So much prettiness and power at once for so little money; gorgeous ripe fruit, teasingly soft texture, haunting persistence of flavor; perfect Aussie shiraz.

This wine exhibits great structure with a nice berry fruit nose and flavors. Good acidity and soft tannins would make this wine great for summer barbecues.

The 2009 Yangarra Estate McLaren Vale Shiraz...has an alluring aroma of dried wild herbs, and while the wine does suggest blackberries, its fruit is spicy and tangy, not sweet and enveloping. The wine is subtle...

Zippy acidity lifts toasty oak, chocolate and black-fruit flavors.

Interesting nose of mint sauce, blackcurrant, spice, blueberry, pepper and oak. Lots of fruit offset by good acidity, cinnamon and clove spice with a hint of vanilla.

Developed fresh nose of spice, herb, red plum, oak, coffee, coconut, red and black fruit. Rich, earthy, complex and flashy - a fine combination. A very enticing wine with supple, ripe tannins. Lovely palate.

A very good wine for the price and a panel favorite. Supple with black pepper, mocha, blueberry, menthol, black fruit, spice and toasty aromas and flavors, soft yet complex.

This wine is perfectly balanced and presented, showing both concentration and elegance. The brambly blackberry, blueberry and plum fruit flavors and aromas are quite inviting and will compliment many dishes...

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.