There's a confident assuredness about Australian Shiraz but there's also the chiselled elegance of Yarra Valley Syrah, grown, harvested and crafted in the old world, Cotes du Rhone way. An assemblage of hand picked parcels from separate blocks throughout the Sexton and Tarraford vineyards. A combination of hand picked grapes and whole bunches, treated to cold soak and seeded for ferments, pressed at completion to dryness and gravity fed into a selection of French oak puncheons and barriques, assembled in January, racked and bottled without fining or filtration.

Established 1988 to a bounty of rich, grey loam clays at Tarrawarra, the eminent Tarraford site enjoys a fortuitously slower ripening season than its neighbouring climes. Planted to a diversity of aspect and clones, managed to a regimen of old world biodynamic farming practices, Tarraford delivers a magnificent harvest of Rhone styled Shiraz each year. Redolent with licorice, pepper and meats, pursing dark, cherry oak tannins and the astringency of wild bramble, its herb infused palate supported by characuterie notes, sasafras and game.

After years of self management, the ancient Garden Gully vines have been nursed back to health, for harvests of the most exemplary fruit. Exacting regimens of pruning and the close husbanding of vines were an act of faith, the task was completed successfully and the ancient plantings were restored to their former glory. The old block closest to the cellar door, so true to enduring local folklore, yields harvests of world class Shiraz. Vintage 2006 claimed Judges Trophy and Best Wine Victorian Wine Challenge.

An assemblage of King Valley fruit, some parcels acquire their individuality in the vineyard, while others develop their charm in the vinification and ageing. Previous vintages have claimed conspicuous accolades including a silver medal at the prestigious London International. Much of the fruit is sourced from eminent sites around Whitfield in King Valley, not far from the Gapsted wineworks. Growing conditions can be close to perfect in these higher altitudes and the team make it a priority to capture and preserve the exceptional quality of Shiraz.

Galli's Camelback vineyard, situated northeast of the Heathcote township, enjoys a warmer clime, and the rainfall is always very limited. Growing seasons are normally dry with relatively even temperature ranges during veraison. Shiraz wines from this vineyard are delightfully flavoursome with earthy notes and a finely structured palate of some elegance, distinctive varietal character and sturdy tannins.

The Four Sisters are called upon countless times each day, at luncheon tables around the country, to deliver the quality of wine which makes a success out of every meal. The Four Sisters are the specialists, they love making wine almost as much as they enjoy drinking it. One of Australia's most cherished and enduring Shiraz, consistent and approachable, full of ripe plum and dulcet jube flavours, gently spiced and delicately enhanced by a treatment of supple oak, supported by a measure of soft, flattering tannins.

Greg and Natala Flynn established their operation on the narrow strip of ancient red cambrian Heathcote soils which produce world class Shiraz wines. MC stands for multiple clones, when planting their vineyard, the Flynns sowed a number of different clones with the aim of increasing complexity in the wines. Endowed with a vigorously perfumed bouquet and graceful palate, MC Shiraz is an elegant and controlled Heathcote Shiraz with clear regional personality, treated to an extended ageing in a selection of oak barriques from the world's finest cooperages.

A conspicuous over achiever, Halls Gap Vineyard has been source to some of the most memorable vintages Seppelt, Penfold and Mount Langi Ghiran. Established 1969 to a propitious eastern facing slope at 260 metres above the sea, Halls Gap is all about the monumental nature of Grampians Shiraz. Treated to a traditional course of open vat ferments, hand plungings and extended term of eighteen months maturation, Fallen Giants articulates the imposing structure and fruit saturation which defines Grampians Shiraz, opaque, succulent and piquantly spiced.

Fashioned from the fruit of some distinguished old Shiraz vines, what a remarkable Rosé they do make. Picked early at harvest time to retain vitality of fruit and crisp, adolescent tannins. Grapes are pressed off skins during a judicious term of cold soak to infuse the comely blush hues, before being fermented to dry. An adults only style of Rosé, dressed in lipstick hues and adorned by the piquant pink precociousness of strawberries, monte carlo and turkish delight. A gift from the Grampians, to accompany salty pork, seared salmon or recipes calling on prosciutto and fig.

