Layers is a melange of flavour drawn from five varietal grapes. A cepage of the three inveterate Barossa red varietals, Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre, with two traditional but exciting hispanic grapes, Tempranillo and Carignane, to construct a wine that is so much greater than the sum of parts. Don't be fooled by it's easy drinking and approachable nature, as each taste reveals another layer of subtle complexity. A great wine to complement the modern Australian lifestyle and diverse textures of contemporary east west fusion cuisines, so enjoy.

Christopher Rawson Penfold planted vines on the slopes of Magill, very shortly after colonization in the year 1844. Today, the historic bluestone cellars are home to the new world's longest and most distinguished tradition in fortified wine. A highly special blend of the finest and oldest components of Grandfather Tawny are assembled from time to time. While articulating itself as being of a very great age on the palate, Great Grandfather offers an incredible intensity of flavour. Vibrant fruit flavours merge with aged rancio complexity before a finish of extraordinary length.

The story of Australia's most revered fortified wine dates back to 1915, when an exclusive barrel of old Tawny Port, was set aside for the sole use of the Penfold family. Revered internationally as one of Australia's finest exports, perennially feted with trophies and gold, Penfolds Grandfather Liqueur Tawny is a blend of the rarest Australian old Port wines, aged in a selection of small oak casks. The rich yet delicate fruit character harmonises sublimely with evolved, aged rancio complexity into a truly luxuriously aged Liqueur Tawny.

In 1844 Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold planted vines on the slopes of Magill to produce fortified wine. By 1881 Penfolds was producing a third of South Australia's entire fortified wine production. Father Grand Tawny is a tribute to the century and a half of excellence practised within the bluestone cellar walls of Magill Estate. The combination of extended barrel maturation and Penfolds tradition of uncompromising vinification skills has achieved a wine with exemplary fruit richness, mellow aged rancio complexity and great length of flavour.

Penfolds glory years throughout the first half of the twentieth crentury were essentially as a producer of fortified wines, excellent new-world Ports that were exported globally, and relied upon for quality and consistency back at home. Penfolds today encapsulates a century and a half of winemaking and embodies the traditions of the toothsome fortified wine in Australia. Beginning life as Five Star Club Tawny in the nineteen forties, Penfolds Club has grown with the nation, and is now Australia's number one bottle fortified wine.

The abstruse Bin 2 saw its inaugural vintage in 1960 but was discontinued until the 1970s. Originally branded as an Australian Burgundy, Bin 2 has always been a soft, medium bodied mix of Mourverdre and Shiraz characterised by complexity and palate grip. Treated to a year's maturation in seasoned French and American oak, its succulent, juicy and fresh Rhônesque orientation is underpinned by an alluring savoury base of quinces and date pudding, decidedly old world in styling, the understated affluence of Bin 2 demands deliberation and calls for cuisine.

The Partisan team are people of the soil, taking up McLaren Vale viticulture at a time in history when others were pulling out their vines to pursue more lucrative agriculture. They now take aim with each vintage, at identifying the most superior parcels of McLaren Vale fruit, to craft a range of wines which can best articulate their unique provenance and sense of place. A generously proportioned Grenache Shiraz Mouverdre, offering an exquisite length of intense blackberry fruit flavours, supported by fine grainy tannins and a measure of flattering, judicious oak.

Established 1971, Mount Mary is a single vineyard estate, one of the first to be planted during the resurgence of interest in Yarra Valley wines. John and Marli Middleton became obsessed with the great French growths after visits to Burgundy and Bordeaux. They resolved to find a very special Yarra Valley site with a view to emulating the statuesque French styles. The topical cépage of Grenache and Mourverdre, Cinsault and Shiraz, matured sixteen months in an eclectic mix of good French oak, a slightly more fruit forward, earlier drinking style of Mt Mary.

Half Shiraz with a quarter each Grenache and Mourvedre, all treated to a separate ferment and course of age before assembling into the final Cuvée. Victoria grows structured yet elegant Shiraz, the Rhonesque Mourvedre and Grenache require a sultry clime to encourage full development of piquant varietal characters, Mitchelton's plenitude of scenic lakes provide the optimal environment. An engaging mix of juicy red fruits and ripe black cherry, mocha notes and exotic spice, layers of complexity over a length of lovely silky tannins, coating the palate with peppery bramble, seamless and refined.

Old Barossa growers still refer to their vineyards as the garden. Langmeil's ageing vines in the hamlets of Tanunda, Lyndoch and Vine Vale are the source of fruit for this topical mix of Shiraz, Mataro and Grenache. A wine of provenance, the traditional cepage of grapes favoured by early Barossa settlers, crafted through old world styling into a truly a luscious wine, lifted by sweet spice and gentle cherry oak oak, balanced by extra fine tannins which linger, long on a fruit filled finish.

