Surely ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ came about over a glass of wine just like this one. Big punchy flavours emanate from this sleekly packaged wine, think sumptuous McLaren Vale flavours of dense dark chocolate, fresh figs and mulberry, black cherry and black pepper. You bloody beauty, it’s not easy to put down the glass. We should probably note that this winemaker was the group red winemaker for Penfolds, cleaning up in winemaking trophies during their tenure. Pretty high standards we set here for you Mofo.

This family winery have been landowners in Coonawarra for over 100 years. They are Coonawarra experts and the jewel in their crown is, of course, cabernet sauvignon. Their wines consistently score highly with critics and this 2020 cellar release is a showcase of a deep understanding of the land and masterstroke winemaking.

The blackberry fruit concentration is immense and elevated by fine, dancing tannin. It wouldn't be Coonawarra without the marriage of mint and tobacco, rounding out mouth-feel and driving complexity. This is fantastic drinking now and will age gracefully for another decade.

If you were hanging out in South Australia in the 1880’s, you’d know Pikes for their beers. Fast forward 100 years and and several generations and the Pike family has firmly established themselves as one of the premier wine producers in the Clare Valley. Hops and grapevines, a rather abstract take on the tradition family tree. Their Settler’s Cottage shiraz speaks loudly of the Clare style; bracingly fresh, with aromas turned up to full volume and strikingly fine tannins. This is savoury, sumptuous superb shiraz.