Bright, light crimson-fuschia; a blend of carignan, grenache and mourvedre that works very well indeed, with a mix of spicy, savoury and red berry aromas and flavours. Light, crisp and fresh, with a pleasingly dry finish.

Deep ruby color. Such pretty aromatics of raspberries, red cherries, candied apple peel, along with a host of spicy, earthy, floral tones (rose petals, rhubarb, spiced chai, clay soil and dusty earth). Full-bodied on the palate with smooth tannins and medium acidity; there’s this effortless, balanced mouthfeel that is great. Flavors of raspberries, cherries and red apple, the fruit is juicy, rich but tart. Complex notes of earth, clay, spiced tea, rose hips, menthol and white pepper – such complexity in here. There’s a lovely briskness despite the richness. Deep, intriguing, lovely Grenache, fermented and aged exclusively in ceramic eggs.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale Fermented and kept on skins for 190 days in a ceramic egg, the 2016 Ovitelli Grenache is a special breed of Grenache. "It turns it a bit Nebbiolo-like," says winemaker Peter Fraser. Hints of apple skin, herbs and strawberries appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is spicy and savory, supple and almost creamy in texture, turning silky on the long finish.

Take Note: Real Australian Wine Is Here Fascinating aromas of tea, rose hip, rose petal and dried strawberry. Some peach undertones. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a juicy finish. Very intense and flavorful. Needs time to come together in the bottle. Better in 2019. Screw cap.

From biodynamically farmed, old vines, this is a brilliant example of why this region and variety are gaining such renown. Aromas of bright red berries, florals, tar, white pepper and herbal tonic lead into a silky yet structured palate that is light to medium-bodied. The aromas carry through to the palate, knitting them together with spicy, earthy tannins and crunchy acidity. It's refreshing, austere and joyful all at once.

The world's best Grenache buys Dark, dense and rich. This is the powerhouse face of Grenache, with grippy tannins and stewy fruit skins. But this example keeps its balance and also manages to sneak in a whisper of perfumed lift on the finish. Drinking Window 2018 – 2026

Velvety and succulent with minerality, depth, and spice; pure and tangy with racy energy from an Aussie producer specializing in Mediterranean varieties.

There's both varietal and regional integrity dripping from this wine's pores. It has a jubey-fruit-filled centre but it's otherwise dry and minerally and blessedly pure. It's like munching on the dense-flavoured grenache grapes themselves. It also tastes of brine, liquorice and earth and rumbles with tannin through the finish. Terrific wine growing and making, and therefore drinking.

Strict grenache. Fruit peers out from behind bars of tannin and spice. Not a wine for just going with the flow; it forces you to contemplate it. Very little fruit sweetness or indeed flesh, and yet strangely compelling. Could be anything with some years under its belt.

66 year-old dry farmed, free standing bush vines can tell a story of the vintage when handled with care, and this Grenache from Yangarra spins a beautiful tale of one of the coolest, wettest years ever in McLaren Vale. Low yields and careful bunch selection to sort out rot and mold have produced a brilliant ruby red wine with aromas of cherry, raspberry, white pepper and fennel. Vibrant acidity helps translate the aromas directly into flavors on the palate, and keeps things lively through the long, zesty finish. It’s really begging for food -- I’d go for lamb. Nicely done!

The 2005 Shiraz is purple-colored with an expressive perfume of cedar, smoke, game, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied with a broad palate and mouth-coating fruit, it has outstanding depth, tons of black fruit flavor, and a long pure finish. Drink it over the next 6-8 years.

Good as ever, this vintage of the Yangarra Shiraz doles out plenty of juicy blackberry and blue berry fruit accented with fresh but subtle vanilla bean notes. Full and bouncy on the palate, and long on the finish. Winemaker Peter Fraser just doesn't know how to make bad wine.

An abyss of black pepper on the nose, with some whiffs of white cotton. Imagine strapping an eight cylinder engine to a basket full of berries and black peppercorns and watching it go: That's what this wine tastes like. It's full-throttle and fruit-ripe, with lifted fruit, spice and black pepper on the finish.

