Henley demands a sensory evaluation to identify the finest barrels of Geoff Merrill Shiraz. The choicest parcels are earmarked and set aside each year for a course of maturation in the finest French oak. After fifteen months, the stocks are sampled to identify a short list of the very best, refilled to oak for a further course of maturation into the eminent Geoff Merrill Reserve. The final cut of this elite cull represents a strictly limited edition of the most superlative Shiraz in all McLaren Vale, only ten barrels each vintage are worthy of bottling under the Henley moniker.

Freycinet Vineyard lies on a namesake peninsula in northeast Tasmania. Situated on the 42nd latitude, the property enjoys a unique microclimate. The long growing season extends into May, combining much sunshine and warm days, winter rains with no frosts, ideal for the production of excellent quality cool climate fruit. The vineyard sits a hundred metres above sea level, at a distance of twenty kilometres from the coast, the climes here are very maritime. At harvest the grapes are bursting with flavour.

Inspired by the great Crus of Bordeaux, the aim is to build complexity within a single vineyard wine, to allow the fruit to shine, as complemented by the finest oak, a Cabernet of profound structure, polish and finesse. The inclusion of small portions Merlot and Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, are treated to a regimen of cutting edge and old world vinification techniques. Fraser Gallop's superlative Cabernet vines are the highly regarded Houghton clone, sourced off unirrigated blocks yielding fruit with a massive concentration of flavours.

Excellent Langtons Classification. An eminent performer on the international wine show circuit, one of the nation's most celebrated Shiraz, the best of McLaren Vale. Fox Creek Reserve is assembled from a ruthless barrel cull of the best parcels to come out of each vintage. Offering great weight of fruit on the palate, an extraordinary range of flavours, the finish is long and legendary. Highly cellarable yet fully approachable when young, a Shiraz of great purity and unequivocally fine acidity, decanting and breathing are a must.

Forest Hill work hard at extracting the best possible Shiraz out of Block 9. Better soil maintenance with no herbicides and more composted material, while leaf plucking is applied earlier in the season and more diligently. The maturity of the vines, management of the property and evolution in the quality of fruit all impact on the excellence of the finished wine. Its long and fine, chewy structure is dominated by bold varietal fruit characters, while the background gamey nuances intensify the palate, along with subtle earthiness and sweet spice undertones.

One of the great endowments of Forest Hill is the age and maturity of its cool climate vineyard. Home to the Great Southern's eldest Cabernet vines, the original plantings are over forty years of age. These unirrigated vines on their own roots produce concentrated and complete wines, elegant and refined. Fashioned from the estate's very best parcels of select, hand picked Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Block 5 exhibits splendid concentration of silky, grainy tannins, extraordinary intensity and ripeness of fruit with engrossing overall complexity.

Only those parcels of Shiraz meeting the highest standards of old vine Barossa, can be considered for inclusion into Fernando. Assembled from the pick of eighty year old plantings, Fernando represents the flagship from the noble house of Taylor Ferguson, established 1898. Immediately intense with impenetrable black hues, Fernando's rich bouquet of blood plums, violet and tradewind spice, are followed by a multi layered palate which continues to unravel veils of complexity, seamlessly integrated, between fawning tannins, winegum fruit and fragrant flattering oak.

A characterful Pinot Noir born of triumph over adversity. Considerable research by Stewart Elms in 1991 identified the north facing slopes at the end of Felton Road near Bannockburn as being one of the warmest and most ideal sites in Central Otago. Heat summation data and soil maps from the construction of the Clyde Hydro Dam made a crucial contribution to the establishment of vines on Felton Road. Mouthcoating, subtle and caressing of fruit, a Pinot Noir of harmony, restraint and sophistication that intrigues rather than shouts its breeding, finishing with just enough tannin to frame the wine beautifully.

A number of sites along Felton Road were meticulously surveyed before any vines went in the ground, favourable soils were identified as free draining and low fertility, influenced by the Central Otago growing season to yield an extraordinary quality of Pinot Noir. The non interventionalist approach means a traditional fermentation and moderately long maceration on skins to extract rich colours and tannin with considerable depth of flavour. Aged for a year in a selection of the finest French barriques, its dusty floral nose, violets and rose, integrate seamlessly with the oak perfumes of cinnamon and clove.

Dominated by Grenache, with slightly lesser components of Syrah and Mouvedre, off vines planted to alluvial alpine deposits and rolled pebbles over a former sea bed of the miocene epoch. An assemblage of estate grown fruit, with parcels from a seven hectare property to the west of Chateau Beaucastel and salubrious sites near the center of the village at Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Batches are vinfied according to the exacting Beaucastel technique of destemming and warming the fruit before treating the musts to a traditional south Rhone style of ferment.

