Corey Ryan spent two decades crafting the most memorable vintages at Henschke, Penfolds and McWilliam, not to mention tours of duty in la Vallée du Rhône, he understands old vine Shiraz very well. Kym Teusner shares Ryan's devotion in the pursuit of resuscitating very old, low yielding, dry grown vineyards, Teusner honed his own artisanal approach under the tutelage of grand masters Rolf Binder and Torbreck. Zeppelin is the Messrs Ryan & Teusner bond, to capture the splendour of old vine Shiraz and make it accessible to all Barossa enthusiasts.

Zeppelin was created by Artisans of the Barossa Corey Ryan and Kym Teusner, with a view to crafting full flavoured Barossa wines of immense personality and style. Labelled in commemoration of Barossa Valley's German heritage, the brand was named in honour of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, a brave and progressive entrepreneur. Big Bertha is a bold, well structured Shiraz with real flavour, fashioned for early appreciation from fruit grown to precious old vineyard sites in the northern viticultural precincts of Barossa Valley.

Outstanding Langtons Classification. Octavius has established a reputation as one of Australia's Shiraz icons. In addition to being sourced from a number of very old Barossa vineyards, Octavius is treated to an extended period in American oak octaves of ninety litres capacity, the only red wine in the world to be matured in such small barrels. The secret of the wine not becoming overpowered by oak lies in the wood itself, which is open air seasoned at Yalumba's own cooperage for eight years before the octaves are coopered and put to use.

Excellent Langtons Classification. One of Australia's most accessible icon wines. The 53rd vintage of Black Label, with a long established reputation at setting the benchmark in regional and varietal definition. A Coonawarra Cabernet of style and stature, vinified from fruit grown to old vines averaging over thirty years of age. Always the perennial favourite around auction markets, Black Label is one of Australia's most collectable wines. A profound and engaging experience when enjoyed in its youth, Black Label consistently delivers the potential for medium to long term cellaring.

Named after a set of medieval leg pillories which remain preserved as a museum piece in Oxfordshire. The team at Woodstock consider themselves lucky to be caring for some of the oldest McLaren Vale vines. Fruit for inclusion into The Stocks is sourced from thirty one rows of ancient McLaren Vale vines, planted circa 1900 on a sandy north slope at the Woodstock property, only the most exceptional barrels of aged Shiraz are selected. The palate is plush with an intensity and complexity of flavour that will continue to evolve and mellow in the glass.

Robert Strangways Wigley was an eccentric South Australian cricketer who established Wirra Wirra in 1894. He produced a highly prized Shiraz which was exported to England and the Empire until he passed away in 1925. The cellars fell into disuse after the 1936 vintage and remained inoperable until Greg and Roger Trott rebuilt the ironstone winery by hand in 1969. Tradition has it that the ¾ tonne Angelus bell which sits atop Wirra Wirra was rung thrice daily from the Jesuit Church at Norwood, calling the faithful to prayer.

Single vineyard Semillon from vines established 1936, a precious Barossa block which yields an exceptional harvest with every vintage. Drinking magnificently immediately upon release, its generous length of palate brimming with flavours, the classic varietal characters of evolving lemon butter fruit, an elegance and vigor that indicates it will continue to develop amazing complexity. Barossa winemakers refer to their local Semillon as the discerning red wine enthusiast's choice of white.

The vineyard grows along the banks of the North Para River and the fruit is harvested late in the season when the flavours are fully developed, tannins are ripe and sugar levels high. Vineyard specific fruit characters of mint and a touch of Eucalypt are the hallmarks of this Barossa Cabernet. Exhibiting the richness and warmth of fruit one would expect from the region, this is a wine of great varietal flavour, combining stylish fruit characters along with rich chocolate hints which are typically associated with good Barossa reds.

Aerope is the Two Hands estate flagship, significantly a pure Grenache wine, representing the very finest old vines Barossa Grenache. Aerope is assembled annually from a chosen few of the most exceptional barrels, vinified from grapes that are hand picked off an eighty year old, dry grown vineyard on Radford Road, near the ancient Barossa winegrowing hamlet of Greenock.

Vinified from fruit grown to the historic, hundred and fifty year old Black Flat Block, an intensely varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, infused with the edifying eucalypt characters from thickets of old gums that grow along the creek bed. Planted to a cool, shaded shallow gully, the mixed alluvials and dark, fertile Biscay clays of Black Flat Block, yield a quality of Cabernet that's as eloquent as it is unique. Highly articulate with the characterful herbaceousness of an exquisite site, Turkey Flat offers the complexity and grace to match with caramelized foie gras or the finest wagyu.

Established 1847 by Johann August Frederick Fiedler, much of the credit for the finest Shiraz in the world is due to old vines such as Turkey Flat. Dry grown and gnarled, their roots extend metres into the soil in search of moisture. That they still exist is largely due to a far sighted quarantine scheme, as South Australia was spared the phylloxera outbreak which devastated vineyards around the world in the late 1800s. After five generations of stewardship by the Schulz family, a small parcel of fruit from the original 1847 vines is bottled as a superior vintage release.

