Normally, Zinfandel makes the biggest red wines in the yard, but this Inkwell red is surprisingly moderate (and unsurprisingly delicious). Dr Irina and Dudley from Inkwell planted a single block of Zinfandel on a patch of limestone soil in their vineyard that famously delivers ripe flavours without overripe grapes. This 13% alcohol red shows that cleverly, with this flourish of liquorice and black spice in a red-fruited mode that Dudley calls 'more like a ripe style of Pinot Noir'.

McLaren Vale is home to many of Australia’s most exciting wineries, and Inkwell Wines has risen in prominence over the past few years to become among the best. Working closely with the land to establish that all-important ‘fingerprint of place’, as husband and wife team Dudley Brown and Irina Santiago-Brown put it, has become the bedrock of their success. What’s more, this winery is blending old world approaches - single estate practices and age-worthy vintages - with dynamic and on-trend ideas regarding sustainability, low-intervention methods and keeping a close eye on every stage of each grape’s journey from vine to bottle. Inkwell is all about removing as much of the artificial as possible from the winemaking process. 'Modern, alternative and handmade' is the motto here. Dealing in low yields and small batches, Inkwell makes use of just one tractor, one de-stemmer, a single press, and small fermenters to gain absolute control over their output. Needless to say, that output has gained no shortage of fans, thanks to an incredible array of flavours and characteristics that continue to support McLaren Vale’s peerless reputation.