An abyss of black pepper on the nose, with some whiffs of white cotton. Imagine strapping an eight-cylinder engine to a basket full of berries and black peppercorns and watching it go: That’s what this wine tastes like. It’s full-throttle and fruit-ripe, with lifted fruit, spice and black pepper on the finish. Imported by Yangarra Estate Vineyard.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings There’s a commanding thread of rich dark plum and berries here with dried, woody spice and earthy notes. The palate is very composed and delivers good length with a compact, contained feel. Plenty of tannin. Certified organic. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The Yangarra vineyards are just next door to Hickinbotham's, yet the Shiraz here, grown in sandy, ironstone soils, is an entirely different beast. High-toned red currant, raspberry and plum fruit is wound with peppery spice and warm pavement nuances. Tannins are firm and powerful but tightly focused, supporting rather than overpowering the tangy red fruit. One for the cellar.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale From a 1.8-hectare block particularly rich in ironstone, Yangarra's 2015 Ironheart Shiraz features aromas of crushed stones, pencil shavings, sandalwood and blueberries. It's medium to full-bodied, with deep, concentrated flavors, ample fine-grained tannins and a tremendously long finish. Like the other Yangarra wines, there's a potent line of acidity that gives shape and focus, acting like a spine from which the other elements are suspended.

Meaty, autumnal berry nose with a hint of violets. An approachable, dark-fruited Shiraz, with a supple mouthfeel that has a meaty edge and a hint of jamón. Quite elegant for a McLaren Vale Shiraz. Charming and well turned out.

With precious old dry-farmed vines first planted in 1946, Yangarra Estate in McLaren Vale was taken over in 2000 by the late, great Californian Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, of Kendall-Jackson Fame. With state-of-the art growing practices and a spanking new winery, Yangarra is producing excellent offerings, including this 2012 shiraz. It’s full-bodied and even hints at good-quality Napa cabernet, with its concentrated blackcurrant fruit and harmonious structure, enriched by chocolate, black pepper and a coffee-mocha quality framed by bright acidity.

In difficult vintages the class shows through. It's only light to medium-weight but it's meticulously void of any unripe character and exchanges volume for savoury, peppery complexity. Nuts, red cherry, dried herbs, cranberry, vanilla and a general brambliness. Tannin is like two fingers pulling straight down through the wine.

This biodynamically farmed McLaren Vale shiraz from Yangarra Estate is a good symbol of where Australian wine is at. It's a clean, fruit-driven wine but there's nothing industrial about it. It's wild yeast fermented, left to mature on lees, bottled unfined. It has balance and easy-going momentum. The fruit is in the plum and dark cherry realm, but there are savoury/spicy/sappy elements. Oak is a little too toasty and coffeed for my liking, but it's tame and in the background, so it doesn't get in the way. Tannin is fine, fleshy, gently insistent. All up, this wine is impossible to fault, pleasurable, and interesting.

A delicious, full-bodied red wine with classic shiraz aromas of black plum, blackberry and some dark spice. Terrific layering of pleasure and flavour on the palate. Try it with smoked meats. 4.6/5 Shiraz food pairings: steak.

Deep red-purple; lush black fruits and dark chocolate on the bouquet come through on the full-bodied palate, where substantial tannins need time to soften somewhat, a process that I am sure will take place well before the fruit declines.

Fine aromatics. Lovely, seductively opulent cassis fruit, tinged with incense and mint. Delicious palate, integrated and absorbed tannins that support sweet fruit. Top-class McLaren Vale Shiraz. Seamless and long.

Supple and intense, the velvet texture of this wine seems to start right from the black color and black fig aroma. It's dense and perfumed, with violets and heady spice, while the flavors taste pure and delicious. The rich middle comes up against hard tannins, ending on black pepper and pomegranate, suited to age. Remarkably evocative of McLaren for the price.