The Yabby Lake team know about things Heathcote Shiraz. Red Claw is clearly a very special wine, crafted from hand picked parcels of the most intensely flavoured fruit, harvested off the prestigious Heathcote Estate Vineyard. A stately construct of Shiraz, layered with viscous black berry fruit flavours and sheathed in carriage of stealthy terra rosa tannins.

$2899each $347DOZEN EACH DOZEN Heathcote is renowned the world over for Shiraz. The rich red Cambrian soil and dry mild climate provide the idyllic foundation for producing world class wines. Yabby Lake enjoy close ties to the region and have secured fruit from the best vineyards, expressly for the formulation of powerful yet approachable wines. Parcels of Shiraz from the prestigious Heathcote Estate property are vinified for three weeks on skins in a traditional mix of open and closed fermentation vessels. Upon completion, components are pressed to a selection of seasoned and new, exclusively French oak hogsheads and barriques for fifteen months maturation and a periodic course of racking for clarification before assemblage.

Dark red/purple. Lovely intense Shiraz fruit leaps from the glass, berry fruits, spices and clove dominate, brooding with underlying scents of pepper, herbs of provence and classy French oak. The palate is loaded with dark fruited intensity, texture, balance and length of palate. Lush ripe sweet berries are followed by subtle nuances of spice and toasted oak.

An exciting cépage which may vary slightly from year to year, mostly a Shiraz wine sourced off younger Heathcote plantings, a tenth of Mourverdre and small percentage of Riesling. Mourverdre contributes plummy fruit to the nose, juciness and flesh to the palate. Riesling adds an aromatic lift within a slightly spiced floral perfume. An engagingly aromatic, satisfyingly proportioned and generously flavoured wine, to match with rare breast of duck dressed in rhubarb or charred scotch filet under mushroom jus.

$2599each $311DOZEN EACH DOZEN Red Edge are crafted with minimal intervention, allowing the vinification to proceed through it's natural course, ensuring it retains the full expression of terroir. Partial whole bunch maceration, wild yeast fermentations, hand plunging in small open top fermenters, basket pressing, partial barrel fermentations and racking by gravity without any fining or filtrations, are employed to achieve a wine with a sense of place, season and time. The vines are all dry grown, hand pruned and hand picked, they yield less than 2½ tonnes per hectare. The finished wine is treated to a year's maturation in a selection of prior use, two to five year old French oak barriques.

Dark red colour. Licorice and spice bouquet, with red berry fruit aromatics. Full, juicy flavours on the palate, with soft round tannin structure. A little brother to the magnificent Red Edge Heathcote Shiraz, but no shrinking violet when it comes to raw ripe power! Offers immediate appeal, fruit forward, drinking very well upon release and will continue to mellow.

Heathcote specialist Peter Dredge has worked alongside Hoddle Creek Estate's Franco d'Anna and McLaren Vale's eminent Ben Riggs at nearby Sanguine Estate. Planted in 1971 to ancient Cambrian soils, the unirrigated single parcel of mature vines at Red Edge yields a scant one to 1½ tons of fruit per acre. A multi layered, rich and powerful palate, yet elegant with fine grained tannins, splendid structure and superior length. Match your Red Edge to a juicy scotch fillet steak or trussed and smartly dressed game.

$4599each $551DOZEN EACH DOZEN Red Edge vineyard was planted in 1971 and named Red Hill by founder Vern Viertmann. In 1980 it was acquired by Laurie Williams and John Flynn who produced the highly acclaimed 1981 and 1982 vintages of Flynn and Williams. Viniculture at the tiny, a few hundred cases, estate is true to the boutique vineyard operator's minimalist, traditional principles. Small batch open fermentations using wild indigenous yeast, inclusion of some whole bunches, and neither fining nor filtration at bottling, achieve a wine exhibiting real individuality and a true expression of Heathcote terroir. Maturation twelve months in a combination of new and used French oak barrels.

Deep, dark red in colour. Sweet rich upfront fruit expected of Heathcote Shiraz. Sweet powerful intense fruit, still quite tight with spicy acidity, and fine grained charry tannins. An unctuous palate, demanding another mouthful. Juicy sweet berry fruit leading to a flavourful firm tannin finish.

Pietro D’orsa found work in Australia as a winegrower circa 1868, quenching the thirst of miners during the Victorian gold rush. Several generations later, Pietro's progeny returned to viticulture. They DNA tested some heirloom vines established by Pietro in the 1880s, replanting the rootstock to sire a unique block which is destined to yield some spectacular vintages. The most exceptional barrels of Sanguine's annual harvest are set aside for a separate term of aging and assemblage into a superior Heathcote flagship, an opulent, dark crimson homage to the estate's noble patriarch.

$6499each $779DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Sanguine Estate's inaugural release was universally embraced by enthusiasts of fine Heathcote Shiraz, the entire vintage sold out within a week. The vines have aged brilliantly and the quality of fruit has reached stellar heights. Grapes are all destemmed, lightly crushed and naturally vinified through the action of wild indigenous yeasts in small open fermenters, gravity fed into French oak barriques for an extended term of eighteen months maturation. Plum and blackberry perfumes, liquorice and black pepper, a rich textural wine of firm yet compliant tannin structure.