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.

Delight in the fresh sparkling flavours of Emeri and transform the everyday into a truly unexpected moment. One sip makes life so very Emeri.

Heathcote produces the most distinctive Shiraz wines, lined by noble tannins and carrying a serious weight of fruit. The rich terra rosa soils and favourably sunny climes make the region so exciting for protagonists of world class Shiraz, that it beckoned Dominique Portet to impart continental flair and skill into parcels of the choicest local fruit. A solidly structured wine, instantly recognizable as Heathcote, endowed with showroom tannins and an intensity of bramble flavours, luxuriously refined oak and minarets of peppery, aromatic spice.

Shiraz from the Chandon Colbinabbin Vineyard at Heathcote, an auspicious confluence of terroir and clime unlike any other in the world. Deep ferrous soils punish the vines into digging deep for their moisture, infusing grapes with the most ardent, stately tannins. The peaks of Mount Carmel Range further serve to conduct chilling southerlies along fortuitous longitudes, very like the Mistral winds of Vallee du Rhone. Easterly aspects moderate afternoon heat, so essential for an idyllic ripening of Shiraz grapes with extraordinary concentration of flavour.

You really do get bang for your buck across the entire range of DeBortoli Deen. Originally formulated to deliver a forward drinking series of varietal wines with smoothness of palate and exemplary balance all around, the Deen range collates fruit from fine vineyards that are closely managed with the accent on quality harvests from environmentally responsible viticulture. A generously proportioned, everyday drinking Shiraz, with ample spice/ cherry/ plum characters over a length of charming, velvet tannins.

A detailed and defined, old world style of Syrah, eloquently perfumed and decidedly delicious, crafted from hand picked fruit grown to the original 1971 plantings at Dixons Creek in Yarra Valley. A striking wine of focus, excellence and concentration, articulating the opulence of a world class Shiraz. Meticulous hand sorting at harvest ensures that only grapes of the silkiest tannins and most refined fruit characters are included. A profound red wine to match with the finest gourmandise, red wine garlic braise or ripe Taleggio.

From the illustrious De Bortoli property at Dixon's Creek, established almost four decades ago on the cooler, elevated climes of Yarra Valley. The natural endowments of the land and consequence of closely hand managed vines, achieves a bounty of the most exquisite Shiraz, treated to a combination of old world vinification techniques, whole bunch inclusions and boot treading, aged in well seasoned, large format oak. A generously layered wine that builds and builds on the palate, Aussie Shiraz of the most articulate bucolic charm and refined pastoral grace.

David Traeger is an old hand with decades of experience, after a long and distinguished history of crafting an entire generation of the most memorable vintages. Viticulture has been an essential part of Victoria's lifestyle and culture over the course of three centuries. Traeger has drawn fruit from a shortlist of low yielding Heathcote vineyards, precious sites which can trace their genesis from the nineteenth century to the 21st. Each parcel imparts its own distinct complexity and character to the finished wine.

From a single precious block, planted to an inhospitable reef outcrop, dynamited for levelling and planted to the eminent Concongella clone of Shiraz in 1995. The dry and bony soils yield meagre harvests of the most amazing concentration, parched little berries bursting with flavour and lined with velvet tannins. Grampians Shiraz of the highest order and most distinguished peerage, its amazingly rich perfumes and bridled elegance, black fruit characters throughout, black cherries, black raspberries and black roses, salacious yet refined.

Full bodied, single block Shiraz of controlled power and amazing grace, crafted from a small parcel of precious fruit, picked off a rare clone, transplanted to Moonambel from an ancient Barossa vineyard in 1997. An opaque, masculine wine treated to an extended term of age in an extravagant choice of medium toast Allier French oak, its virile bouquet of musky jube aromas and seasoned sandalwood precedes a voluminious palate of dark berries, bramble and cassis, a wine of intense concentration supported by the splendour of masculine, savoury tannins.

