Yarran of Yenda are a Riverina operation with the scope and initiative to source the pick of Heathcote's harvest, for a Cabernet Sauvignon of exuberant bouquets and palpable weight of fruit. Following tours of duty across progressive winegrowing regions as disparate as California's Sonoma Valley and the vanguards of viticulture in China, Sam Brewer has developed an eye for identifying bespoke vineyard parcels of outstanding merit and potential. A forward drinking style of Cabernet, lined with aromatic French oak and supported by a length of refined, silky tannins.

Elegance and finesse are the signature of Yarra Burn, their distinguished releases are the reward of consistently superior viticulture and uncompromising skill in the vinification. The essence of these qualities is captured in this classic wine, stylistically similar to the famous siblings of France's Rhône Valley. A five percent dash of the sweetly aromatic Viognier, softens and adds figure to the components of mighty Heathcote and Coldstream Shiraz. A gently perfumed wine exhibiting characters of apricot, violet and strawberry, it drinks beautifully upon release.

The White Box property is situated on the eastern slopes of Mt Camel range, atop some of the most sensational winegrowing terroirs anywhere in the world. White Box have come within hair's breadth of the prestigious VISY Great Australian Shiraz Challenge Trophy, no mean feat for a small, hands on boutique winery. An alluringly perfumed wine, solidly structured yet elegant and judiciously oaked, the distinctive Heathcote Terra rosa, savouryness and spice. Introduce your Whitebox to Cevapcici or red wine glazed entrecôte de boeuf.

Shiraz offers a myriad of interpretations, Heathcote grows its own unique style, renowned throughout the world of wine for its magnificent structure, substantive tannins and weight of fruit. Parcels for a gentler Heathcote style are sourced by the De Bortoli team from vines grown to rich, red volcanic soils. Bunches are destemmed and crushed, fermented for a fortnight on skins, pressed and racked for a term of age. A forward drinking style of ripe dark fruit bouquets, spiceyness, blackberries and plum over a length of gentle tannins and supple cedar oak.

Tyrrell's planted their Heathcote vineyard in 1994, on the ancient russet red Cambrian soil, at the foot of Mt Camel along the southern end of the Colbinabbin Range. This narrow strip with its unique topography, gives the wine its rich, yet refined flavours that typify Heathcote wines, especially Shiraz. The climate is warm, dry and reliable from year to year. Vines are relatively low yielding, producing grapes which are renowned for their ability to ripen to complete flavour development, yet still retain excellent levels of natural acidity and tranquil, fine grained tannins.

Tyrrell made a major contribution to the development of Heathcote as a world class winegrowing region. One of the earliest pioneers, they sowed the seeds and established the vines which launched the second gold rush into Heathcote Shiraz. Lunatiq is minimally handled to encourage the eloquence of terroir to speak, dark chocolate tannins support a mouthfilling palate of red currant flavours and piquant spice, followed by a lingering, well balanced finish, a titillatingly enigmatic fragrant mineral lift.

Trentham Estate was once part of a large sheep station called Trentham Cliffs, settled in the 1930s by the Chanter family. Grazing and viticulture have always been a close fit, the property eventually made the transition to agriculture and the inaugural edition of Trentham Estate was vintaged by the Mildura Murphys in 1984. Trentham retain a superior site of Shiraz in the very heat of the Heathcote region, for the creation of a generously proportioned wine, characterized by a seamlessly layered palate of piquantly spiced berry flavours and stylish, velvet tannins.

A pure Tempranillo wine by one of Australia's most passionate protagonists of the style. A native of arid Italianate climes, Tempranillo achieves complete ripeness in the ferrous soils of Heathcote. Challenging Terra rosas and moderate seasons reduce vine vigor to yield limited parcels of intensely flavoured fruit. The talented team at Roses & Tar share a passion for the torrid Spanish varietals, closely managing their Heathcote sites to yield the finest possible Tempranillo. Match with spicy pork and fennel sausages.

A firm backbone of Shiraz from the Cambrian soils of Heathcote, embellished by a smaller component from the temperate climes of Nagambie Lakes. Heathcote dictates a rounder, fuller, fruit driven wine, Nagambie contributes elegance and restraint. A portion of Strathbogie Cabernet tempers the intensity, a dash of Tempranillo adds complexity, balance and structure.

