Wendouree Shiraz Vertical 2010-2015 (one bottle of each vintage)

This is the wine itself, according to those who know it best. Wendouree's straight Shiraz is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the entire range — and the 2018 vintage was rated a perfect 100 points, the finest release from this cellar in 25 years.

Drawn from some of the oldest Shiraz vines in Australia — original plantings from 1893, believed to carry genetic material from the historic James Busby collection. No cellar door, no website, a mailing list closed to all but a handwritten letter. Blackberry, dark chocolate, aniseed and that unmistakable Clare eucalypt lift, wrapped in massive concentration and the hallmark sinewy Wendouree tannin — built to age effortlessly for decades.

Ranked by Langton's in the same Exceptional tier as Grange and Hill of Grace. Allocations are vanishingly small and demand outstrips supply every single vintage.