In the Outback, Shiraz rules as the most widely planted black grape variety. However, in the Limestone Coast of Coonawarra, Cabernet Sauvignon is king. In this narrow strip of land, famous for its distinctive ‘Terra Rossa’ soil, Cabernet is fruit driven and tobacco-laced with great ageing potential. We reserve our Daisy and the Tambourine Man label for some of the best deals our Aussie Buyer, Dan Parrott, discovers.

This year it’s a terrific Cabernet Shiraz made from low-yielding, old vines. Matured in a combination of new and seasoned oak barrels, it’s a rich and expressive full-bodied red with an abundance of spicy, dark red fruit. Powerful and generous in its youth, it’ll gain complexity over the next few years, if you can resist it!

This luxurious, barrel-aged beauty comes from the Freitas family, whose 210-hectare estate near Lisbon is dedicated to producing some of Portugal’s finest wines. In 2008 they won ‘Best Red Wine in the World’ at the Vinalies Internationales competition in Paris, while 4th-generation owner Leonor Freitas has been awarded a ‘Comendadora’ Order of Merit for services to Portugal’s wine trade. The Valoroso range was created to commemorate this honour.

The Reserva is a rare marriage of plush Cabernet, Syrah and local speciality Alicante Bouschet, crafted by top winemaker Jaime Quendera. Matured for a year in French and US oak casks, it's packed with spicy black fruit and hints of vanilla. Decant an hour before serving with finest red meat dishes.

L’Épiphanie de Pauillac is the latest of our secret releases from iconic Bordeaux châteaux. It hails from Pauillac’s top tier – a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate. There are only three in the appellation: Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour. We guarantee this wine is from one of them. It isn’t their Grand Vin, of course, but it’s made from the same fruit by the same winemaker and housed in the same barrels. Yet it costs less than 1/16th of the Grand Vin’s price.

L’Épiphanie de Pauillac has blackcurrant, cherry and ripe plum infused with subtle spice, cedar and cigar box notes. These classic aromas combine with firm tannins for a complex wine with a long finish. By all means open a bottle now, but cellaring will pay dividends.

The Luis Felipe Edwards family estate lies in the premium Colchagua Valley within Rapel. Luis Felipe Edwards Snr started his wine estate in 1976, beginning with a small plot of land and slowly buying up more vineyards. Today he owns an entire valley and a thoroughly modern, fully equipped cellar. He really has spared no expense over the years (even installing chandeliers in the barrel cellar), but has always kept that quality focused, family run touch to the wines.

Every year they make us a bestselling Sauvignon and in 2018 they wowed us with a vibrant rosé. This crisp, moreish rosado, made by Nicolas Bizzarri, is brimful with ripe berry fruit and citrus zip. Great on its own or with creamy seafood pancakes, spicy stir fry and salads.

The cellar itself was founded in 1964 and was key to the area gaining its DO status in 1984.

Today, with the grapes from 150 small-time growers, bent on producing high quality grapes from their small, mountainous plots (the area is very close to the Pyrenees), the winery produces a small range of bright, modern wines.

Their rosado is a blend of Cabernet and Merlot, harvested at night, when it's coolest, and fermented at a low temperature to capture maximum mouthwateringly fresh, ripe berry fruit.

Chill it down and serve – great with chicken, prawn risotto, salads.

Formerly known as Capbern Gasqueton, this Cru Bourgeois Saint-Estèphe estate has been in the same family for 10 generations. It's the same family that owns 3ème Cru Classé Calon Ségur. It lies in one of the finest parts of the appellation, between Phelan Ségur and Meyney, and every aspect is given Grand Cru care. Hand picking of the 41 hectares of vines, with ageing in top-quality oak, all adds up to the exceptional quality.

This vintage has gathered many top scores from wine critics such as Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, who called it "full-bodied with a deep character". Two thirds Cabernet with almost the same in new oak, it has “gorgeous cassis, violets, classy oak, with beautiful tannins” (Jeb Dunnuck). One to cellar for a few years.