Best of the Black Market Revealed

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.

Tried, tasted, guzzled and enjoyed. Blewitt Springs has been consistently popping out some of the best shiraz in McLaren Vale for years and this is no exception. Bold and bright but softened with age. The price on this one feels like a glitch, delicious wine.
The Blewitt Springs area of McLaren Vale has a pretty good argument for becoming a fully fledged sub-region. Known for exceptional natural acidity and enduring, plush fruit, the sandy soils really lend themselves to a modern expression of McLaren Vale shiraz with an old school twist. Dark fruit, wonderful acid and that classic chocolatey note that you'd expect from a wine that's spent 18 months in French oak barrels. What more could you want from Australia's favourite variety - shiraz all over.

Intense, swirling, pronounced red and black fruit. The kind of wine that feels so immediately satisfying as it glides across the palate. Prickly little tannins grab at the tongue but they’re cleaned up by lashings of ripe raspberry, roasted coffee, and briary fruits. That density is urged on by freshness and focus, and the wine finishes long and clean - some vanilla and dark chocolate rounding out the complex flavour profile. At once elegant and punchy. Enjoy it now in all its exuberance, or cellar a while and let the moody, leathery, earthy intensity come to the fore.

Shiraz. Grenache. Mataro. Three grapes, one delicious purpose - happiness.
This red blend is designed to be juicy, easily-enjoyed and way more impressive than the price tag suggests. This one is just as comfortable in a paper cup at the park as it is in a Riedel decanter at a fancy restaurant! Shiraz brings the depth with plush blue fruits. Grenache ups the fun with a hit of bright red berries. Mataro anchors it all with a bit of grip and earthiness. All in all we've ended up with an utterly complete wine. One with gorgeous fruit flavours and notably vibrant versatility. Throw it next to anything barbecued and you’ll be cheering. Better yet, give it a light chill on a warm day and you’ve found yourself a completely new drink! Effortlessly drinkable, seriously satisfying and insanely populer - this is your new go-to red for any (and every) occasion.

This wine is unique, and pretty special. A producer who are amongst the most iconic of Adelaide Hills wineries, and are especially known for their alternative Austrian varietals such as grüner veltliner. In fact, they produce some of Australia’s best examples of the variety - a previous vintage by this lot won 'world’s best grüner outside of Austria'. The care and detailed attention that has gone into this wine is astounding, and it shows. Lean and vibrant, with notes of cumquat, green apple, mandarin and lime, this is a real showstopper.

Clare Valley riesling proves, again, that it's one of the best 'bang for your buck' wines in the world, yep, __seriously__. Packed full of distinctive regional qualities: lemon-lime cordial, orange blossom, zippy acidity and that slatey mineral note we all know and love - this is an absolute winner.

Right in the sweet spot. On the spectrum of Clare riz, this sits bang in the middle, 'the goldilocks zone', so to speak. The acid is prevalent, but not too austere. The fruit is developed, but not overly rich. The mineral aspects are refreshing, but not spritzy. It's the kind of wine you can show to anyone, but far from boring. A fresh, dry and completely delicious bottle of rizza that'll have you reaching for another glass quicker than you think. A little dangerous in that regard. Drink now or have a look in 5 years.