Sangiovese is a thin skinned grape, known for its savouryness and earthy characters as opposed to ripe berry fruit flavours. It shows an attractive red colour and can be characterised by high levels of tannin supported by ripe acidity. Sangiovese vines are well suited to soils with good drainage and abundant sunshine, both of which are found aplenty at Heathcote. The red wine of choice to accompany veal, prosciutto and sage or piquant chorizo recipes.

Don Lewis worked under the tutelage of the great Colin Preece before establishing an enviable reputation for crafting Victoria's most memorable vintages. After thirty years of leadership at Mitchelton and many tours of auspicious winemaking at Spain's Priorat, Don Lewis and protege Narelle King launched the Tar & Roses label to overwhelming critical acclaim. Lewis & King retain access to the finest Nebbiolo in the land, a style of wine that achieves amazing intensity and refined elegance on the ancient ferrous soils of Heathcote.

Shiraz is a varietal with which Taltarni has excelled from the very start, no real mystery as it's grown to some of Victoria's best purpose built vineyards. By applying traditional winemaking with modern Australian viticulture, secure the pick of Heathcote's harvest to create an amazingly complex, profoundly flavoured and seriously structured wine. Just perfect with steak or old world style meat Ragu, its vibrant assortment of juicy, cool ripened plum and spiced fruit flavours, are framed by a length of supportive, amicable tannins and supple, integrated oak.

Most of the grapes from Mick Cann's property are destined for neighbouring Wild Duck Creek, where they are vinified into Heathcote's most prestigious wines. Like all good vignerons, Mick retains what he believes is the very pick of the crop for his own personal use. Showcasing samples directly from oak barrel, he was overwhelmed by the interest and the decision was made to design a label and to bottle the inaugural St Michaels Vineyard. He has released an extremely limited, small batch Shiraz, with remarkable structure and stately palate.

Shiraz is sourced from two estate vineyards at opposite ends of the Heathcote region, the Merindoc property in Tooborac to the south and Willoughby Bridge at Colbinabbin in the north. The vines at Merindoc are grown to gravelly, low fertility ironstone soils which infuse the wine with minerality, structure and cooler clime, slower ripened fruit character. Willoughby Bridge is planted on the precious strip of Cambrian rich red dirt, one of the oldest soil types in Australia, internationally renowned for the production of Heathcote's intensely flavoured Shiraz.

Predominantly from the Seppelt property in the Grampians, a third of the fruit is picked off good vineyards at Bendigo, a further component is sourced from splendid Heathcote sites. An assemblage of Shiraz grown to somewhat different terroirs across the finer viticultural precincts of Victoria, the cooler climes of Grampians contributing a richness of fruit to balance the earthy tannins of warmer aspects to the north. An elegant, peppery wine, with expressions of berries, plum and soft tannins, mellowed by oak and resolving on a long, savoury finish.

Seppelt are in possession of some of Victoria's most distinguished vineyards. Their approach is to harness the strength and characteristics of each site and create elegant wines. One of Australia's eldest estates, the Seppelts of today strive for the same standards of excellence which brought iconic status to some of their most renowned vintages. Planted in the mid 1970s, Mount Ida Vineyards were decimated by Ash Wednesday fires in 1983. A richly flavoured and intense Shiraz wine, Mt Ida exhibits a dense powerful palate of extraordinary complexity.

The legacy of early Victorian vineyards is maintained through a curious canon of place names on Seppelt labels, Chalambar is a tribute to unemployed miners who turned to viticulture as the gold rush came to an end. Deriving its name from the picturesque mount near Great Western, Chalambar is a true regional icon that's been playing to packed houses since 1951. An immediately approachable Shiraz with the enigmatic capacity to age gracefully, flavours of spicy dark berry fruits and chocolate are supported by fine tannins and gentle cedary oak.

Several generations later, the progeny of estate patriarch Pietro d'Orsa have returned to the land with a consuming passion to create generously flavoured, impeccably balanced Heathcote wines. Sanguine employ traditional winemaking practices, Shiraz and a small component of Viognier, are hand picked and co-vinified, to achieve a marvelous expression of Heathcote, solid, seamless and exquisitely fragrant. The palate is richly laden with dark juicy fruit characters which roll through to the end, the mouthfeel is textural, the solid weight of fruit is supported by a firm length of balanced tannins.

