Mount Langi make Victoria's most profound Shiraz, the confluence of parched and inhospitable terrains, exhilerated by the sobering Grampians winds, coax grapevines into concentrating flavours and intensifying the natural fruit sugars as berries slowly ripen. The wines of Mount Langi are renowned for their redolent bramble spice perfumes and generously weighted palates, as supported by such long lived, stately tannins. A luxurious effervescent Shiraz, extravagantly aged two years in own bottle and fashioned to a clean, ebullient contemporary styling.

A pure Grampians Shiraz, much of the fruit from vines planted to the eastern granite slopes of Mount Langi Ghiran. A significant whole bunch maceration component is central to the style, building on the perfumes and delicate aromatics. Showing terrific weight of fruit flavours, complex spice and balanced tannins. With an excellent balance of finesse and depth, pointing the way for Cliff Edge Shiraz in terms of intensity and structure. Deep and dynamic, fashioned from parcels of the most splendid Victorian Shiraz, a more powerful rendering than it's local siblings.

Increasingly, Mount Langi are reaping the harvest of some sensational old rootstock, sown decades ago. These cossetted parcels of vine may be challenging to manage but they yield the finest Shiraz in the greater Grampians region. The pick of these younger, albeit fully mature blocks represent a significant inclusion in Cliff Edge Shiraz, delivering the requisite intensity of flavour, concentration and finesse, when assembled around a backbone of Mount Langi Ghiran's most precious old vines fruit.

Riesling grapes grown to the higher altitudes of slower ripening latitudes, form distinctive fruit characters and the wonderfully fragrant esters which have established the varietal as favourite amongst the world's great winemakers. The big secret at Mount Langi is that they retain access to some of the oldest Riesling vines in Australia, planted to craggy heights and wind swept plateaus in the Grampians. A generously flavoured, fully aromatic Riesling wine, endowed with viscosity and a measure of mineral, uncannily akin to her noble old world siblings.

The Mount Langi property was recognized as ideal for the production of full bodied wines over a century ago. Planted to white wine grapes in the 1990s, it is now home to some of the most eloquent examples of Pinot Gris in Australia. A soundly structured wine of juicy bonbon flavours and fragrantly spiced florals, supported by a supple hint of oak. Mount Langi vineyard's spectacular aspects form a unique amphitheatre, where the cool Grampian climes ripen Pinot Gris grapes fully, to achieve optimal fruit characters and exemplary varietal complexity.

A delicious by product of Trevor Mast's quest to perfect the ultimate Grampians Shiraz, built to be forward drinking and approachable. Billi Billi is vinified from local grower's fruit, selections of estate grown Shiraz and bush vine grapes, alongside parcels imported from fine vineyards in Bendigo and Swan Hill. With a focus on fruit intensity over cellaring and complexity, Billi Billi is fashioned with the drinker in mind. A plushly textured Shiraz, expressing fully the well defined Grampians style, making Billi Billi an excellent introduction to the icons of Mount Langi Ghiran.

Pinot Gris vines were first planted at Mount Langi in the early 1990s. With altitudes and climes not dissimilar to the grape's original home in Alsace along the Valley Rhine, Grampians grown Pinot Gris is brimming with the baked pear and cool ripened lychee characters, kernel aromaticness and textural richness which make white Pinot wines so charming and persuasive. A match to bitey cheese and the freshest seafood, Mount Langi drinks magnificently alongside pork with apple dressing.

Since 1892 the Great Western wineworks have been home to our nation's most enduring sparkling wine. Great Western has established an enviable reputation for its universal appeal, consistency of quality and style. Components of exotic grape varietals, including the torrid Tarrango, the affable Colombard, fruity Grenache and the very French Chenin Blanc, have been harmoniously assembled into an immensely satisfying Cuvee, a wine of beautifully integrated flavours, alluring bouquets and exquisite length.

A sparkling Brut of approachability and finesse, slightly drier than it's sibling Imperial Reserve, called upon at every opportunity, as aperitif for every occasion or accompaniement to all good cuisine. Sparkling winemaking at Great Western dates back to the 1860s, when unemployed miners found work, driving kilometres of tunnels into decomposed granite soils, to be used as cellars for the Best family's venture. Today, the strictly maintained temperatures of these ancient cellars are essential to the maturation of Great Western Brut.

A voluminous and multi dimensional wine, decorated by a plummage of impressive accolades from prestigious competitions, including Australian Small Winemakers Show, Le Concours des Vins and Winestate of Year. The decadant fusion of effervescence and Shiraz, redolent with spiced plums and turkish delight perfumes, the palate is brimming with a generosity of flavour, bright berries and bramble fruits characters, an elegant and fulfilling wine that engages the senses while offering great richness and immeasurable length.

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.

Garden Gully is steeped in early viticultural history, the ancient vines bear testament to its place in local folklore. As a Riesling, Garden Gully represents a magnificently poised palate of defined varietal flavours, as influenced by the brisk climes and parched terroirs of the Victorian Grampians. Tiny yields of very small bunches and long walks along the challenging terrains demand an extra effort from the pickers, the Garden Gully winemaking team however are always very pleased with the incedible quality of fruit.