Distinction is the jewel in the Tscharke crown, only ever made in the most exceptional vintage years, crafted from priceless parcels of Shiraz, hand picked off the elite Gnadenfrei property in the ancient Barossa hamlet of Marananga. The mesoclime here is fortuitous for Shiraz, an auspicious terroir of conglomerate pink quartzite and shallow red brown clays, the ideal environment for low yields of the most intensely flavoured fruit.

The view from Struie down towards Dornoch Firth, is as inspiring as the panorama across Barossa's Valley floor from atop the elevated ranges. David Powell assembles Shiraz from ancient, isolated little Barossa vineyards, some are well over a century of age. Sourced from several elevated sites throughout the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Struie reflects the cooler side of the region and showcases the subtle nuances which can be gained from hillside viticulture, for a full bodied and powerful, rich red wine of purity, focus and intensity.

On a highland farm, the array of barns, stables and outbuildings is known as a steading. Steading GSM has long been David Powell's favourite wine within the Torbreck stable because of the old, gnarled bush vines that produce its core. Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz grown to ancient sites at Moppa and Marananga, Seppeltsfield and Ebenezer, Gomersal and Greenock, perform brilliantly in their own right. When assembled however, their strengths coalesce into a wine of remarkable structure and bucolic grace.

Exceptional Langtons Classification. RunRig was a system that the highland clans employed to distribute property and holdings. It appropriately defines the Torbreck flagship, crafted from small yields of the most precious hand sorted Shiraz, picked off a canon of very old, dry grown vineyards. The emphasis is never on any one proprietor or farm, but rather the communal elements of the whole. RunRig is a wine which exhibits so much power and latent richness, that it is compared with the epicly structured and perfumed first growths of Cote Rôtie.

Dave Powell was honoured when good friend Ignatius Chan asked him to make a wine for his renowned Singapore establishment. Powell sourced a unique parcel of old vines Grenache from the devigorated soils of western Seppeltsfield to create Les Amis, a testament to what the most exacting standards of viticulture can achieve. A harvest of the most precious fruit, gifted with purity, intensity and finesse. Les Amis flaunts the poise, concentration and panache, with which only the world's greatest terroirs are bestowed.

Excellent Langtons Classification. A single vineyard wine, the Barossa Valley's first ever co fermented Shiraz Viognier, from fruit grown next to the winery block on Roennfeldt Road, planted to cuttings off old RunRig vineyards, some of the oldest genetic material in Australia. Built to last and evolve for many years as time unlocks layers of cryptic complexity within, the Descendant's immediate charm can be enjoyed immediately upon release, after a few hours of essential breathing. A wine of remarkable concentration, supported by silky tannins, suave sophistication and impeccable balance.

In the wonderful wide world of wine, you will find over sixty aliases for Mataro. Mourvedre from the Cotes du Rhône and the Spanish Monastrell are amongst the most familiar, as well as lesser known pseudonyms such as Balzac and Esparte. Custodians of the finest parcels of Barossa Mataro, the house of Teusner are Australia's most accomplished purveyors of this complex and engaging, esoteric varietal. Teusner's favourite by far is the French construct known as estrangle chien, the dog strangler, due to its bestial tannins.

Half Grenache with the balance of Shiraz and Mourvedre, grown to some fantastic old vine stock, most are a century of age, treated to a spell in well seasoned barrels. The oak influence is minimal, serving to complex and mature the wine rather than to impart flavour. So marked must be the profile of fruit to make the cut for Avatar, that initial classification of the components takes place immediately after vintage. Well balanced and round, a wine of earthy, savoury complexity, displaying ripe fleshy fruits, bramble and licorice spice.

Albert is the namesake of Teusner's grandfather, commemorated for his tireless hard work and commitment. Albert is sourced from two small blocks of low yielding unirrigated vines, aged between fifty and a hundred years, one precious site in the Barossa's north at Ebenezer and the other, near the valley's southern most parts at Williamstown. Pure and expressive, displaying the power, elegance and generosity of splendid old vines Shiraz, Albert is a joy to drink now and will continue to evolve magical Barossa richness.

Next door to the Taylor estate was a sleepy winery originally founded in 1896, one of the first in the Valley, it had not been operational since 1934. In 1995 Taylor acquired the property and set about the task of recreating history with the re-issue of the timeless St. Andrew. Australia's most enduring flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, with a history of awards at prestigious international competitions including Concours de Mondial Bruxelles, St Andrew continues to attract international acclaim by virtue of its peerless quality of fruit and artisanal winemaking.

A vineyard with a long and proud history, closely connected to Krondorf and Grant Burge, Tapestry is at the very heart of McLaren Vale. Planted in the 1970s, the property's rich ironstone soils and cool coastal climate provide ideal conditions for producing well structured and richly flavoured wines of exceptional quality. A silky, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon in the traditional McLaren Vale style, dominated by black currants and cassis, red capsicum and roast peanut notes, oodles of bramble and black jube, a flourish of cedar and tobacco on the velour tannin finish.

