(2024) d'Arenberg is one of the iconic names of Australian wine and has been a constant presence on UK wine shelves for decades. This is 100% biodynamic Grenache, foot trodden two-thirds of the way through ferment and pressed in a basket press as is d'Arenberg's way. It was matured in French oak for nine months. It has a terrific nose, straddling a buoyant, crushed red berry fruit with masses of fresh-cracked black pepper and a certain meatiness. In the mouth it has substantial tannins and fine acid core, but the weight of fruit is equal to that all the way, giving this lots of drinkability as well as a bit of serious gastronomic usefulness. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2024) From magnum. Developed colour and lovely notes of black leaf tea edging into still pure blackcurrant. There is that hessian like note of slightly fading grandeur, but the palate so charming, with still a cherry freshness, a little chestnut character to the ripe black fruit. Still has spice and ripeness adding a rippling layer to the finish.

(2024) Shows its class, fine cedar and bloody black fruit, nicely resolved on the palate, the pure, sweet and fleshy character of black fruit melts seamlessly into the resolved tannins and supportive plum-skin acidity of the finish.

(2023) Four Bordeaux varieties in the blend here, led by 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Blackcurrant on the nose, some eucalypt/menthol notes, and a smoothing sub-frame of the barrel. In the mouth it flows with really sweet, ripe black fruit, the 23% Malbec perhaps adding to the plush depth of the mid-palate. Tannins are suede-like, acidity is rounded but present, and the touch of vanilla and spice into the finish pleases. Mixed dozen price is £16.99.

(2023) From a single vineyard of dry-grown bush vines that was planted in 1889 on red-brown clay in the heart of the Barossa Valley. The wine spends 100-days on skins post-fermentation, and I believe it has minimal contact. Soft, autumnal tinges to the ruby colour. Chocolate and fragrant potpourri spices are joined by pert raspberry notes, in a wine that has a wonderfully resolved, mature nose but still with a vital fruit quality. Pure, ripe and plush Grenache, filling the mouth with fruit and spices, but balance it superb and it is an utter pleasure to drink now. Reminiscent of a maturing Château Rayas perhaps, and Grenache showing its Pinot side so perfectly.

(2023) A 35-year-old, ungrafted vineyard on terrarossa is the source of this wine. After fermentation it spent 12 months in French oak hogsheads, 30% of which were new. A true 'multi award-winning' wine that scooped Golds and trophies in several international competitions. Probably the darkest nose of the tasting, a chocolate depth to ripe cassis, though arguably not as nuanced as some. The palate is glorious however. There's weight and substance here, texturally the biggest wine of the selection, but the fruit is sauve and polished, filling the mouth impressively. Tannins are very tight and the bittersweet, endive like bite of the acidity along with the charry, cocoa notes of the barrels flesh out the finish. No UK retail stockist listed at time of review. The wine is imported into the UK by Bancroft Wines and has an RRP of £50.

(2023) These terrarossa vineyards are 20 years old on average, the fruit fermented in stainless steel-lines concrete tanks. Red liquorice springs to mind on first nosing the glass, maybe even a touch of beetrooty character, but pure black fruits show through, touched with mint. The palate has a sinewy, taut character, no flab here at all with tight tannins, juicy and intense acids and the fruit staying in a dry, savoury spectrum. Note stockist and price given is for the 2019 vintage at time of review (which I recently scored 92/100).

(2023) A mixture of vineyards here, aged 18 to 40 years, and a mix of clones. The oldest blocks of fruit were fermented directly in oak barrels, other blacks transferred to oak after malolactic fermentation. Barrels came from both Bordeaux and Burgundy coopers, 47% new. Darkly hued, there's concentrated cassis and ripe black plum here, mint and cocoa in support. The palate here flows beautifully with ripe and juicy blackcurrant fruit, but the integration of the tannins and acids here, and indeed the creamy dark tones of the barrel, is excellent. That gives this a seamless character as it flows towards the finish. Highly drinkable.

(2023) From a 53-year-old vineyard on terrarossa, this was made in a mix of open top and rotary fermenters (horizontal tanks that rotate to mix the cap, rather than using punch-down, etc. as in vertical tanks). It spent 18 months in 300-litre French barrels, new and second use. Meatier than the Balnaves, also an ashy, slightly eucalypt character touching the ripe black fruit. The sweetness on the mid-palate is apparent, a wine that's not too broad, instead there is a freshness here, real lip-smacking juiciness to the acidity. Tannins are firm in the finish, adding to the impression of freshness along with a little pepper and spice.

(2023) From two vineyards planted in 1973 and 1990 respectively on terrarossa. A little Petit Verdot (4.8%) was blended "to add aromatic lift." It spent eighteen months in French oak, 52% of which was new. Very appealing nose, expressing the fragrant side of Cabernet (and that Petit Verdot) with a herb-touched, glossy cherry character as well as blackcurrant. In the mouth the tannins are powerful, and the charry toast of the oak adds another bass note, but the firm black fruit and very crisply framed acidity maintains a strict, fresh line to the finish.