Paringa Individual Vineyard Shiraz 2005

When you treat hot-climate vines with care, instead of making them yield 20 ton per acre, you get this great buy, an inviting red that's plump with black cherry, blackberry and exotic spice flavors, hinting at dark chocolate as the flavors persist on the fine-grained finish. Yum. Drink now through 2004.

With its full-on blueberry and pie-crust aromas and plushy textured mouthfeel, this sexy effort comes on strong and keeps giving, all the way through to its finish of soft, ripe tannins that almost seem to caress the tongue, leaving behind hints of licorice and chalk. May be even better in 2003.

The dense ruby-colored 2001 Shiraz displays loads of fruit in a bigger style, with copious quantities of glycerin and spice. Made from young vines and surprisingly high yields (nine tons of fruit per acre), there are 20,000 cases of the delicious Shiraz, one of the finest values for this vintage in the marketplace. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.

Smooth and generous, an inviting red that's plump with black cherry, blackberry and exotic spice flavors, hinting at dark chocolate as the flavors persist on the fine-grained finish. Outstanding wine for an outstanding price. Drink now through 2004.

David Hickinbotham comes from a family with a 60-year tradition in Australian wine. A grower who controls 900 acres of vines in McLaren Vale and Riverland, he sought Mike Farmilo, formerly of Penfolds, to make his Paringa label. The secret to the quality is yields of less than half the normal quantity for Riverland.

Stylish stuff, solid and juicy, packed with lively blackberry, raspberry, chocolate and spice flavors that keep bouncing through the rich finish. Flavors linger enticingly. A much more serious wine than the price suggests. Drink now through 2010.

Mirroring the complexity and depth of a well-made French Syrah, this winery from Australia's Murray River shows off this grape's characteristically lush fruit and peppery spice. An authentic full-bodied expression of the varietal, Paringa is outstanding among its Australian peers. Flashing deep violet hues, its ripe black raspberry fruits deliver a long finish. A big wine to drink now or cellar.