Aussies will say that something is the best thing this side of ‘the black stump’ (some mythical outback place), and we thought it an ideal name for this wine. But an isolated location hasn’t stopped the Casella family from running one of the country’s most successful wineries, winning countless awards including the coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy, Aussie wine’s equivalent of an Oscar. For English winemaker Alan Kennett, however, the ultimate accolade is knowing his wines grace so many tables back home. Ideal with pasta and creamy mushroom sauce, stir-fry or roast chicken.

The judges at the China's Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards were impressed by this rich, spicy Shiraz, unanimously awarding it a Gold. It’s from John Quarisa, who for many years made wine for the biggest names in Oz, winning both the Jimmy Watson and Stodart Trophies. Today, with the help of his wife Josephine, he crafts winners like this. ‘Passion is Everything’ is their motto, and, after just over a decade in operation, their winery in New South Wales boasts four stars from Aussie wine guru James Halliday. He describes the “exceptional value for money provided by the wines” and is full of praise for this red. It’s deliciously easy going, but still packs a punch of luscious ripe fruit. A sure bet for a bbq, a roast or a hearty bake.

RedHeads was born in 2003 when Tony Laithwaite and a group of ambitious young visionaries turned a former restaurant into a winery like no other. The mission: to liberate fine grapes from the ‘big guys’, to empower hard working small time growers and to give winemakers complete creative freedom. By day they’d toil for big wine companies, by night they’d moonlight at RedHeads on wines they’d always dreamt of making.

16 years later RedHeads has won several Trophies, more than 100 Golds – and lots of customers. It's no surprise to see weighty, complex Esulé add to that tally. It's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and rare McLaren Vale Cabernet Franc – only made possible by RedHeads' close relationships with the region's very best grape growers.

Kilikanoon is famous for its Shiraz. Their top Shiraz costs over $2,500, their ‘Oracle’ Shiraz has twice won ‘Best Shiraz’ at international shows, and Robert Parker himself has noted that Kilikanoon’s “speciality is Shiraz.”

It doesn’t stop there. Robert Parker calls Kilikanoon “the most brilliantly run winery in Australia”, James Halliday awarded it his Winery of the Year in 2013 (“truly the best of the best”) and Wine & Spirits lists it as one of its TOP 100 Wineries. And just last year Kilikanoon took home the award for ‘Best Producer Australia’ at the Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Awards for the 6th year in a row, bringing them to an incredible 8 wins of this coveted international award.

So … if you love the BIG flavours of a lavish Aussie Shiraz, and you want to make sure you’re getting it from the absolute masters of the style, then don’t delay! Add a case of this Kilikanoon Baroota classic to your order today.

Bill Calabria is winemaking royalty – he’s even received a Queen’s Birthday Honour for his services to charity and wine. Bill was also a boxing champion as a teenager, up 12 out of 13 fights (with seven KOs) before his mum found out!