The flagship of the Keith Brien range, a precious parcel of old vines Mourverdre vinified alongside a choice harvest of Shiraz, all picked off an exquisite low yielding vineyard. Keith Brien has been consumed by a passion for obscure old sites, ever since a tour of duty amongst the vineyards of La Bourgogne in the 1970s. He treasures his time spent inspecting the old plantings and ripening of fruit, earmarking the pick of crop for an old fashioned vinification and extended term of age, albeit amazingly accessible to the discerning enthusiast at large.

Vincenzo Conte immigrated to Australia in 1952, sowing Shiraz and Mataro vines on a property just outside of Shepparton. His son took over management of the precious low yielding vineyard until 2003, when the site came to the attention of a seasoned old salt with a deep penchant for small batch, Rhone varietal wines. Keith Brien makes old world styles, with a view to bottle development of each vintage before release. The powerful mouthfilling richness and velvet textures are complemented by a length of deep, fine tannins, the fruit of cosseted, unirrigated old vines.

An assemblage of old vines Grenache and Shiraz with a smaller portion of Mataro, grown to the Kalleske's organic farm. Named after Troy Kalleske's ninety year old grandfather Clarence, who farmed the vineyards from the late 1920s until his retirement in the 1990s. Clarry was the fourth generation to tend vines on the family farm, established by his great grandparents who migrated from Prussia aboard the Prince George in 1838. Many years were spent by Clarry pruning, hand picking and nurturing the Kalleske vineyards.

Excellent Langtons Classified. John Duval's aim with Plexus is to express the wide spectrum of red fruit flavours from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre, but also provide structure with a seamless balance and long finish. A low percentage of new oak adds complexity without dominating the berry fruit. Grenache is sourced from old bush vines fifty to sixty years of age from the Stockwell, Light Pass and Krondorf regions. Mourvedre is collated from old bush vines, some over a century old, grown to precious little sites in the Light Pass and Krondorf regions.

Excellent Langtons Classification. John Duval is one of the most highly regarded winemakers of his era, International Wine & Spirit Competition Winemaker of the Year and twice London International Red Winemaker of the Year. Plexus is designed to express the wide spectrum of red fruit flavours from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre, but also provide structure with a seamless balance and long finish. Traditional, low intervention winemaking techniques are employed, allowing the wine to be approachable in its youth, while assuring great potential for development.

John Duval is one of the great winemakers of the modern era, three times anointed Winemaker of Year at the prestigious London International. Annexus is crafted from a small parcel of very old vines Mataro, picked off a dry grown centenarian vineyard in the Light Pass precincts of Barossa Valley. A mix of stemmed grapes and whole bunches are vinified in a small open top, wooden vat fermenter, followed by a year's maturation in a selection of seasoned French oak hogsheads. An excruciatingly limited release, a mere 250 cases were made.

A block or two of tough, inhospitable soils on the Hutton Vale property were planted to Grenache in the 1960s. Growing conditions were so disfavourable that many of the vines failed and had to be replaced, a highly opportune setback which turned out to be a windfall, as the recalcitrant parcels were mistakenly planted with Mataro, the stylistic soulmate of Grenache. Fermented on skins for a week, followed by two years in seasoned and new French oak puncheons, loaded with red and black fruits, savouryness and licorice, a fine tannin line, supple and soft.

A profoundly structured, concentrated Rhône style GSM from hand tended vineyards, at the very heart of Barossa which date back to the 1800s. The old, deep rooted Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre vines accept their fate without blinking, perfectly timing their harvest to accompany the later ripening, lower alcohol Carignan and Cinsault, a small yet important part of the Miss Harry accord. These gnarled veterans have seen every poor growing season before and will again, due to their natural affinity for Barossa Valley.

A tribute to the early Lutheran pioneers, many of whom carried Johann as their first name. Two thirds Grenache, with the balance of Mourvedre and Shiraz, all from low yielding, old and gnarled, dry farmed, bush grown and trellised Barossa vineyards. These precious sites yield parcels of parched but intensely flavoured fruit, in smaller berry and bunch size, exuding rare generosity and remarkable warmth. A richly concentrated palate, beautifully soft and textural, supported by fine grained tannins and a long, savoury finish.

The archetypal Rhonesque fusion of Shiraz and Grenache, Viognier and Mourvedre which dates back to the early pioneering days and reflects the history, religion and culture of Barossa Valley. Henrys Seven is a tribute to Henry Evans who planted the first seven acres of vineyard at Keyneton in 1853. He quickly developed a reputation for producing the best wines in the southern colony. Following Henry's death in 1868, his widow Sarah exercised her principles of temperance by closing the winery and uprooting all the historic vines.

Following the extraordinary success of Oomoo Shiraz, Hardy's have assembled the holy trinity of noble Rhône Valley red grapes into a complex and stylish wine. An assembly of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre, grown to mature vines in McLaren Vale, some up to seventy years old. Spicey, fruit driven characters are the hallmark of Oomoo GSM, undominated by any one varietal, expressing all three. Seasoned oak is employed to let Oomoo's primary fruit profiles speak for themselves. A generous wine with weighty palate and flourish of piquant spice.