Sanguine Estate's inaugural release was universally embraced by enthusiasts of fine Heathcote Shiraz, the entire vintage sold out within a week. The vines have aged brilliantly and the quality of fruit has reached stellar heights. Grapes are all destemmed, lightly crushed and naturally vinified through the action of wild indigenous yeasts in small open fermenters, gravity fed into French oak barriques for an extended term of eighteen months maturation. Plum and blackberry perfumes, liquorice and black pepper, a rich textural wine of firm yet compliant tannin structure.

Pietro D’orsa found work in Australia as a winegrower circa 1868, quenching the thirst of miners during the Victorian gold rush. Several generations later, Pietro's progeny returned to viticulture. They DNA tested some heirloom vines established by Pietro in the 1880s, replanting the rootstock to sire a unique block which is destined to yield some spectacular vintages. The most exceptional barrels of Sanguine's annual harvest are set aside for a separate term of aging and assemblage into a superior Heathcote flagship, an opulent, dark crimson homage to the estate's noble patriarch.

Heathcote specialist Peter Dredge has worked alongside Hoddle Creek Estate's Franco d'Anna and McLaren Vale's eminent Ben Riggs at nearby Sanguine Estate. Planted in 1971 to ancient Cambrian soils, the unirrigated single parcel of mature vines at Red Edge yields a scant one to 1½ tons of fruit per acre. A multi layered, rich and powerful palate, yet elegant with fine grained tannins, splendid structure and superior length. Match your Red Edge to a juicy scotch fillet steak or trussed and smartly dressed game.

An exciting cépage which may vary slightly from year to year, mostly a Shiraz wine sourced off younger Heathcote plantings, a tenth of Mourverdre and small percentage of Riesling. Mourverdre contributes plummy fruit to the nose, juciness and flesh to the palate. Riesling adds an aromatic lift within a slightly spiced floral perfume. An engagingly aromatic, satisfyingly proportioned and generously flavoured wine, to match with rare breast of duck dressed in rhubarb or charred scotch filet under mushroom jus.

The Yabby Lake team know about things Heathcote Shiraz. Red Claw is clearly a very special wine, crafted from hand picked parcels of the most intensely flavoured fruit, harvested off the prestigious Heathcote Estate Vineyard. A stately construct of Shiraz, layered with viscous black berry fruit flavours and sheathed in carriage of stealthy terra rosa tannins.

Pinocchio is where Garry and Rollo Crittenden have a little more fun than usual. Over the years, the awareness of Sangiovese has expanded as wine lovers begin to discover how different the Italian reds are from French varietals, enthusiasts have come to appreciate the inherent synergy between Sangiovese and food. The distinguishing character of Sangiovese should be one of savouryness and refreshing acids around an impression of morello cherry. Pinocchio will appeal to the adventurous and to red wine adherents who are looking for something new.

Introducing the pretty pink drink of the Red Claw range, by the founders of Yabby Lake, one of Australia's most dynamic winemaking ventures. Hand crafted from estate grown Heathcote Grenache and vinified to an uncompromising standard of excellence, Pink Claw was established to aid women affected by breast cancer. Quantities of Pink Claw are donated to fund raising events sponsored by Breast Cancer Network Australia. A limited allocation is available for retail, a portion of the profits will also go to BCNA.

One of Heathcote's longest established winemakers, Paul Osicka planted his vines in the 1950s, when Heathcote as a winegrowing region was but a twinkle in the eye. Old fashioned practices are employed in the vineyard. Vines are hand pruned and fruit is selectively hand picked. A high profile local identity and a bit of a cult figure, Osicka specializes in raising parcels of intensely flavoured grapes which translate into vigorous Shiraz wines. Osicka's small batch production is highly anticipated each year by Shiraz enthusiasts in the know.

Paul Osicka had the vision to establish vines in the parched sandy soils of Heathcote's easterm precincts during the 1950s. His closely husbanded vines are deliberately trained to very low yields, ensuring the berries are smaller and more intense in colour and flavour. Osicka adheres to strict organic principles, shunning the use of herbicides, insecticides or irrigation. A highly respected local identity, he retains access to the finest parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon in all Heathcote.

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.