Excellent Langtons Classification. A more masculine style of Shiraz, a wine of immense power and complexity, vinified from parcels of small, gnarled berries with massive concentration of fruit characters, picked off the most enduring vines grown to the parched western districts of country Victoria. The structure and complexity is impressive, exhibiting the taste and nose of Grand Cru Hermitage. An appealing freshness to the wine brings it forward, Dalwhinnie ages magnificently but is a profound experience to savour immediately upon release.

Excellent Langtons Classification. The Dalwhinnie vineyard is situated on the 37th parallel, within a unique amphitheatre which has its own unique mesoclime. The poor fragile soils left over from alluvial mining projects in the early 1800s are some of the hardest and hungriest anywhere. The first Shiraz vines, planted to the Grand Piano Block, were rootlings from the eminent Sunraysia Nurseries at Mildura. The site is totally frost free and harvests achieve complete physiological ripeness nine out of ten years, all vintage releases must surpass expectations.

Dalwhinnie is well into its fourth decade of icon Australian Shiraz. Their parched soils atop the inhospitable climes of the Pyrenees yield restricted harvests of parched berries with aromatic, mouth filling spice characters and intense tannins. Just four kilometres along Taltarni Road on the Moonambel valley floor, Dalwhinnie has been pampering younger plantings at the Forest Hut Vineyard established in the 1990s. Now fully mature, these unirrigated and dry farmed, well canopied, vertically shoot positioned vines are producing intensely flavoured Shiraz.

Dalwhinnie is sited on the most magnificent Shiraz growing terrains. Eagle Shiraz is crafted to traditional Rhone winemaking techniques, foot crushing, whole bunch ferments, extended skin contact and maximum lees contact. The Eagle is a super concentration of unique aromas and flavours, which can only be achieved through some unconventional vinifications. Eagle Shiraz is treated to a traditional Italian basket press and eighteen months in small French oak barriques, Eagle Shiraz evolves sleek, fine tannins and superb integration.

Ever since inaugural release of vintage 1986, the splendid Dalwhinnie Eagle Series Vineyard has been recognized as an exceptional effort from a truly distinguished site. The property was first planted to Shiraz in 1977, the vineyard is completely dry grown, barely more than a hectare in size. Vines grow to a relatively wide 3.4 x 1.8 metre grid, on ancient sedimentary soils and bony quartz shale outcrops. The unique aspects of this elevated property at 385 metres above sea level, coupled with meticulous hand picking and hand pruning yields the most precious fruit.

Saline winds, maritime climes and sea shell soils, all conspire to achieve the ultimate Rhône styled Syrah. Bellarine Peninsula was identified by Swiss pioneers as a place of auspicious viticulture in the mid nineteenth century, Scotchmans Hill have established superb vineyards over the very terroirs of the colonial winegrowers. Lithe with pepper, elegant fruit and graceful tannins, this is the flagship Shiraz of the Scotchman, sourced from an elite block of Bellarine vine and fashioned for long lived excellence, ideally alongside a fond of delicately braised veal, truffles and morel.

To maintain the unique qualities in their Sparkling Shiraz, Cofield have chosen to create a more complex and complete wine by blending small amounts of older vintages. Crafted to the traditional Methode champenoise, Cofield is treated to an ancient process called tirage, where sugar and yeast are added to the base wine, initiating a second ferment in bottle. This is what creates the sparkle, infuses complexity and introduces texture.

From parcels of fruit grown to choice vineyards in the premiere viticultural districts of Victoria. A style of Shiraz that is distinctly Yarra Valley, by a prominent winemaking estate, to surpass all expectations of what can be expected from a bottle without a label. Dominated by bright varietal fruit and lovely soft tannins, a medium bodied red wine with an attractive colour, alluring bouquet and mouthfilling palate. Representing excellent value, having developed complexity after a spell of ageing, its ripe and ready to enjoy today with all good faire.

