Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond are Mornington born and bred. They work at the illustrious Mt Langi Ghiran but find time to share the husbandry on a precious three acre vineyard on an elevated northeast ridge at Red Hill South. The Messrs Drummond and Buckle take a decidedly Burgundian approach to processing their Pinot Noir, ferments of exclusively whole bunches are foot stomped over the course of a week before filling to small oak casks. Structured and eloquent, pastoral and intense, small batch, superior vineyard Mornington Pinot at its finest.

Chateau Reynella is the birthplace of McLaren Vale Shiraz, today it is headquarters of Australia's most eminent winemaker. The original site, established by John Reynell in 1838, was the first commercial vineyard in South Australia. It remains productive to this day, yielding fruit which is processed at the original wineworks. The most exceptional parcels available to the Hardy winemaking team, those which can best represent the Chateau Reynella style, are vinified and assembled into a rich bold Shiraz of profound intensity, exquisite balance and refined silky tannins.

The site which was destined to become South Australia's first winemaking estate was planted to vines just south of the Onkaparinga River, at the northwest corner of Panalatinga and Reynell Roads. Within ten years, John Reynell became the first to export South Australian red wine. His business grew, as Chateau Reynella won over palates throughout the Empire. As his operations flourished and local businesses started up, more workers were attracted to the area and settled down, the beginnings of McLaren Vale. Significantly, one of Reynell's star employees was Thomas Hardy of Hardy Wines.

South Australia's founding winery, the headquarters of Hardy Wines, Chateau Reynella is one of our nation's oldest cellars. Vinified from the most precious parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon available to Hardy, traditionally crafted to old world techniques, employing antique basket presses and open fermenters to keep the history alive and create wines which merit perennial critical acclaim. A highly perfumed construct of McLaren Vale Cabernet, its judicious measure of spiced French vanilla oak complements the fruit richness and lingers on the memorable finish.

Exceptional vintage, one of the most remarkable Pavillon Rouge ever. The high quality of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, the peerless excellence of the Merlot from this vintage. A monumental wine, richer in tannins than any Chateau Margaux produced over at least the last half century. Her unusual power is fortunately balanced by a delicacy and smoothness which almost makes one forget the impressive tannic structure. Delicious to drink after two decades and for many more years to come.

Beaucastel is one of the great renditions of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, itself one of the principal appelations in all France. One of the richest and most complex cepage allowed under Origine Controlee law, components of Grenache and Cinsault provide the deep colour, intensity and softness. Parcels of Mourvedre and Syrah, Muscardin and Vaccarese give the wine its renowned ageing potential and classic, dark fruit character. The Counoise, Picpoul and other aboriginal grapes contribute freshness, suave fragrance and distinctive aromatic élan.

Charles Melton's life long passion for Grenache began during a working tour of the Rhone Valley in the 1980s. At the time, Australian Grenache was being used mainly for cheap, high alcohol, fortified wines, Charlie however, started experimenting in the vineyard, pruning the old vines harder so they would produce lower yields of better berries. All Melton's vineyards are unirrigated and dry grown, some are in excess of 130 years old, yielding fruit of the most intense natural sweetness, even when fermented to bone dry, a quality of Grenache that's without peer anywhere in the world.

Distinguished Langtons Classification. Based on the wines of Chateauneuf du Pape, or home of new popes, alternate papacy of the 13th century. Drawing fruit from the only other classic Grenache growing area in the world, Melton has given this evocative grape a little Aussie twist, assembling the inspiring varietal with parcels of old vines Barossa Mourvedre and Shiraz. Litigation by the French was avoided, but problem remains, Melton's French skills were a tad light when he named the wine, assuming Chateauneuf du Pape was a reference to the nine popes.

Charles Melton was road tripping across Australia when his broken down EH Holden forced him to grab the first job. It was Krondorf and he wound up working with Peter Lehmann. Melton travelled to France and developed the beginnings of what would become a life long passion for the wines of vallée du Rhône, in particular Shiraz. Darkly scented plum pudding lift, fine sweet oak in support of generous mouthfilling palate, rich but exquisitely balanced, lovely complex length of flavour, all that we love about the affable, big hearted Barossa style.

At Charles Melton vineyards, great emphasis is placed on the quality of fruit, completely dry grown on the estate’s fifty acres of prime Barossa viticulture, ocassionally calling on a distinguished group of devoted local growers for extravagantly priced parcels of the most exceptional fruit. Cabernet grapes must must be fully ripe without passing the softness stage into wrinkled, affording richness while retaining structure. Berries are gently destemmed for vinification, followed by transfer into an extravagant selection of completely new French oak barriques for a minimum two years maturion on gross lees.

Chapel Hill is built around an historic stone church, so it's entirely appropriate that the estate's flagship wine be named The Vicar. More wine Vicar? A McLaren Vale icon which has previously claimed the prestigious Australia Trophy and twice collected Silver at the London International. The Vicar embodies true excellence, is only released in the best years and has only ever attended seven times in the history of Chapel Hill. Some vintages can be a smart assemblage of noble varietals, others might be fashioned from outstanding parcels of Shiraz.

The ancient winegrowing hamlet of Moculta is at the very northern end of Eden Valley, where altitudes are warmest and soils are propitiously mineral rich. It's an elite little precinct with a history which dates back to Lutheran settlement. Every row of plantings here is sacred, local folklore recounts the establishment of illustrious old vineyards and stewardship by the nation's most esteemed vignerons. Chaffey source a superior harvest from the distinguished Fechner Brothers block, a transcendent parcel of Shiraz, ultimately to be treated to in an invaluable selection of new French oak from France’s oldest cooperage.

A small number of mature Shiraz blocks toward the southern parts of Barossa Valley are identified each year as potential candidates for Centenary Hill. Jacobs Creek were at the very establishment of South Australia and retain access to the nation's most distinguished, long lived vineyards. A highly prestigious Barossa effort, cellared at the Orlando wineworks, treated to the most refined oak maturation before an extravagant term of eighteen months bottle age to develop ornate, seamless complexity.

Cecchi own the most bountiful and picturesque vineyards within the prestigious precincts of Montalcino. The denominazione di origine of Rosso permits the growers of Montalcino to craft and release a more youthful style while they await for the exalted Brunello to come of age. An exclusively Sangiovese wine treated to six months in a selection of new and seasoned oak, Rosso di Montalcino is defined by its expression of the flattering climes and superior terroirs of its provenance, while offering impressive integrity and immediate drinkability.