The key to making a great wine lies in the creation of a great vineyard that's managed by dedicated growers. Mount Camel Ridge was planned and executed in just such a manner, to establish a site which can yield controlled amounts of the most resplendent Shiraz wine. Yields are kept low and the property is farmed to sustainable land management techniques, the results are worth the painstaking efforts. Already integrated and drinking beautifully now, Mount Camel Ridge exudes a lively lifted nose due to the inclusion of a judicious amount of Viognier.

Mt Burrumboot was going to be a legend from the very outset, the inaugural vintage of this magic Shiraz claimed Gold in San Francisco. An awesome example of Heathcote, the earliest editions all showed fantastic aromas, intense fruit, and true finesse. The best Shiraz Burrumboot have made to date, a complex, robust wine with mulberry/ blackberry fighting on the palate, leather and spice hovering around the nose, framed by brilliantly integrated, lithe vanillan oak and supported by long and fine, ripe and elegant tannins.

A flagship Victoran effort, traditionally crafted from Shiraz grapes picked off the oldest and most superior blocks within the Mitchelton estate vineyard. The vines receive little water so they drive their gnarled roots deep down through the sandy soil layers in search of moisture. These veteran vines are naturally devigorated and unirrigated, meticulosuly managed by hand, ensuring precious yields of small, intensely flavoured berries which are reserved for the creation of this eminent edition of Victorian Shiraz.

For those who believe that Australia makes an inimitable style of big red wine which could never have evolved elsewhere in the world of wine, Mitchelton presents Nero D’Avola. A boldly flavoured and opulently proportioned varietal that's dear to the hearts of Sicilians, it makes a wine of astonishing similarity to the earthy, mouth filling growths which gladden the palates of new world Syrah enthusiasts. Brimming with seasoned black berry characters, cherries and plum, Nero D’Avola's persistence of fruit and redolence of fragrant spice, resolves on a warm, savoury length of dark, bramble tannins.

Crafting small yields of exceptional fruit are what Lucinda do best, a collation of parcels Heathcote Shiraz are treated to a minimalist vinification and time well spent in a selection of luxury oak barriques. Led by a vibrant nose of mulberries, red currants, tri colour peppercorns and plum, the decidedly ferrous Heathcote terra rosa perfumes precede an elegantly structured palate, seasoned by bay leaf, garniture and thyme, its lingering length of silky tannins define a superbly balanced Shiraz that's remarkable for its gracious seamlessness, superb balance and resplendent style.

Perched atop the spectacular boulder strewn hills of the Great Dividing Range, the Granite Hills property lies to the northern extremity of the Macedon Ranges, along a route taken by Burke and Wills on their fateful journey. At 550 metres, it is one of the highest elevation vineyards in Australia. Established in 1970, a small block of Merlot thrives under the cool ripening climes. A backbone of limited yield, estate growm Merlot is vinified alongside choice parcels, hand selected from good vineyards at Heathcote.

The Kennedy Vineyard is planted to superior winegrowing aspects along the east facing slope of Mount Camel Range, atop Heathcote's internationally renowned Cambrian soils. Uniquely for a blush pink wine, Kennedy treat their fruit to an extravagant course of barrel ferments in a selection of well seasoned French oak. Light onion salmon hues, a delicate nose of summer berries with a touch of spring blossoms, cardamon, strawberries and citrus on the pleasingly drying palate, all supported by a lithely refreshing acidity.

John and Patricia Kennedy make a very special wine. Work in the vineyard is focused on unravelling intricacies within their site, identifying those areas which produce the best fruit. There is a perceptible learning curve from year to year, as the Kennedys continue to extract a finer quality of fruit with each vintage. The property was carefully chosen and the viticulture is tailored to growing grapes that are flavoursome, structured and balanced, to be crafted into wine by the eminent Sandro Mosele.

Kennedy is all about fastidious viticulture, pruning is painstakingly applied, to husband vines which are perfectly balanced for yields of evenly ripened fruit. Each separate parcel is hand picked over the course of several days, de stemmed into small open vessels for indigenous yeast ferments and a course of gentle plunging, pressed to oak and treated to a natural malolactic during the spring. Only the best barrels are selected for the Kennedy estate label, assembled and matured for a year in a selection of the finest French oak barriques.