The largest independent grape grower in the Coonawarra, Rex Watson is driven by a vision and passion to produce the highest quality reds, to be savoured at every occasion. Watson's Cabernet is a project very close to heart and it has claimed many pivotal accolades throghout the vintages. A vigorous wine that brims with cassis, blackberry and fine, subdued oak.

Vitulus provides an entry level to the Reschke family of statuesque Cabernet wines. Vitulus is barrel matured without being heavily oaked. The aim is for roundness and length derived from time spent in barrel, but not to interfere too much with the complex, defined fruit characters which are the hallmark of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. Its judicious level of natural acidity will see Vitulus develop slowly and gracefully, achieving great complexity as exciting cigarbox and chocolate characters evolve.

Empyrean was the first bottling under the Reschke label, it remains the estate flagship, crafted from the most outstanding vines of Cabernet Sauvignon on the Reschke estate property, only ever released from exceptional vintage years. The grapes are distinctive for their thick skins and modest size, treated to an extended term of age in exclusively new French oak. The barrels are culled and only the finest are considered for inclusion, a powerful, opulently proportioned style, identified by savant Robert Parker as the benchmark for Coonawarra's famed Cabernet Sauvignon.

Reschke guard the essence of Coonawarra, a responsibility they take seriously. The Reschke history and its close relationship with Coonawarra began in 1906 with the establishment of a prime Hereford stud in the heart of the region. Vines were planted in the 1900s, yielding a quality of fruit that became a staple of Wynn's finest vintages. Only the finest parcels of Shiraz are retained for the Reschke estate label, redolent of rosemary, sandalwood and hibiscus, its licorice and black fruit palate is seasoned by a sprig of Coonawarra mint, made to measure for a chop of char grilled beef.

Burke Reschke was the fourth generation to graze cattle, he took a keen interest in viticulture and sold his harvests to Coonawarrra's leading brands. The fruit was of such exceptional quality that it became an essential component for a number of icon wines. Reschke now retain the cream of their crop for their estate label. Two thirds Cabernet, the balance of Merlot, treated to two years seasoned French oak hogsheads and barriques. Full bodied, blackberries and mint, a seamless palate of structure and length, to match a cut of juicy beef, farmed by Reschke of course.

Labelled under the sign of the bull, to proclaim the Reschke family's Coonawarra cattle grazing heritage. The vines are meticulously managed, yielding a quality of harvest which became the secret ingredient to some of the nation's most memorable vintages. A combination of crushed fruit and whole berries are treated to daily pumpovers until fermented to dry, followed by thirty months maturation in a high proportion of new hogsheads and barriques. Currants and cassis, menthol and coffee bean oak, an intense blueberry and black olive palate, supported by firm, flattering tannins.

Redman's Coonawarra are still made by the Redman brothers from fruit grown to the original family parcels established in 1908. The association began circa 1901 when Bill Redman at the tender age of fourteen, arrived in South Australia to work amongst the vines. He quickly formed an affiliation with the area and six years later encouraged the rest of his family to join him. Grown to some of the best sites on Coonawarra's Terra rosa, this well appointed wine offers commodius fruit flavours, subdued oak and the most hospitable tannins.

A traditionaly crafted red wine, made from grapes grown to hand managed vines a half century of age, planted to rich, red Terra rossa soils. One of the nation's most enduring Cabernet wines, the Redman family can trace its heritage of Coonawarra viticulture to forty acres purchased by Bill Redman in 1908. A consistent effort with every vintage release, Redman defines the timeless Coonawarra Cabernet style, rich ripe tannin and excellent varietal berry fruit characters are the foundation, the finish is long in flavour, firm and dry.

Redman, red estate, red soil and red wine, the four Rs which comprise the family coat of arms, working in harmony to produce the famous Cabernet of Coonawarra. The Redmans have been actively involved in all major developments involving Coonawarra viticulture since establishment in 1908. After joint ventures with Penfolds and Mildara, Dr Lindeman purchased the Redman property and renamed it Rouge Homme. Owen Redman ultimately returned to the family estate, eventually acquiring the land on which the winery stands today.

From one of the Coonawarra's most illustrious viticulturalists, Punters Corner is home to the 2000 Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy. The wines are compellingy Coonawarra in style, vinified from the pick of the estate's crop every year. A venerable source of fruit for some of Australia's most prestigious wines, the top ten percent is held back and reserved for bottling under the Punters Corner label.

The excellence of Petaluma's stately Cabernet wines is due in great part to the virtue of Coonawarra's most distinguished sites. The fabulous Terra rossa soils and calcrete limestone deposits underneath, contribute to the majesty of Petaluma Coonawarra. Five choice blocks of estate Coonawarra vine are the source of fruit, for the construct of a rich yet elegant, mouthfilling Cabernet Sauvignon, slightly more approachable than the opulent estate flagships, fashioned to the cherished and enduring, profoundly Petaluma styling.