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.

One of Victoria's most distinguished and prolific vineyards, Halls Gap delivered decades of splendid harvests to Seppelt and Penfold, before being retained by the illustrious Mount Langi Ghiran. The inhospitable, rocky soils produce stately Rieslings of sound structure and the most pristine fruit characters. So highly fragrant of spring blossoms, kaffir lime and lemon curd, simply a sensationally clean palate of uber fine citrus flavours, luscious white fruit characters and bracing lime mineral acidity, balanced by a long and persistent mineral drive before an everlasting, complex and memorable finish.

Fallen Giants is a reference to local folklore, a canon of indigenous myths about how the Grampians were formed by colossal birds as they struggled for primacy. The auspicious vineyard at Halls Gap contains a superior block of old Cabernet vines which yield less than a tonne and a half per acre. Wrought through the full tradition of old world winemaking techniques, a magnificent construct of Cabernet Sauvignon with imposing ebony fruit characters and dauntless, epic tannins, treat your Fallen Giants to a brew of ox cheek and kipflers, trotters and truffled red wine Jus.

From a stately bequeath of the original Halls Gap plantings, established 1969 on the inhospitable slopes of the Victorian Grampians. The highly precious, single block of fully mature vines yields a meagre crop of extraordinary Riesling grapes, the parched berries are ripened to perfection by the clear skies and frigid climes, forming an indulgence of profound esters and intense flavours. Gloriously perfumed yet magnificently dry, lustrous and textural to the palate, populated on the tongue with delicate notes of ripe green apple and soft white fruits, citrus rind and sprays of fresh acidity.

André was Dominique Portet’s father, role model and mentor. The eigth generation in a distinguished lineage of vigneron, André raised Dominique amongst the world's most sacred vines during his tenure as manager at the illustrious Château Lafite-Rothschild. An assemblage of parcels Cabernet Sauvignon, hand picked and hand sorted from elite blocks in the Pyrenees and Yarra Valley, Andre can only ever be made from the most exceptional vintages.

Dalwhinnie know that great Pinot Noir can only come from a healthy, well pruned vine which has the proper balance of fruit to foliage for even ripening. The bunches must be disease free, compact in composition and have good exposure to sunlight. Dalwhinnie is fortunate to have planted just such a site.

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 vineyard was planted to a unique topographical amphitheatre which precipitates its own meso climate. The site is totally frost free and allows fruit to reach complete physiological ripeness in nine out of ten years. This rare confluence of temperate climes, cooler altitudes and parched Pyrenees soils, sublimate into one of Australia's most enduring and distinctive styles of Cabernet Sauvignon. A stunning wine, the overall impression is of ripe pure black fruits, layered with rich dark chocolate and seasoned by notes of violet and camphor.

Vintage 2004 represents twenty consecutive years of fine tuning within the vineyard and throughout the entire winemaking operation. Moonambel 2004 offers a palate and nose of exceptional depth and finesse, rating amongst the finest editions of Cabernet that Dalwhinnie have ever made. The style is fleshier than previous releases, bearing more fruit and tannin, endowed with great freshness and magnificent structure.

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 established new vines to choice blocks of undeveloped land in the 1990s, just four kilometres down the road from home vineyards on the Moonambel valley floor. The younger Forest Hut blocks were pampered with care until plantings came of age. Now fully mature, these unirrigated, dry farmed and well canopied, vertically shoot positioned vines are yielding harvests of the most exquisite Pinot Noir, for a richly layered Rosé wine of creamy textures, fragrant fruit and crisp tannins.

Fashioned from harvests of Viognier grown to the cooler, slower ripening Forest Hut property at Moonambel. The climes are three to four degrees cooler than the Dalwhinnie estate vineyard all year round, so vintage arrives some three weeks later. Vines make the most of the extra time on offer, to ripen grapes fully and develop vibrant fruit characters, translating into a solid Viognier wine with stunning grilled nut perfumes and juicy apple orchard complexity.

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.

Best Merlot Trophy & Gold Hobart. Exceptional Merlot fruit for this vintage, the Patricia Merlot has not been released since 2000. Sourced from the superior Glenkara vineyard in the Pyrenees and a small parcel 6% from the Taylors vineyard at Beechworth, Patricia has spent 18 months in a combination of new and older French oak. A wine of unshakeably gelatinous flavours like cherry and berry ju-jubes, Patricia is supple with fruit intensity and tenderness, it's soft palate and fine silky tannins, hit an immediate chord with Australian wine judges.

The essential Victorian Methode traditionelle, from vines surrounded by the blue hued Pyrenees, so named for their beauty and similarity to the dividing ranges bordering France and Spain. French eccentricity was the genesis behind Blue Pyrenees Estate, it remains central to the winemaking philosophy. Entrepreneur Francois Henri was so inspired by the picturesque blue hills that he commissioned a painting which has since become the famous label. A cépage of the holy trinity, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, a healthy tranche of Meunier.