$3799each $455DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Several generations later, the progeny of estate patriarch Pietro d'Orsa have returned to the land with a consuming passion to create generously flavoured, impeccably balanced Heathcote wines. Sanguine employ traditional winemaking practices, Shiraz and a small component of Viognier, are hand picked and co-vinified, to achieve a marvelous expression of Heathcote, solid, seamless and exquisitely fragrant. The palate is richly laden with dark juicy fruit characters which roll through to the end, the mouthfeel is textural, the solid weight of fruit is supported by a firm length of balanced tannins.

$2499each $299DOZEN EACH DOZEN Sanguine's vineyard is trained to vertical shoot positioning trellis system, thereby opening up the canopy, reducing the risk of disease and exposing the bunches to direct sunlight for ripening. The vines are cane pruned to a single fruiting wire with a maximum of twenty buds per vine. To conserve the natural balance within the soils and overall health of vines, Sanguine have managed the vineyard organically by utilizing organic fertilizers and mulching to control weed growth. Grapes are destemmed, lightly crushed and naturally vinified through the action of wild indigenous yeasts in small open fermenters. The wine is then transferred by gravity into predominantly French oak barriques for a year's maturation.

$2299each $275DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Shiraz is a varietal with which Taltarni has excelled from the very start, no real mystery as it's grown to some of Victoria's best purpose built vineyards. By applying traditional winemaking with modern Australian viticulture, secure the pick of Heathcote's harvest to create an amazingly complex, profoundly flavoured and seriously structured wine. Just perfect with steak or old world style meat Ragu, its vibrant assortment of juicy, cool ripened plum and spiced fruit flavours, are framed by a length of supportive, amicable tannins and supple, integrated oak.

$2699each $323DOZEN EACH DOZEN Heathcote is an outstanding winegrowing region recognized internationally for world class Shiraz. Warm days and cool nights mean Taltarni's vineyards enjoy a rare confluence of climatic conditions which enable production of robust reds, most notably the Shiraz. Grapes are gently crushed to extract a measure of fresh flavours while releasing softer tannins, a component of whole bunches are included for complexity, musts are treated to a term of cold soak for optimal extraction of colour and tannin. Fruit is vinified for a week or more on skins to a small batch style in traditional open top fermenters, followed by completion of malolactic and a year or more in a selection of French and American oak.

Deep plum red hue. Luscious bramble, plum and white pepper fragrances are complimented by spices and mocha oak notes. The palate is well structured, layered with soft plummy fruit flavours, raspberry and a hint of toasty cigar box from the oak, seasoned by cool climate spice. A truly varietal Shiraz wine supported by fine tannins and brimming with the fine complexity for which Taltarni are renowned.

$4799each $575DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Don Lewis worked under the tutelage of the great Colin Preece before establishing an enviable reputation for crafting Victoria's most memorable vintages. After thirty years of leadership at Mitchelton and many tours of auspicious winemaking at Spain's Priorat, Don Lewis and protege Narelle King launched the Tar & Roses label to overwhelming critical acclaim. Lewis & King retain access to the finest Nebbiolo in the land, a style of wine that achieves amazing intensity and refined elegance on the ancient ferrous soils of Heathcote.

$3999each $479DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Sangiovese is a thin skinned grape, known for its savouryness and earthy characters as opposed to ripe berry fruit flavours. It shows an attractive red colour and can be characterised by high levels of tannin supported by ripe acidity. Sangiovese vines are well suited to soils with good drainage and abundant sunshine, both of which are found aplenty at Heathcote. The red wine of choice to accompany veal, prosciutto and sage or piquant chorizo recipes.

$2599each $311DOZEN EACH DOZEN Sangiovese is harvested into 2½ tonnes steel bins, crushed into static fermenters and pumped over twice daily for twenty minutes each time. Temperature and acid levels are monitored constantly and adjusted as necessary, upon completion, batches are treated to an air bag press and racked off gross lees, followed by transfer to barrel for malolactic and a year's maturation in a selection of seasoned French oak barriques, topped up each month, as the angels take their share.

Ruby red colour. Earth and clay nose with mulberries, cooked rhubarb and licorice. Damp earthy aromas with mocha and chocolate over assertive tannins, good fruit sweetness and pleasant acidity. A lingering finish expressing savouryness over persistent, mouthfilling powdery tannins. Will match goats cheese or baked parmesan and onion flan.

A pure Tempranillo wine by one of Australia's most passionate protagonists of the style. A native of arid Italianate climes, Tempranillo achieves complete ripeness in the ferrous soils of Heathcote. Challenging Terra rosas and moderate seasons reduce vine vigor to yield limited parcels of intensely flavoured fruit. The talented team at Roses & Tar share a passion for the torrid Spanish varietals, closely managing their Heathcote sites to yield the finest possible Tempranillo. Match with spicy pork and fennel sausages.

$2599each $311DOZEN EACH DOZEN From Don Lewis and Narelle King's Heathcote property, vinified alongside a component from a second choice Heathcote site. An early ripener, fruit is picked over the course of several days according to parcel ripeness and treated as a single batch once brought to the winery. Grapes are crushed and de-stemmed into a vinimatic fermenter and spun twice daily. Temperature and acid levels are constantly monitored throughout the vinification, upon completion the wine is treated to an air bag press. Racked off gross lees and transferred to barrel for a course of malolactic and maturation in a combination of new French oak and older barriques for a year.

Brilliant deep cherry red colour. Rich raspberries and cream bouquet with nutmeg and minerally notes. A fresh sweet palate, black cherries and a touch of tartness nicely balanced by chalky tannin, fruits burst over classic chalky tannin, well balanced by rhubarb astringency. Lingering prune plum flavours and great palate weight extend all the way to the finish.