberley for their first Marlborough vineyard in Rapaura, named in recognition of the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard. Kevin registered the name back in 1992 with the vague notion that he might one day want to use it on a wine label of his own.

Brilliant water like colour with a greenish tinged outskirts. Intense ripe gooseberry aromatics combine with hints of passionfruit and lime over some herbaceous grassy characters, citrus and light asparagus. Explosive palate bursting with ripe gooseberry, passionfruit and lime flavours. Herbaceous grassy characters, citrus and subtle fresh asparagus elements ensue. Crisp acidity provides the wine with a zingy finish. Outstanding power and concentration with a long ripe gooseberry, passionfruit, lime, herbaceous grassy character and grassy asparagus aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 13%

Best’s Bin 0 Shiraz is produced from the four original Shiraz plantings in the low yielding blocks of the historic Concongella vineyard at Great Western. This includes nineteenth century and mid twentieth century plantings of Shiraz.

Totally opaque black dark purple colour with a bright dark purple hue. There’s an air of refinement to the nose which has an understated intensity featuring aromatics of spicy dark plum, liquorice and hints of blueberry which meld into a faint whiff of dried clove, vanillin cedar and traces of scorched earth. Rich yet possessing an elegant feel the medium bodied palate is graced with flavours of spicy dark plums, ripe dark cherries and liquorice which sit over subtlety toasted vanillin cedar and some earth. Bright youthful acidity and finely grained yet sturdy tannins provide the framework. Excellent concentration and power with a long spiced dark plum, ripe dark cherry, liquorice, vanillin cedar and subtle earth aftertaste.
Cellar 10-12 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews….
This is a majestic shiraz, powerful and dense, well-structured for ageing yet with amazingly complex detail and charm for such a youngster, with star anise, pepper and assorted spice aromas. It has great concentration and persistence. A top vintage of this famous wine. (Screwcap)
97 points
Huon Hooke

Pirathon is an ancient word for pinnacle with Shiraz considered to be Barossa’s pinnacle grape variety. Another great vintage in the Barossa winemaker Troy Kalleske sums up 2016 as “… certainly a star vintage with bright intense wines of great flavour intensity and inherent balance.” Sourced from a variety of Barossa’s top sub districts including Greenock, Moppa, Belvedere, Stonewell, Seppeltsfield, Koonunga and Ebenezer the wine was matured for 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned American, French, Russian and Hungarian oak hogsheads.

Nails the blueprint for the perfect $20 Barossa Shiraz.

Fantastic impenetrable inky black core with an equally deep dark purple black hue. Greeting the nose is an intense mix of dark plum, liquorice, black raspberry and blackberry aromas with vanillin oak, traces of fennel and spice ensuing. Opulent and gloriously rich, the palate is classic Barossa Shiraz, saturated with gorgeous dark and blue fruits. Generous plushly textured flavours of dark plum, blackberries, liquorice and black raspberries hover over background elements of vanillin oak and spice. Superb purity and vibrancy with seamlessly integrated velvet smooth tannins. Great power finishing with a long succulent aftertaste of dark plums, liquorice, blackberries, traces of black raspberries, vanillin cedar and spice.
Cellar 6-8 years.
Alc. 14.5%

The Caravan of Dreams takes its name from the aspirations of the vineyard's founder, Bill Hepburn, who in the early 1990's planted the original Tatiarra block consisting of ten acres of Shiraz vines. The early years of preparing the soil and planting the vineyard were difficult, with the only accommodation on the site being a caravan and a 'thunderbox'. However, when the cold winters in the caravan proved to be a strain on his health Bill Hepburn passed the dream onto Tatiarra.

Unashamedly individual and unfettered by fashion or convention, Caravan of Dreams has captured the hearts of wine lovers world wide and frequently approached the mythical three digit rating from more than a few critics. The catch 22 is that there's no potential to dramatically increase volumes due to the very nature of a pressings wine.

An imperious, firmly structured, rich and concentrated Heathcote Shiraz that shows terrific balance.

The incredible depth of colour heralds the immense wine to come. Impenetrable inky black core with a very deep dark red black hue. Powerful nose, with a gorgeous array of ripe blackberry, liquorice and ripe dark plum aromas tinged with a faint whiff of choc mint flowing out of the glass. Scents of vanillin oak, confectionary, subtle fennel and pepper follow on. Massive weight and volume in the mouth with a huge core of lavishly textured rich fruit completely immersing the palate. Seductively rich and powerful flavours of liquorice, succulent ripe blackberries, black cherries and dark plums unfurl on the palate over a back drop of spicy vanillin oak, subtle scorched earth, infusions of graphite and a blackpepper infused finish. Bold firmly structured tannins form a muscular framework. The wealth of fruit fuelling seemingly endless length with a formidable aftertaste of blackberry, liquorice, dark plum, vanillin oak and crushed rock laced with blackpepper.
Cellar 8-10 years plus.
Alc 15.5%

The Caravan of Dreams takes its name from the aspirations of the vineyard’s founder, Bill Hepburn, who in the early 1990’s planted the original Tatiarra block consisting of ten acres of Shiraz vines. The early years of preparing the soil and planting the vineyard were difficult, with the only accommodation on the site being a caravan and a 'thunderbox'. However, when the cold winters in the caravan proved to be a strain on his health Bill Hepburn passed the dream onto Tatiarra.