Parcels of intensely flavoured Shiraz grapes, grown to younger vines on the Chambers Rosewood property, are vinified and barrel aged into a generously flavoured Ruby Port. A spiced cherry, black and blueberry bouquet, complexed by sweetly scented liquorice and the savouryness of tar. Mouthfilling palate of ripe plum and cherry fruits over coffee and dark rich chocolate flavours. An impressive finish of great length and lingering dried festive cake fruit characters. The fortified wine of choice to accompany ice cream based desserts and good coffee.

The original Bobbie Burns site was established by John Campbell in the 1870s, it was the first vineyard in Rutherglen to be replanted with phylloxera resistant stock. Bobbie Burns has since commanded a peerless reputation for delivering an Australian icon wine that's accessible to all, sharing the power and potency of Rutherglen Shiraz. Showing exquisite balance and structure while drinking brilliantly on release, a splendid red wine to enjoy with confidence, whatever its age, alongside warming meat and potato recipes or spiced and marinated grills.

Cambrian Ridge takes its name from the precious terroirs which sprout some of the world's best Shiraz. A low yielding vineyard which produces harvests of the most intensely flavoured grapes, normally picked early in the vintage, to be vinified and aged until bottling the following January. Heathcote Shiraz enthusiasts take note, this is one to embrace and to bond with.

Buller of Rutherglen holds amazing stocks of aged red in barrel which it calls upon from time to time, to blend into superlative and extremely limited releases. Inspiration and the high art of blending are the catalysts for this stalwart winery's precious little specials, and in this instance they've brought together an uncompromising cuvee of 15% 1972, 37% 1988 and 48% 1996 vintages which have been topped up with a liqueur doseage to undergo a second fermentation. A currant jelly-like colour and mousse bordering on whipped strawberry leads to a magnificently round and contented palate of dry and sweet ju-jube-like flavours.

Buckshot is a reference to the splendid ironstone pebble soils which pervade some of the more propitious Heathcote sites, instrumental in allowing a singular combination of water retention and drainage, while promoting superior root penetration. Small batch winemaker Rob Peebles sources a very special parcel of Shiraz from a unique five acre block, off vines forty years of age, within the eminent Davies Vineyard, an auspicious site which also supplies fruit to the venerable Two Hands and Bindi labels, as well as Domaine Chandon.

From Shiraz grapes grown principally to the illustrious Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard. Fruit has been left on the vine to achieve high sugar levels, making a rich, complex fortified wine. A favourite at Milawa, this magnificent mix of ancient Tawnies ates back to choice vintages of the 1950s with selected material from the best years since. Divine and unsurpassable, the flavours are many and complex. An ambrosia of raisin, liquorice and tobacco, brought forward by the timeless freshness of malty citrus and ripe orchard fruits.

Brown Brothers retain a heritage of fine winemaking which is almost as old as Victorian viticulture itself. Colonial officials are recorded as praising the quality of Brown Brothers Shiraz as far back as 1889. They have since established, an inventory of the most distinguished vineyards. The Shiraz from their Heathcote property has been an essential component to many of Brown Brothers most memorable vintages. As a pure, single vineyard wine, it affords aspirants the opportunity to savour the pick of Heathcote's crop, the first choice alongside a flame seared, well marbled cut of beef.

Patricia is a muscular and complex flagship wine, named for the estate's matriarch, a tour de force of Victorian Shiraz, defined by a reverential handling of fruit, picked off Victoria's most exclusive vineyards. A sensational backbone from the distinguished Brown Brothers Heathcote block is vinified alongside parcels from superior sites in Bendigo, Henty and Valley King. A rich course of oak barrel ferments is followed by eighteen months in a luxuriously high proportion of new, French and American puncheons and barriques. Patricia finishes with immense length, profound elegance and fine, velvet tannins.

Parcels of Shiraz for this stunning wine are selected from a unique site at the heart of Heathcote appellation. Premium parcels are collated from Marong and from the estate vineyard at Harcourt. Winemaker Adam P. Marks firm belief is that good fruit should be treated gently and with minimal intervention. All blocks are trellised to vertical shoot positioning system, the growers employ a regimen of traditional viticultural techniques, organics and crop thinning to produce small but precious yields of less than 2½ tonnes per acre.