Powerfully structured Shiraz wines share a long history with the parched and challenging, craggy aspects of Victoria's western districts. Viticulture was established at Avoca in 1846, Shiraz has been the varietal of choice ever since. Pyrenees Shiraz is a solid, big boned wine with swarthy tannins, bold fruit characters and enthusisatic complexity. The accomplished team at Blue Pyrenees have trained their vines to yield small bunches of Shiraz with exceptional flavour intensity, for a wine of disarming richness, astonishing balance and elegant, stately charm.

The production of Methode traditionelle has been an essential part of the winemaking at Blue Pyrenees for many years, the original raison d'être. Established 1963 by the Champagne houses of Charles Heidsieck and Krug, an adherence to the transcendent French influence of the founders is central. In 1992, the Blue Pyrenees team decided to experiment with hand picking their fruit, under floodlights, in the middle of the night. The results were amazing, a most memorable vintage of outstanding quality, Midnight Cuvée was born.

Blue Pyrenees is a moniker in reference to western Victoria's kinship to the dividing range of southern France. Established by the most enduring marques in luxury wine, built upon a quality of fruit that's evocative of the regal reds grown to the great vineyards in Medoc. Merlot is an essential inclusion to many of the world's prestigious growths, it requires a structure and depth of character which challenges the Blue Pyrenees team to achieve vintages which are redolent with perfumed cherry plum fruit, a velvetine palate and the most affable tannins.

Blue Pyrenees have achieved the truly timeless, sparkling western districts style, a wine of perfect balance, in the tradition of the finest Methode traditionelle. Luna was fashioned with a view to retaining the consistency of the refined and elegant house style. To this end, components from earlier vintages are held back to blend with the current season, maintaining the excellence expected of Blue Pyrenees. Its lemon freshness, shortbread and boulangère richness, linger long and satisfying on the creamy, peach and kernel fruit finish.

Blue Pyrenees were established through a no expense spared approach, by two of the wine world's most revered, accomplished and resourced estates. A superior standard of viticulture and exacting vinification techniques were the priority, they remain at the very core of the Blue Pyrenees raison d'etre. An assemblage of exclusively estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Malbec and Shiraz, artfully crafted into a seamless style of vigorously perfumed fruit, finely polished tannins and fragrant, flattering oak.

Chardonnay has been central to the Blue Pyrenees program, since the noble Maisons of Heidsieck and Krug settled on the Grampians, to create new world wines which could articulate the affinity between Victoria's western districts and the premier precincts of France. Ostensibly planted as the essential backbone for the finest sparkling, the brow raising matchstick style of incisive, contemplative Chardonnay, textural with delicately oaked peachyness, barrel ferment autolysis, persistent grapefuit piquancy and lingering mineral crispness.

Blue Pyrenees was established as Chateau Remy in 1963 by Remy Martin of France and has since become well known for their Bordeaux styled Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate was developed under advisement of the great Colin Preece and Maurice O'Shea's Hunter Valley management team. Victoria's Pyrenees have since become renowned for statuesque Cabernet wines, displaying great complexity, superior concentration and definitive regionality. Very few viticultural precincts in Australia can lay claim to doing Cabernet so very well and so consistently.

There's good, there's better and there's Bests. The first Shiraz vines at the estate's St Andrew's vineyard were planted in 1930. The cuttings were sourced from the original 1860s plantings of Concongella Shiraz. Today these vines are still robust, producing intense spicy berries. A backbone of fruit from St Andrews is assembled with a component of good Shiraz grapes from the younger Salvation Hills site in the Grampians.

Outstanding Langton's Classification. Thomson Family Shiraz is produced from Henry Best's original 1866 plantings, only ever made in exceptional years, on average about six times a decade. The vines are cropped at less than two tonnes per acre and are meticulously hand harvested, selected and sorted. Thomson Family Shiraz was first made in 1993, one hundred years after the Thomson family settled in the area. It is produced predominantly from the fifteen rows of vines planted by Henry Best, referred to as Hermitage by Henry in his daily journal.

Bests distinguished old vineyards are surrounded by an endowment of small grower sites which date back to early settlement and yield softly spoken harvests of the most exquisite fruit. Kim Ludvigson was a close neighbour and highly respected vigneron, dearly loved by the tightly knit community of local growers, his harvests were an essential component of Great Western's most memorable vintages. A co ferment of Viognier and Shiraz, aromatic of apricot and plush with juicy plum, LSV unwinds flavours and complexity as it breathes, its line of succulent winegum tannins in support.

Sparkling Shiraz has been re-introduced to the Best's line up after almost forty years. Great Western is renowned for effervescent Shiraz, long known as Sparkling Burgundy since the early 1900s. Today's market is rediscovering the virtues of creamy red wines which can demonstrate the virtues of universal drinking appeal, good structure and fine texture. Australia can lay claim to this style as its own, completely unique, it has become Great Western's most profound contribution to the world of wine.