Plum, berry and mocha nose flavors with a touch of vanillin oak. Rich and ready to drink. A great tribute to the Syrah grape.

Plum, berry and mocha nose flavors with nice vanillin oak. Rich and ready to drink. A great tribute to the Syrah grape.

Light and brightly fruity, relatively firm in support of its berry and mineral flavors, which echo nicely.

Great intensity, creamy and lush, Hesser said. Ford liked the smoothness and balance, and detected eucalyptus aromas. Prial called it long and powerful with good fruit and a tarry taste. But Asimov felt it was too oaky.

Filled with blackberry and strawberry fruit, it filled the mouth with soft tannins and vanillin oak. Again, it won't be the biggest shiraz you have ever tasted, but there won't be any doubt that it was well made.

Finally to my favourite, the 2018 NOIR, a very clever wine from the crossword on the front label that spells out the varieties involved in the blend, through to the thought and effort that must have gone in, to come up with such a smashing blend.

Four top reds to keep you warm over winter One of the most interesting projects we’ve been watching is over at Yangarra. They’ve planted most of the grape varieties of France’s Chateauneuf-du-pape region, some of which I can barely pronounce, like Counoise (if you say something like “Coo-Nwah-z” that’s about right). In 2018 they finally released something with all the red varieties blended together called “Noir”. Pete Fraser is the brains behind the winemaking – my parents also happen to be his godparents, but I think wine lovers with an unbiased view would agree his wines are incredible. This is fresh, lively and jam-packed with flavour, perfect for the introduction of winter and something braised.

Starting with the 2017 MOURVEDRE (I wish they would call it either Monastrell being its original Spanish name OR Mataro, the Aussie name for the variety – so much easier for consumers to remember and spell), this is one of the best Australian Monastrell I have tasted so far. Oh, so yummy! Perfectly balanced and silky smooth – AN ABSOLUTE RIPPER!!

Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show Tony Mangan Memorial Award for Best Organic Wine

Wine of the Week Mourvedre is a grape with several personalities. Also known as mataro or monastrell, it is grown in France, Spain and the United States, as well as in the warmer regions of Australia. Not only is it a key component in GSM blends, it is also widely used in fortified wines, as well as a component of some rosés. Most of the Mourvèdre from the Yangarra estate vineyard at Kangarilla goes into a GSM but limited-quantity varietals are produced in exceptional years. This is a very lively and spicy wine, perfumed, with grippy tannins and extremely enjoyable even in its youth. Kept on lees for 10 months in older oak barrels this is unashamedly fruit driven, unfined and certified biodynamic. Lovely stuff.

Ripe black cherry and bittersweet chocolate flavors, ripe, soft tannins, smooth.

Hint of oak, very rich black cherry and mocha flavors, smooth, ripe tannins. Made of the holy trinity of red grapes, it's very user-friendly.

Hint of oak, very rich black cherry and mocha flavors, smooth, ripe, tannins.

Medium-Full; Dry; Bright black-cherry and chocolate aromas; medium texture and tannins, juicy flavors, bracing acidity; medium finish.

Yangarra Estate Vineyard 2017 McLaren Vale 'ROUX BEAUTE' #ROUSSANNE - Matured in ceramic eggs on skins. Complex subtle aromas, fabulous intricate flavours & great texture, lovely viscosity & brilliant taste- A BRILLIANT-VERY APPEALING WINE !!

Light gold colour with bright green highlights. Rich aromas of sliced stonefruits, warm dripping wax, magnolia flower, preserved lemon and sweeter subtle toffee. Carries the same depth and richness across the palate, yet with definite energy and and drive. The flavour persists long with a firm texture. 18.50/20.

Drinking white wine in the sun A serious white for a winegeek's dinner party: 2016 Yangarra Roux Beauté Roussanne, McLaren Vale, $72 The roussanne grape isn't short of flavour or richness, and this one has added layers of complexity from extended skin contact and fermentation in big ceramic eggs. It's fabulously rich and textural and mouth-filling, but perfectly balanced, too.

This fragrant and richly textural white wine was fermented in two, 675-litre, egg-shaped ceramic vessels, one filled with crushed fruit – skins, pips and all – and one with just juice. The crushed fruit batch spent 160 days on skins before being siphoned off; the finished wine is a blend of the two eggs. It's sensual fluid that caresses the tongue.

Arguably Australia’s finest roussanne, this wine is all about profound complexity and alluring texture. It was made from grapes grown in sandy, gravelly soil; wild yeast fermented and aged in large ceramic eggs, with two-thirds of the blend spending four-and-a-half months on skins before being pressed off. The result isn’t funky and tannic, though, as you might expect: instead it’s fine and floral, with a full, silky texture that caresses the tongue. Absolutely spellbinding.

A Toast to Earth Day - The Biodynamic Wines of Yangarra This was a beautiful silky Roussanne with a wonderful bouquet on the nose of fruit, floral and spice. With just the right amount of acid, this wine left a long lingering finish on the palate. This was an exceptional Rousanne that stood out in its style and personality.

Yangarra Estate Vineyard: Southern Rhône Specialists in South Australia’s McLaren Vale 2016 Yangarra Estate Vineyard Roussanne — medium yellow in the glass with aromas of pears, dried oat hay and dusty gravel. Flavors of white peach, pear, oat hay, dusty gravel and lingering spice combine for a complex flavor profile in a medium body with bright acidity. Flavors last a very long time. This is a substantial and balanced white wine. This is a lovely, serious white wine. Its complexity will keep you thinking about what you’re tasting. I want to say this is a brilliant food wine, because of its body and acidity, but don’t overlook its sipping potential as well. Pair it with creamy pasta, chicken or fish.

Rich and complex, but not skimping on either the energy or the stone fruits. A-.