An abyss of black pepper on the nose, with some whiffs of white cotton. Imagine strapping an eight-cylinder engine to a basket full of berries and black peppercorns and watching it go: That’s what this wine tastes like. It’s full-throttle and fruit-ripe, with lifted fruit, spice and black pepper on the finish. Imported by Yangarra Estate Vineyard.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings There’s a commanding thread of rich dark plum and berries here with dried, woody spice and earthy notes. The palate is very composed and delivers good length with a compact, contained feel. Plenty of tannin. Certified organic. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The Yangarra vineyards are just next door to Hickinbotham's, yet the Shiraz here, grown in sandy, ironstone soils, is an entirely different beast. High-toned red currant, raspberry and plum fruit is wound with peppery spice and warm pavement nuances. Tannins are firm and powerful but tightly focused, supporting rather than overpowering the tangy red fruit. One for the cellar.

South Australia: Part Two — Mostly McLaren Vale From a 1.8-hectare block particularly rich in ironstone, Yangarra's 2015 Ironheart Shiraz features aromas of crushed stones, pencil shavings, sandalwood and blueberries. It's medium to full-bodied, with deep, concentrated flavors, ample fine-grained tannins and a tremendously long finish. Like the other Yangarra wines, there's a potent line of acidity that gives shape and focus, acting like a spine from which the other elements are suspended.

Meaty, autumnal berry nose with a hint of violets. An approachable, dark-fruited Shiraz, with a supple mouthfeel that has a meaty edge and a hint of jamón. Quite elegant for a McLaren Vale Shiraz. Charming and well turned out.

With precious old dry-farmed vines first planted in 1946, Yangarra Estate in McLaren Vale was taken over in 2000 by the late, great Californian Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, of Kendall-Jackson Fame. With state-of-the art growing practices and a spanking new winery, Yangarra is producing excellent offerings, including this 2012 shiraz. It’s full-bodied and even hints at good-quality Napa cabernet, with its concentrated blackcurrant fruit and harmonious structure, enriched by chocolate, black pepper and a coffee-mocha quality framed by bright acidity.

In difficult vintages the class shows through. It's only light to medium-weight but it's meticulously void of any unripe character and exchanges volume for savoury, peppery complexity. Nuts, red cherry, dried herbs, cranberry, vanilla and a general brambliness. Tannin is like two fingers pulling straight down through the wine.

This biodynamically farmed McLaren Vale shiraz from Yangarra Estate is a good symbol of where Australian wine is at. It's a clean, fruit-driven wine but there's nothing industrial about it. It's wild yeast fermented, left to mature on lees, bottled unfined. It has balance and easy-going momentum. The fruit is in the plum and dark cherry realm, but there are savoury/spicy/sappy elements. Oak is a little too toasty and coffeed for my liking, but it's tame and in the background, so it doesn't get in the way. Tannin is fine, fleshy, gently insistent. All up, this wine is impossible to fault, pleasurable, and interesting.

A delicious, full-bodied red wine with classic shiraz aromas of black plum, blackberry and some dark spice. Terrific layering of pleasure and flavour on the palate. Try it with smoked meats. 4.6/5 Shiraz food pairings: steak.

Deep red-purple; lush black fruits and dark chocolate on the bouquet come through on the full-bodied palate, where substantial tannins need time to soften somewhat, a process that I am sure will take place well before the fruit declines.

Fine aromatics. Lovely, seductively opulent cassis fruit, tinged with incense and mint. Delicious palate, integrated and absorbed tannins that support sweet fruit. Top-class McLaren Vale Shiraz. Seamless and long.

Supple and intense, the velvet texture of this wine seems to start right from the black color and black fig aroma. It's dense and perfumed, with violets and heady spice, while the flavors taste pure and delicious. The rich middle comes up against hard tannins, ending on black pepper and pomegranate, suited to age. Remarkably evocative of McLaren for the price.

Biggest Australian Wine Tasting Ever: 2,700+ Ratings This youthful ‘village’ red has a very vibrant, energetic and composed feel with abundant mulberry, blueberry and raspberry aromas that flow to a composed, spunky palate that has vividly appealing fruit. A blend of 40% grenache, 21% mourvedre, 14% shiraz, 12% cinsault, 11% carignan and 2% counoise. Drink now. Screw cap.

By contrast, this is pretty and drenched in fruit. From a 2 acre block, with 50% whole berries. Open wild ferment and spends 10 months in old oak. Numbers: pH 3.53 TA 6.2g/L. Purple red it’s really quite pretty, with poised blackberry fruit coming in at all angles. It’s maybe lacking a little follow through, safe for late warmth, but the blackberried nature makes for naturally attractive stuff. Best drinking: Ready now to to ten years. 17.7/20, 92/100. 14.5%, $35. Would I buy it? Worth a few glasses.

This blend of 58% Grenache, 24% Shiraz, 18% Mourvèdre offers layers of blue and black fruit, warm stones, tarragon and iodine. The palate is sandy in texture, with a burst of crunchy acidity that balances the powerful, structured tannins.

This ruby colored GSM from Yangarra is impressive. It opens with faint blueberry and boysenberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is a very tasty blueberry and oak blend with notes of boysenberry and nicely integrated minerality. The finish is very dry and its sticky tannins linger and last for a very long time. This GSM would pair well with a New York strip steak.

Why Australian Wine is Some of the Most Exciting in the World A spicy GSM blend with lots of ripe black cherries, a hint of ivy extract, dark licorice and some cassis. On the palate, this shows real structure and definition with ripe yet sturdy tannins and fresh acidity. A tangy, chewy finish.

McLaren Vale mourvedre rides again. Yangarra has a two acre plot of this beautiful grape and while it mostly goes into the GSM blend, some is also bottled as a single variety. At the upper end of medium-bodied. Blackberry, plums, fresh leather, cloves and general woody, dried spice. Silken texture but with some grunt to the tannin. Acidity sits fairly high in the wine, giving it a refreshing aspect. Musky, perfumed, creamy notes through the finish. Quality drop, as they say.

A 60/22/18% blend; there is more flavour complexity that that of the Grenache, not surprising given the blend, but the mouthfeel is not quite so convincing. A worthy wine, nonetheless.

Richly fragrant, smooth and luscious with velvety texture, ripe blackberry fruit and hints of new oak; 68% Grenache, 27% Shiraz, 5% Mourvèdre.

Why Australian Wine is Some of the Most Exciting in the World Poached quince and pears with spicy and lightly honeyed aromas. The palate has a smoothly formed, fleshy texture. The honeyed, lees-derived influence sits well in this complex and textural white.

Take Note: Real Australian Wine Is Here Custard apple, apple pie and lemon notes too. There's a fluid palate texture with honey and lemon flavor. Neatly balanced. Drink now. Screw cap.

The 2015 Roux Beaute Roussanne has an alluring baked apricot, honeysuckle, brioche and marzipan-scented nose with hints of struck match, wet pebbles and yeast extract. The medium-bodied palate delivers the structure, texture and depth of a great Chardonnay with all the character of a very smart Roussanne. There's plenty of savory intensity supported by a satiny texture and an invigorating backbone of freshness, Finishing long and toasty.

Hand-picked, basket-pressed, wild fermentation and 7 months maturation in French oak (10% new). At the dawn of its life; chalky acidity.

The 2013 Roux Beaute Roussanne is scented of peaches, allspice, Golden Delicious apples and quince paste with a touch of honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate has a lovely texture with yeast, savory notes plus fennel seed. It finishes very fresh and long.