Shiraz is the grape the McLaren Vale built its reputation on, and whilst other varieties are now challenging for top billing, it still hogs the spotlight. Wines like this make you remember why - powerful, robust and spicy, with plenty of fruit - black cherry and plum, with lashing of chocolate in the background.

Andy Coppard and Angela Townsend are a winemaking powerhouse duo. They're also great mates. This happens more often than you'd think in wine circles. Great minds attract, or something like that. They are the creators of Lino Ramble (a name put together to represent texture - Lino - and adventure - Ramble. With vintages in far-flung places like Margaret River and southern France and as close by as the Adelaide Hills and the Clare Valley, they've accumulated knowledge and know-how year on year. Using intriguing and sometimes unusual grape varieties to make wines they love - wines that are approachable, medium bodied and structural with attention to texture. This is their MO and they follow this methodology scrupulously. Great care is taken to work with people who have grown the best variety for their vineyards. The vineyards are predominantly farmed using organic or biodynamic principles and practices. As they say themselves - "We are inspired by the growers who are experimenting with varieties which until recent years haven’t been seen in McLaren Vale before. Some of the Italian varietals in particular are performing outstandingly and are well suited to the Vale’s geology and climatic conditions". With canny wine brains actively engaged, it's no wonder these wines are fantastic. Shiraz is the grape the McLaren Vale built its reputation on, and whilst other varieties are now challenging for top billing, it still hogs the spotlight. Wines like this make you remember why - powerful, robust and spicy, with plenty of fruit - black cherry and plum, with lashing of chocolate in the background.