Shiraz is selected from vines grown to the central and northern part of Margaret River, parcels which have shown remarkable balance year after year, consistently yielding loose, intensely flavoured bunches with small berry size, critical to the Evans & Tate style. The superlative ripening conditions allow flavour and tannin development to catch up with sugar ripeness, producing an intensely coloured wine with ripe, concentrated flavours and fine, soft tannins. Evans & Tate have spared no expense and have pulled all the stops to deliver a world class Shiraz.

Redbrook capitalizes on the exquisite synergy derived from omniscient viticulture and sagacious winemaking. Fashioned for style, elegance and complexity, Redbrook is an ultimate expression of the vintage and of exceptional Margaret River fruit grown to vineyards which have consistently delivered the highest quality grapes. The salubrious maritime climes along Margaret River encourage flavour, tannin and structure to catch up with sugar ripeness, yielding an intensely coloured Cabernet Sauvignon with concentrated, elegant varietal flavours and fine, ripe tannins.

Euroa Creeks is a hand crafted single vineyard Shiraz, only sixty cases of the inaugural vintage were available in Australia. The eight acres of vine are nourished by a number of creeks that have traditionally brought just enough water to make the land arable. In recent years the area has been drier than usual, vines have truly struggled and tonnages are at their lowest, but the grapes have been packed with flavour. Vintage 2006 was an almost perfect growing season and 110 cases of Reserve were produced. Vintage 2007 was totally wiped out by frost.

Grapes for Te Rehua are grown to the elite Barton Vineyard on Huangarua Road Road, from mature vines over twenty years of age. Planted to deep alluvial gravels, for which the Martinborough terraces are renowned, the site supports various clones, all growing in a very sheltered spot. Fermented in barrel, hand plunged and sensibly oaked, one of New Zealand's most compelling constructs of Pinot Noir.

The zenith of new world Pinot Noir, welcome to the Escarpment wonderland, showcasing the prodigious acumen and skill of viticultural maestro Larry McKenna. Vinified from grapes grown to the closely planted Pahi parcel, a pure and delineated expression of a small yet exceptional site. Treated to the labour and love of hand plunged ferments, followed by a long and languid term of age in an artisanal selection of the finest French oak Cuvée. An aromatic plunge into bramble berries, rich florals and earth, ripe, silky texture, incredible length and lingering, technicolour peacock's tail.

From fruit picked off some of the oldest vineyards in Martinborough, an internationally renowned Pinot Noir appellation. Blessed by superior drainage and cool summers, a combination of slightly heavier soils and bespoke clones on own roots, always render a particularly eloquent Pinot Noir, so very articulate of clime and of place. Escarpment excels at formulating single vineyard wines from their small, but excellent, retinue of sites. Like the best wines of Burgundy, these individualistic editions offer marked differences in character and charm.

The hidden gem in the Elderton portfolio, a perennial favourite on the national wine show circuit. It was postulated that by assembling the finest components of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz which Elderton could produce, a truly wonderful wine would be created. This is Ode to Lorraine, a rigorous selection is conducted each year to isolate the best barrels, much of which are earmarked for the estate flagships. An exceptionally well rounded claret style, born out of extensive sessions around the tasting bench.

From an invaluable parcel of vine at Greenock, planted by the Helbig family in 1915. Hand picked grapes are gently crushed into two large 1500 litres barrels, sealed for six weeks of maceration and fermentation on skins, followed by a press to a luxurious selection of finely coopered French oak for two years maturation. A stunning wine in true, old vine Barossa blockbuster styling, densely figured with black and blueberries, cinnamon and clove spice, its voluptuous, opulent palate unravelling layers of complexity and splendour as it lingers on a finish of immeasurable length.

Langtons Excellent Classification. From ancient vines planted in the 1890s, Elderton Command has established an enviable reputation since inaugural vintage, one of Australia's most eminent icon wines. Accolades have come from the world over, the 1992 was rated by Robert Parker as one of the world's top eighty wines. Vintage 1996 claimed Trophy for best Shiraz in the world at the prestigious London International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Excellent Langtons Classification. Elderton Command has established an enviable reputation, truly one of Australia's most esteemed flagship wines. Accolades are sent from every corner of the globe with every annual release. Vintage 1992 was selected by Robert Parker as one of the world's top wines. The 1995 Command was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and placed in their TOP 1OO, vintage 2000 was awarded 97 points and also made the TOP 1OO. Vintage 1996 claimed Trophy for Best Shiraz in the World at the prestigious London International.