Late last year I sat down with a Barossa and an Adelaide Hills grower and we assembled between the three of us the most interesting alternative variety reds that we could lay our hands on. This was my pick of them. Winemaking gun Toby Barlow’s craftsmanship is on show here, though he gives all the credit to stringent vineyard management. This Portuguese fortified variety makes one of the most alluring and enticing wines on the Barossa floor. A fantastically full, vibrant purple hue introduces a wine leaping with mixed spice, at once vibrant and tangy and at the same time deep in its satsuma plum and rhubarb intensity. Tannins are finely structured and textural and the finish is lively and engaging. Best price direct.