Now this is a pretty easy wine to like. It's McLaren Vale Shiraz in all of its generous glory. Medium to full bodied, there's a lushness here that just feels like South Australian sunshine distilled, with black fruits and a little caramel oak generosity to finish. Lots of charm here!

We've heard a few vineyard origin stories in our time, but a former ostrich breeding farm? Now that's a first. Jeff & Joan Mason saw the potential, though, planting a vineyard on their fertile block just outside the McLaren Vale township in 1998. This was the middle of the international Shiraz boom, so Australia's fave red grape was a natural choice, and they had their first vintage in 2000 as a bit of a hobby. But the volume of grapes quickly made this a commercial operation, and the business needed a name; Jeff & Joan's wine business became J & J Wines. The next part of this story is where it gets interesting. Not content with the status quo, Jeff & Joan converted the vineyard to organic production with full certification in 2012. Now, they produce a small range of Shiraz from their organic property that tastes like another level. These are rich, luscious McLaren Vale wines, made with minimal sulphur, filtering or fining that taste like the essence of 'Vale' Shiraz in every glass.