The 1999 is a stepping-stone on the long pathway of Petaluma's success at crafting the ultimate Coonawarra Merlot. The paradox of supreme quality is always how to achieve in the vineyard, concentration and structure without sacrificing the finesse which is a hallmark of the world's best Merlot. Coonawarra's innate suitability for this varietal, and Petaluma's distinguished sites, offer a mosaic which maximises the quality of this exceptional wine.

Excellent Langtons Classification. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with the occasional inclusion of Shiraz or Petit Verdot. One of Australia's most revered red wines, vinified from a backbone of superlative fruit grown to the eminent Len Evans and Sharefarmer Vineyards at the heart of Coonawarra's cigar shaped strip of precious Terra rossa soils. Petaluma employs hand pruning and hand picking, foreign practices in Coonawarra, for an enduring red blend that's now an iconic Australian wine and regional benchmark.

The nation's most long lived Merlot, a regional beacon of the varietal since since inaugural vintage of 1990. An assemblage of the best parcels from the distinguished Evans and Sharefarmer Vineyards. Both these mature sites yield a precious harvest of the most outstanding fruit. The palate is full, luscious and rich with loads of black fruits and cedar oak. A fully fleshed, immaculately detailed Merlot of satin textures and the most amazingly affable tannins, mesmerisingly perfumed by the heady notes of creme de cassis, Coonawarra violet, eucalypts and mint.

Excellent Langtons Classification. One of Australia's icon wines, perennially feted and internationally recognized. A highly structured, integrated red that's immense in stature, and always offers long ageing potential.

Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller portions of Shiraz and Malbec. The old vines at Evans Vineyard are hand pruned and hand picked, and are treated as dear old individuals. This is the first use of Shiraz since 1982 and only the second vintage with Malbec, since the first Petaluma Coonawarra vintage in 1979. A wonderful ripe, full flavoured dry red wine to decant and breathe before service. The individual batches were assembled after a total of twenty two months in oak before a light egg white fining and no filtration.

Excellent Langtons Classification. The batches of fruit were kept intentionally small, with further selectivity during the winemaking to ensure only fully ripe barrels were incorporated into the finished Cuvee.

This enduring flagship wine can boast twenty trophys and over seventy gold medals throughout its illustrious history. Penley Steyning captures and enhances the excellence in first growth Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, highlighted by rich berry tones, superior length and layers of intense flavour, a wine which achieves perfect harmony between massive intensity of fruit, mouth filling grape tannins and elegant acids. The extended time in new French oak is a key factor to the integration and development. Flavour, depth and length dominate the style.

The history of Penley dates back to 1858 when The Phoenix Winemaking and Distilling Company was established at Stepney. During 1888 the company name was changed to Tolley Scott Tolley and remained with the family until 1960. Tolley's great grandson Kym re established T.S.Tolley as Penley in 1988. Phoenix is a reference to the re emergence of Tolley winemaking traditions and enduring Coonawarra vineyards. Dominated by Cabernet fruit characters, bramble and cassis, Phoenix offers a generosity and structure that's distinctly Coonawarra.

A Coonawarra Shiraz of elegance and finesse, Penley's vintages are regularly awarded with prestigious international trophies and accolades, outclassing some of the nation's icon wines. A splendid effort exhibiting generous varietal fruit and spiced pepper, perfumes of good French oak and plenty of flavour. Shiraz has taken well to Coonawarra, where the cooler growing conditions yield a slightly more supple, finer boned style than warmer climes. Balance is a key feature in all Penley wines, fruit, tannins and oak in complete harmomy.

Penfold's mastery at formulating superlative Shiraz and Cabernet accords is due in great part to the excellence of their vineyards, achieved through the assemblage of components into a wine which delivers true stylishness in the enduring and timeless Penfolds way. Great attention is paid to the ripeness of fruit that goes into Bin 8, making the wine fuller in style and sounder in structure. Pointedly named for the distinction of its maturation in a selection of pre loved oak barrels which have held vintages of Bin 28, Bin 128 and Bin 389.

Vintage 2008 will be remembered for Bin 620, a legendary Penfolds wine from a great Coonawarra year. The unique and enduring Australian mix of Cabernet and Shiraz, from the pick of low yielding Penfolds Coonawarra Blocks 5, 10 and 20, a harvest of the most superb quality fruit, a collation of parcels exhibiting tremendous definition in flavour, affording the construct of a wine similar in stature and style to the original 1966 Bin 620.

