(2023) Made by Yalumba since the early 1990s, there are vine components here from plantings that span 1929 to 1972, the average age of vines around 50 years old. It comes from a smaller than average vintage, the wine matured for six months in older French puncheons and in French, Hungarian and American hogsheads. It's a Grenache in a relatively pale-coloured and Pinot-like style (though with 14.5% alcohol it's no lightweight). Roasted chestnuts, truffle and mint spice lead the aromatics, fragrant almost lavender notes, then a melange of black and red fruits. In the mouth there's an espresso-like depth to this, so creamy and full-textured, but the nipping spices and acidity give lovely balance. The fruit is generous, melting into those mocha coffee notes in the finish. Big scaled but with a soft side, and could be a Christmas dinner wine. Watch the video for more information.  

(2023) A GSM blend from the Barossa, which enjoyed similar hot and dry conditions to the Eden Valley. A little more earthy and subdued than the Balthasar aromatically, but there is a jammy ripeness of fruit and a balancing touch of leather in there. Bold and savoury, there's plenty of juicy acidity and nicely plummy, roughening tannins, that give an edge to the sweet and plump fruit that build on the mid-palate.

(2023) A little bit (8%) of Malbec joins the Cabernet, the wine matured 16 months in French oak, some new. From classic terra rossa soil. Very attractive, all about quite bold and creamy cassis. It doesn't move into jamminess, but instead the sweet and ripe plushness of the fruit is balanced by structural, fine tannin and acid components. It is sauve and smoothly creamy with no jagged edges, but it has balance and great length. This one should age too.

(2023) Synonymous with Riesling and Shiraz, here the vineyards of Clare Valley in South Australia turn their hand to low-cropped Cabernet Franc. Forty percent whole-bunches were included in the ferment with wild yeast, before ageing in old French oak. Minimal sulphur was used. It's a violet-scented, aromatic Cab Franc, a deep seam of blueberry beneath, and a swirl of smoky sappy, stony minerals on top. In the mouth that intense, spice and herb-flecked black fruit runs smoothly through to a tight, nicely delineated and long finish. Delicious and impressive. Watch the video for more information.

(2022) From terra rossa soils and a 52-year-old vineyard, this wine spent 18 months in French oak barrels of 300-litres, a combintation of new and older vessels. Showing a little more development than the Patrick of Coonawarra 2015, there is a bloody and gamy note that is appealing in the mix as notes of eucalyptus and blackcurrant emerge. Really nicely open, sweet, ripe and mature, there is a creamy and supple depth and width to the fruit profile, tannins chocolaty and rounded and cherry acidity perking up the finish. Highly drinkable and in a good place.

(2021) A biodynamic certified wine from sandy loam soils, with limestone and clay. Average age of vines here is 30 years and the wine matured for 16 months in French oak barriques, 15% new. A very dark and deeply-coloured wine, it's another vinous expression, all liquorice twsited around black plum and blue/black berries. A little creamy oak supports. In the mouth this is a big wine. Powerfully structured with thick tannins and just enough plum-skin acidity, the density and polish of the dark fruit floods the palate. This is concentrated and certainly a bit of a blockbuster. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.

(2021) Made using organic practices, this comes from terra rossa soils (ferrous loam) over clay over limestone and spent 16 months in older French oak barriques. Deeper and more dense than the Hunter's, with more of a black fruit character. As well as that sweet and plush black fruit, some exotic spice. On the palate, a much more tannic wine, with raised acidity too to give structure and backbone to the quite meaty, thick dark fruit.

(2021) What a beautiful wine this is, marrying the absolutely classic ripeness and abundance of Barossa Shiraz, with a hint of Old World elegance and savouriness. Coming from 20– to 70-year-old vineyards, fermentation was traditional with plunging and pumping over twice daily prior to basket pressing. The wine was matured in larger sizes of barrel, new and old, of French and American oak. The aromatics here really do leap from the glass, mulberry, blueberry and tons of lifted, violetty aromas, a great, deep pool of velvetty fruit. On the palate that very natural depth and concentration from these old vines is sumptuous, but the firmness of the structure here: peppery, creamy tannins and good blueberry-tart acidity, gives freshness too. Long, sweet, tangy, and delicious.

(2021) From Blewitt Springs, arguably the home of the new wave Grenache movement. From vines planted in 1952 in deep sandy soils, open-topped fermenters then aged in the lees in tank for 12 months. Very pure, very direct fruit, combining red and black fruits, a background of firm, leafy green herbs. Super-juicy on the palate, still with a good mouthfeel but great alacrity, keen fruit, elegant and edged by fine, sandy tannins and pert acidity. So drinkable.

(2021) The vines here are 95 years old, on red clay soils. Made in open fermenters, aged on fine lees in steel for 12 months. Lovely pale colour, translucent on rim, quite herbal with small red berries. The fruit is firm and elegant on the palate, savoury, juicy, less overtly sweet fruited than some but has that clean, long, elegant character.