It was a matrimony between an American biochemist and the founder of Margaret River Devils Lair, that set the scene for one of the nation's most illustrious estates. A member of the Top 1OO Wineries of World, Giant Steps were established 1997, with a view to assembling an elite range of limited release Yarra Valley vintages. Crafted from the fruit of superior sites, some yielding just a few hundred cases each year, these are exclusive editions from bespoke parcels of elite terroir, bearing the curiously cryptic monikers of precious blocks of vine, Gruyere Farm, Applejack and Wombat Creek. Fashioned for aficianados of the euro style, defined by their winsome fruit and graceful tannins, the Giant Steps.. Big wines from little vineyards»

Just a few kilometres north of Lowburn, near the windswept shores of frigid Lake Dunstan, atop the parched and laborious terroirs of Central Otago, a high country merino stud between the Amisfield and Parkburn streams was sown to vineyards two decades ago. Grazing country makes magnificent viticulture, the austere alluvial and glacial schist soils now yield the quality of Pinot Noir which has defined Central Otago as the world's most demonstrable marque in full bodied, intensely complex, yet beguilingly seamless Pinot Noir. The challenging terraces which spiral around the fractious knolls of Amisfield Vineyard, sire a sensational range of wines defined by their affable excellence, sound structure and.. Satiations from the nethermost regions»

Just three kilometres from Young along Murringo Road, planted to a brisk 500 metres above sea level, Grove Estate was originally sown to vines in 1886, by Croatian settlers who brought cuttings from their farms on the Dalmatian coast. Some of these ancient plantings, emigrated at a time when much of Europe was ruled by Hapsburg emperors, remain productive to this day. Newer blocks were gradually established around these priceless parcels, ostensibly with a view to supplying leading national brands. The quality of fruit became so conspicuous that Grove Estate sanctioned industry celebrities from Ravensworth and Clonakilla to begin bottling under their own estate moniker. The greater Hilltops region is.. Quiet consummations of grove estate»

Geoff Hardy's family have been making Australian wine since 1857. Geoff grew up amongst the most distinguished vineyards in our land and he knows from good red wine. He retains access to the finest fruit in McLaren Vale and is the man behind many of our nation's most memorable vintages. Undercover is a moniker that Geoff has assigned to a collation of exceptional parcels, albeit bottled behind an abstruse label to secrete the provenance of a spectacular Shiraz. Gold Medal Winner & Best Value at the hotly contested 2016 China Wine & Spirit Awards, the pick of crop this week, seriously.. Sound shiraz for the savvy & shrewd»

Airline pilots make surprisingly good wine. Their appreciation of the sciences, a respect for the weather and a bird's eye view of the land, all invaluable to the winemaker's art. John Ellis would take every opportune weekend away from his regular New York Paris route, to pursue a passion for viticulture. He planted the first commercial Cabernet Merlot vines in the Hamptons and found time between trans atlantic flights to work vintages amongst the Grand Cru vineyards of La Bourgogne. Ellis ultimately made the great lifelong sea change in favour of our land downunder. He settled on a farmstead outside Leongatha, amongst the slow ripening pastures of Gippsland and established a vineyard called Bellvale. It is now a place of fully mature vines and old.. Placing pinot amongst the pastures»

There are but two winemakers who can lay claim to a staggering four Jimmy Watson Trophy victories. Wolf Blass was the man behind the label. John Glaetzer was the man behind Wolf Blass. While working for Wolf, Glaetzer was moonlighting on his own brand, applying the same extravagance of technique to the pick of Langhorne Creek fruit. Perfection in the form of black bramble fruit, muscular yet affable tannins, all framed by the luxury of ebony oak. Aspirants of the great Black Blass Label fables of 1974, 1975 and 1976, are privately advised to avail themselves of John's Blend, Cabernet or Shiraz. Crafted from the same parcels, in the same way, by the same hands, that collaborated to create, the most celebrated triumphs in the history of our nation's.. Timeless mystique of langhorne creek»

There are fewer than twenty hectares of Stefano Lubiana vines, overlooking the spectacular tidal estuary of Derwent River. Chosen for its felicitious winegrowing aspects, it is a place of scrupulously clean soils, free of any pesticides or manufactured treatments. Insects are welcome here, they are mother nature's endorsement of a holistically biodynamic viticulture. Lubiana is a fifth generation winemaker, one of the apple isle's leading vignerons, he works to an arcane system of seasonal chronometers, governed by cosmic rhythms, the turning of leaves and angle of the moon. His wines are given full indulgence to make themselves. Ferments lie undisturbed and movements to barrel are led by gravity. A peerless expression of vintage, an orphic approach to.. Celestial wines from southern climes»

There's a vineyard at Moorooduc in upper Mornington, planted to a splendid north facing slope which captures the maximum warmth of sunshine each day. Refreshed after nightfall by the invigorating maritime winds off Bass Strait and Port Phillip Bay, it's a place of exceptional winegrowing. Populated by ten unique Burgundy clones, this very special block of vine grew the only Pinot Noir ever to claim our nation's highest accolade for great red wines, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy. The property continues to yield limited releases of outstanding vintages, it's a place of exacting viticulture and uncompromising pursuit of excellence, cherished by cognoscenti and exalted by industry press, the vineyard known as Yabby Lake... The burgundy clones of mornington»