A selection of the finest barrels, Vincent is crafted from Shiraz picked off vines up to forty years of age, very close to Kangarilla Road and the Clarendon Hills, specifically Bays 3 and 4, planted to the elite Bakers Gully site in McLaren Vale, which yields a scant tonne per acre. Vincent is a richly flavoured wine, it begins with a harvest of exceptional quality Shiraz, treated to rigorous selection and an extended maturation. The most stringent standards are applied, the top barrels of vintage, crafted to reflect truth in regionality and pure varietal expression.

A national flagship wine, articulating the concordance between the Barossa and Eden Valleys, derived from low yielding vines up to a hundred years of age. The meticulous nurture and respect for these Old Vines demands that parcels are culled throughout the winemaking, from pruning in the vineyard until the final stage of sampling the ageing stocks, to determine the best barrels. Old sites in the warm nether parts of the Barossa establish the rich foundation, whilst higher, cooler aspects of the Eden Valley contribute lifted aromatics and seamless tannins.

A collaboration between one of Australia's most intrepid, artisanal boutique winemakers and skilled contract viticulturalists. Simon Cowham became intimate with Eden Valley's most exquisite sites during a tour of duty at Yalumba. He is retained by the most prestigious wineries and manages the finest Barossa vineyards. Cowham has assembled choice parcels of old vines fruit, from precious blocks over fifty years of age, grown to salubrious sites on the Eden Valley ranges and hamlet of Moculta, for a more refined style of Shiraz, alluringly perfumed, structured and statuesque.

Corey Ryan is one of the nation's most intrepid, artisanal winemakers, a specialist at small batch editions, he is called upon by some of the most eminent brands to craft limited releases of the most memorable vintages in Barossa and Eden Valleys Shiraz. A compilation of fruit from the Marschall Family vineyards in the Tanunda and Ebenezer precincts of Barossa Valley. The rich iron soils of Ebenezer contribute sound structure, palate weight and length, the sandy terroirs of Tanunda bring exhilarating freshness and bright aromatic lift.

The topical old vines Barossa cépage of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourverdre, fashioned to a style which would have warmed the hearts of the earliest Barossa settlers. The dominant component of Grenache is picked off an exceptionally low yielding property at Light Pass, originally planted by the Kennedy family in the 1960s. Leo Joe Kennedy husbanded these precious old vines for decades, he knew each planting by name and reserved the pick of fruit for inclusion into many of the Barossa's most memorable vintages.

Sevenhill conjures up visions of Clare Valley idyll, serene pastoral vistas and ancient cellars full of patiently maturing Shiraz wines. One of our nation's great viticultural endowments, Sevenhill were the first ever cellars to be established in Valley Clare. Winemaking is still carried out under the direction of the Jesuitical Manresa Society, sacramental altar wine still accounts for a third of the estate's production. Inigo is an intense yet balanced Shiraz with the requisite character and charm to articulate the grace of vines up to 140 years of age.

Brother John May planted a block of low yielding Shiraz vines during his stewardship of Sevenhill Cellars in the 1970s, naming his beloved parcel Ignatious, after the builder of a historic shrine which overlooks the precious patch. Grapes are crushed into an ancient five tonnes, open slate fermenter, gently plunged for up to a fortnight and basket pressed into the luxury of completely new French oak for two years maturation. Its opaque density, opulent structure and polished, seamless tannins define John May as Clare Valley's tour de force.

One of the new world's most exclusive, ancient vineyard wines, awaited annually by the most discerning Shiraz enthusiasts around the globe. Only ever bottled in the finest vintages, fruit is sourced from the superior Ahrens Vineyard at Lyndoch and the historic Moorooroo site at Jacobs Creek, which for more than 120 years, ended up with Orlando. Moorooroo is made from the four remaining rows of the original William Jacob Shiraz plantings, saved from the government sponsored vine pull schemes of the 1980s by estate patriarch Ed Schild.

Grapes for the stately Moorooroo super premium Shiraz are sourced from the oldest commercial vineyard in Australia, the fruit of two centuries viticulture in the Hundred of Moorooroo, between Jacob’s Creek and North Para River. Planted just eleven years after the foundation of South Australia, the ancient Moorooroo rootstock yields a wine of rare complexity, very different to the modern style of Australian Shiraz. Old vines are also very low yielding, so the most that can ever be made of Moorooroo Shiraz is two hundred cases annually.

A baronial Barossa estate with a proud tradition of Australian agriculture which dates back to 1866, Schild have amassed a remarkable list of international awards for their stately wines. Their offerings are highly treasured by enthusiasts around the world. A dry grown, bush vine Grenache, Mourvedre Shiraz, from blocks averaging seventy years of age, precious old sites which are able to withstand wicked bursts of Barossa heat. The gnarled old vines are treated to meticulous viticultural management, yielding berries of outstanding quality.