Guigal own and operate the most distinguished vineyards, specializing in some of the great growths of Cote-Rôtie. They have long set the benchmark and are well known for paying the highest prices, while assembling the most superior parcels of fruit in all Cotes du Rhône. Syrah, Mourverdre and Grenache are collated from illustrious appellations along the windswept aspects of Valley Rhone, to be treated to a traditional vinification, followed by an extravagant, extended maturation in oak foudres, coopered within the walls of the ancient Château d'Ampuis.

Grant Burge holds great reverence for the outstanding quality of Barossa Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre old vines fruit. He is inspired by the way they can coalesce into a wine that's so much greater than the sum of parts. Holy Trinity is modelled on the efforts of the southern Rhone, a style which early settlers recognized would excel in the idyllic climes and terroirs of Barossa Valley. An artisinally crafted wine, from grapes hand picked off old, dry grown vines, the youngest being some fifty years of age, the oldest is well over a hundred and twenty.

A sultry wine with indulgent layers of complexity, Barossa Vines GMS combines 50% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre and 17% Shiraz, from fruit grown on Grant's own vineyards and those of respected growers around the Barossa.

A third each of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre, crafted from small parcels of intensely flavoured, hand picked grapes, grown to some seriously old Barossa vines. The backbone for this engaging accord is sourced off a canon of distinguished, dry grown Barossa parcels, generally a hundred years of age. The maturity of these gnarled old plantings translates into meagre yields of the most tremendous concentration and sublime elegance.

Vinified from the Barossa's traditional Port varietals, mostly Grenache, the balance Mourveprdre and Shiraz, assembled to an average age of ten years. Grant Burge craft their exquisite Old Tawny to the Iberian Solera system, achieving a higher standard of fortified wine year after year. The spicy fruit flavours are delivered by the high proportion Grenache and add a lifted freshness to the more complex rancio characters in the background. The palate is smooth and rich, its moreish opulence is balanced by an elegant, drying finish.

Equal parts Shiraz and Grenache, a tenth of Mourverdre, all picked off blocks of dry grown McLaren Vale vines, treated to a traditional old world vinification and sent to a selection of American oak hogsheads and puncheons for an extended twenty months maturation. Brick red in colour, leading with an animated nose of savoury spiced meats and wild berry fruits, the tannins are seen but not heard, perfectly in tune with the piquant Rhonesque acidity to deliver impeccable balance and seamless structure, all before a long dark chocolate finish.

A beautifully balanced Bordeaux meets Rhone style, an assemblage of McLaren Valeʼs best for a classically arranged cépage of fruit. An Aussie claret with a difference! Cabernet Franc provides aromatics, structure and tannin, Mourvedre contributes juicyness and Petit Verdot is the funk. The Phantom is a product of exacting care in the vineyard, a high percentage of Verdot enhances the complexity and ensures the wine will develop magnificently. Only the most expressive and standout parcels are included into The Phantom.

Gemtree are back to basics, allowing the outstanding quality of their bio organic fruit to seak for itself. Roughly equal parts Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre, fashioned to engage the senses and to be flattering to all good food. Driven by its mineral savouryness and salacious fruit, a mere five months in seasoned French oak barriques, just enough to coalesce all parts into a seamless whole. A delicious, mouthfilling wine, resplendent with gorgeous raspberry flavours, licorice, bay leaf and black olive notes, creamy cherry oak and suave, velvetine tannins.

Physicians traditionally harbour a penchant for good red wine. Their analytic skills come in handy when it comes to choosing a site and establishing McLaren Vale vines. Meet the Fox Creek's bespoke elixir for good health and happy life, the perfumed lift of Grenache, juicy red berry fruits, Shiraz for fleshy plum and spice, old vine tannins for elegance and structure. Mourvedre ties the palate together as it adds tannin volume and earthy texture. An, intense berry ridden palate, which will leave you looking forward to the next sip.

Fire Block was excised from a large grazing property in 1923, out of concern that sparks from passing locomotives on the new Clare Valley railway could start bushfires. Situated on the western slope of the Valley, established to vines in 1926, the gnarled old veterans of Fire Block are grown to traditional dryland viticulture, with no systemic sprays or chemical fertilizers. From one of the most parched sites in Valley Clare, the vines sprout bunches of tiny shrivelled berries, yielding small volumes of intensely flavoured juices, to be vinified by the eminent O'Leary Walker winemaking team.

The essential Cotes du Rhone cepage, crafted almost exclusively from the Grenache of Grand Prebois and Syrah of Vinsobres. The inclusion of Mourverdre completes the holy trinty while contributing savouryness and pastoral charm. Filled with the fragrant fruit of Vallee Rhone and Mistral spice of Provence, Perrin Reserve makes a match with continental style grills and crumbed veal, slow braised joints and ham.