Solaris Bird in Hand Cantine Vitevis Showblock Barristers Block Picardy Heirloom Vineyards Mazza Pioneer Road 2023 Dry Best Wine Deals

A meditation on all things red that aren't Shiraz or Cab. We've got Touriga, Grenache, Tempranillo, Mataro, Montepulciano, Negroamaro and Aglianico happening here, and a smidge of Shiraz in the Kilikanoon GSM and the Purple Hands GSM. All things alt red, all offering a very different pathway to pleasure than straight Shiraz and Cabernet. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Stunning 7 clone Barossa Shiraz, made by the Lienert Brothers, who used to sell fruit to St Henri, before deciding to keep the good stuff for their own bottlings. Multiple trophy winning Shiraz from Forester Margaret River, Claymore's consistently slurpable Dark Side of the Moon Clare Shiraz. Gold winning SB from Barristers Block and trophy winning SBS from Willowbridge. All this makes this a great value pack, but just in case you needed convincing, we added in a $250 a bottle Barossa Shiraz to help you over the line!

6 magical Chardies here. Evan's and Tate Redbrook, which picked up gold at the Adelaide Show, is creamy and complexed with stunning French oak. The Hirsch Hill is this Yarra winery's Flagship Chardy - with powerful fruit and assertive acidity, it will cellar well. The Picardy is one of the best Chardonnays made in Oz. Made entirely from clones imported from Burgundy, it offers complexity, depth and class. We can comfortable recommend all of these for your consideration!

We wanted to build the best pack we’ve never made before...

And after tossing around a few ideas, inspiration struck:

What if every wine in the pack had someone say,

"That’s one of the best wines I’ve ever had"?

So here it is — a lineup of 4 incredible Shiraz, all with serious pedigree, rave reviews, and a stack of repeat customers.

Yaldara Grand Shiraz – RRP $250

A powerhouse Barossa red — bold, black and luxe

Two Sisters Shiraz – Barossa Valley

From a family that’s been growing grapes since the first vines were planted in the region. Pure, classic, intense Barossa.

Lone Palm Hillside Shiraz – Barossa Valley

Compared to Grange more than once. Silky power, serious structure.

Showblock Shiraz – McLaren Vale

Here’s a dozen that sorts you out when you are looking for something fresh and good to go right now- a vibrant mix of lifted, juicy reds that are expressive, and eminently drinkable. From the fragrant and silky Briar Ridge Block 6 Pinot and Yarra grown Hirsch Hill Pinot, to the lithe and spicy Ca Vegar Bardolino, this pack is all about energy and perfume. There’s serious class in the 96pt Heirloom Alcala Grenache, and a welcome hit of exotic depth from the inky, fruit-laden and trophy winning Heirloom Touriga. Yes, there is one Shiraz – the superb Houghton Frankland River Premium – a cool-climate gem with black fruits and spice in perfect balance. A $606 collection for just $295 – your palate (and wallet) will thank you.

We used to mostly just drink Shiraz here in Oz. Or Cab. Then Pinot started to get a bit of a following — and pretty quickly, it blew up.

Fifteen years ago, Grenache was still dead in the water.

"I don't like Grenache."

"I haven’t tried a Grenache."

"It’s alright in a GSM blend, I guess..."

Then came The Grenachening.

Halliday started championing a few standout straight Grenache from McLaren Vale and the Barossa. Why? Because Australia does straight Grenache better than pretty much anywhere else in the world.

Sales climbed. Growers started paying much closer attention to their vines. Grenache is finnicky — the picking window is much shorter than for most other varieties.

Then the availability of straight Grenache as a gold and trophy winning standard took off, and it seems there is no one who hasn't had Grenache and very few who don't love it. It's expensive too - fruit is 2x times the price of Shiraz fruit these days.

So, here’s $720 worth of just magical Grenache and GSM, all superb — yours for just $295.

The Wines

4 bottles – Heirloom Alcala McLaren Vale Grenache

96 points from Halliday. Dense, lifted, powerful, magnificent.

4 bottles – Lienert Brothers Eight Clone Barossa Grenache 2022

Aromatic and vibrant. Red fruits, spice, drive, and serious structure.

4 bottles – Kilikanoon Meymans GSM 2023

Clare Valley elegance. 96 points from Kim Brebach, who called it his GSM of the Year.

We love McLaren Vale here at winedirect.com.au. These reds have soul – rich, fruit-driven and generous – drinking beautifully from the first glass to the last.

They’re relaxed enough to lift a pizza after mid-week sport, but easily classy enough to eyeball a fillet steak on Friday night.

This pack brings together six absolute beauties, including Oliver’s Taranga Shiraz 2022 – from a Halliday 5 Red Star winery and Grange grower, this is pure McLaren power with polish to spare. There's Pasha Shiraz 2021 – A 97-point, $100-a-bottle stunner that balances opulence and finesse in one hell of a package. From Dowie Doole, their flagship Architect Cabernet Sauvignon, a 96-pointer and, in our view, one of the best Cabs coming out of the Vale right now. Dandelion Vineyards 'Treasure Trove' Grenache 2019 – vibrant, silken, and wildly aromatic. Staff orders are full of this stuff – and for good reason. And if that's not quite enough, and to be fair 'cos there are 12 slots in the box, Showblock's ‘Rosie’ Red 2019 – A bold, full-throttle blend that’s rich, ripe, and ready to go. Big wine, big flavour, big fun.