Unashamedly individual and unfettered by fashion or convention, Caravan of Dreams has captured the hearts of wine lovers world wide and frequently approached the mythical three digit rating from more than a few critics. The catch 22 is that there's no potential to dramatically increase volumes due to the very nature of a pressings wine.

A riveting example of Heathcote Shiraz that should not be missed

Magnificent impenetrable inky black colour with a very deep dark red black hue. Phenomenal nose with intense aromas of liquorice, ripe blackberries and dark plums soaring from the glass with a strong blackpepper overlay underpinned by vanillin oak, some meatiness and crushed rock notes. Ultra rich and powerful yet with an energetic core and muscular frame the palate is awash with succulently textured fruit. A huge core of liquorice, ripe blackberries and dark plums engulf the palate in decadent fashion yet is held in check by a robust structure. Nuances of spicy vanillin oak, dark chocolate, crushed rock and blackpepper are also apparent. Powerful imposing finish that seemingly sails on forever. Exceptionally long aftertaste of ripe blackberry, liquorice, dark chocolate, dark plum, spicy vanillin oak, crushed rock and blackpepper.
Cellar 8-10 years.
Alc 15%

Other Reviews....
Ben Riggs has made the wines in the past and Robert Parker gave some lofty scores, which in the early noughties was a pretty good recipe for gaining attention in local and international wine circles. The style, bombastic, but often balanced, hasn’t really wavered either, which I think shows a good reflection of the potential of the warm place that Heathcote can be. Of course, only shiraz is planted on the site. It’s not of a style I find myself drinking, but wow, it’s done well for its ilk.
This is all that a lover of big red wine can hope for, pretty much. Colossal impact of fruit, muscular yet toned, a road-train at full pace through ten feet of concrete roadblock, yet there’s immense balance here too.  Dark fruits and sweet spice and liquorice and leather and chocolate in the bouquet. The palate shows a thick swirl of dark fruit, molten chocolate tannins, lush licks of dried fruit and vanilla, stains the palate, slips to infinity. Leaves you breathless in a way. It’s a wine of immense impact. Drink 2017-2024
95 Points
Mike Bennie - Wine Front

Fabulous black dark red colour with a vibrant dark red hue. Scented black raspberry, black cherry and liquorice aromas overlay notions of crushed rock, subtle earth and peppery herb end notes. Rich inky black raspberry, black cherry and liquorice flavours sit over elements of crushed rock, spice and traces of earth with a peppery finish. Dry chewy tannins provide ample structure and fresh youthful acidity gives the wine some tension. Aftertaste of inky black raspberries, liquorice, faint crush rock and spicy pepper. Will become more open and expressive with some patience.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews…
The unoaked red 2016 LZ is produced with a blend of head-pruned Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano from the village of Lanciego. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats for 15 days and matured in tank for four to six months. This is super expressive, from an unusual year that delivered quality and quantity, a rare combination. It's a superb, characterful, approachable Rioja with a completely different profile, fruit-driven with notes of licorice and an absence of wood, more in the style of a wine from Marcel Lapierre than what most people expect from a label that says Rioja. Superb value too. Drink 2018-2021.
91 points
Luis Gutierrez – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

The name ‘Dead Arm’ comes from a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. Often affected vines are severely pruned or replanted. One half, or an 'arm' of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side, while low yielding, display amazing intensity. 2012 was a classic McLaren Vale vintage epitomised by great fruit concentration and a lovely line of vibrant acidity which bodes well for better than average cellaring potential. Maturation took place in a mixture of new and used French, and old American oak barriques for a period of 18 months.

Rich, tightly built and long

Magnificent super saturated inky black colour that’s totally impenetrable with a very deep dark purple black hue. Intense meaty nose with scents of liquorice, blackberries and black cherries overlaid by meaty peppered characters with some earthy vanillin cedar also present. Rich opulent fruit flavours of ripe blackberries, liquorice and black cherries are well supported by a robust muscular mouthfeel and a firm wall of tannins. Subtle dark chocolate, vanillin cedar, peppery dried meats and spicy scorched earth follow on. Has the power, richness and structural qualities for the long haul. Finishes with a long conclusion of blackpepper, liquorice, black cherries, blackberries, vanillin cedar, spicy scorched earth and dried meats.
Cellar 8-10 years.
Alc 14.6%