Penfolds Bin 128 remains one of the purest editions within the Penfolds stable. Firstly, as a Coonawarra Shiraz, it is one of the few Penfolds reds that isn't a multi regional blend. Launched in 1962, Penfolds Bin 128 reflects the unique climate and growing conditions of the Coonawarra and the elegant style of cool-climate Shiraz. French oak highlights the pepper, spice and floral characteristics that define this style. Great attention is paid to fruit ripeness for the Bin 128, resulting in the developement of fuller Shiraz flavours, in a wine of structure and style.

In 1960 Bill Redman persuaded Max Schubert to acquire a parcel of Coonawarra Terra rossa soil and the Bin 128 experience was born. It was originally labelled as Claret, and whilst the quality of Shiraz has increased immeasurably ever since, very little has changed about how Bin 128 is made, it's vinification follows the traditional Penfolds house style. One of the few Penfold wines which are sourced exclusively from a specific region, Bin 128 reflects the uniqueness of Coonawarra and the elegant, stylish expressions of cooler climate Terra rossa Shiraz.

Integral to the style and quality of Parker has been the unique mesoclimate of the Old Block Merlot site in southern Coonawarra. There are noticeable climatic and soil differences within the fifteen kilometre strip that impart unique qualities to wine. Less prone to frost, Old Block has a higher median temperature, and the fruit can be treated to an additional hang time of up to fourteeen days. An opulent, slightly spicy Merlot in which the toasty oak merges well with the mouthfilling qualities of fruit, tannins are supple and the finish long.

Parker Estate was built from the ground up in the right way, with the intention of producing precisely this style of wine. Established in 1985 by an old hand within the industry, quality winemaking was the only priority and commercial constraints played no part in the development. A mostly Cabernet wine with small portions of Merlot and Petit Verdot, grown to an exceptional site, ranking as one of South Australia's finest. The fruit is characterised by very dark colours, super ripe flavours, excellent complexity with good alcohol, density and structure.

Full-bodied, powerful, French-styled 2001 exhibits aromas of lead pencil/graphite, creme de cassis, cedar, and tobacco. Scents of chocolate, currants, well-integrated oak, plenty of power and length, sweet tannin, and enormous potential, it will drink beautifully for 10-12 years. The tannins are very fine and powdery, already showing great integration at this early stage. Long dry and fruity finish, drink now and until 2011.

Coonawarra did not happen by chance, it was established on sound scientific principles after the assessment of extensive feasibility studies. The Parker Estate Vineyards at the southern end of Coonawarra, were established 1985 on rich Terra Rosa over limestone soils. Parker have achieved a remarkable reputation within Australia and throughout the world of wine, wherever great vintages are revered for their integrity and continuity of excellence. Commercial constraints played no part in the development. John Parker was driven by a passion to create the First Growth of Coonawarra Cabernet.

Mr Riggs comes to Coonawarra. He knows from good red wines after tours of duty amongst the illustrious Cabernet vineyards of Napa Valley and Bordeaux. He now takes his pick from the choicest sites in the land. A collation of parcels from the Thomas and Harrison Weatherall vineyards in the northern precincts of Coonawarra, fermented on skins and pressed to a selection of new and seasoned oaks. Intensely bright, floral and fragrant with lovely length on the palate, the Cabernet of choice to accompany char grill or juicy roast.

Nestled amongst the undulating slopes of Brokenback Range, the Mount Pleasant wineworks were established in 1921 by industry legend Maurice O'Shea. To this day, Mount Pleasant retain the most distinguished vineyards, reaching out from their environs in the Hunter Valley to secure parcels of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon which are second to none. Inspired by their sterling efforts under the Brand's Coonawarra label, the McWilliam's team have applied their winning touch to a harvest of the finest fruit, achieving a generous and approachable Cabernet wine.

Mildara was at the vanguard of the rediscovery of the Coonawarra region. In 1953 Mildara's Ron Haselgrove bought 12,735 litres of Coonawarra red wine from Bill Redman. Ron loved Redman's wine so much, hewas inspired in 1955 to purchase Mildara's first 12.5ha of the Coonawarra's famous Terra Rossa soil. This latest release is a luscious woody fruity wine with elements of earth, chocolate sponge and red berries.

Made from forty year old vines, Majella has acquired a timeless reputation as one of the Coonawarra's flagship Shiraz wines. From vines planted to grazing country, there's not much money in wool but Majella still run wethers and lamb on their properties at Coonawarra and Penola.

One of Coonawarra's leading viticultural estates and most eminent winemaking operatons, Majella has earned an enviable reputation for growing and bottling the region's very finest Shiraz. The most superior standards in vineyard management and an obsessive attention to detail make the wines of Majella, Coonawarra classics, highly esteemed by discerning enthusiasts around the world. There may not be a lot of it made each year but it is very, very good, anyone who thinks that Coonawarra is only for Cabernet needs to shout themselves a bottle of Majella Shiraz.