The Adelaide Hills is not known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, but this wine shows that when nurtured well it is a worthy opponent to the usually powerful Merlot from the hills. Drinking really well now, with just a touch of bottle age, the two varieties are harmoniously balanced. Cocoa powder dryness along with fresh plums, violets and bramble all combine with the soft tannins from both varieties to create a complex, dry and elegant wine that is brilliant right now, on its own. - SG

Something always draws me in to Tim O’Callaghan’s wines. At first it was spotting the strangely labelled bottle at the Rockford Stonewall Cellar Door and then it was experiencing Tim’s winery and his great passion that is larger than life. The Watch Dog hides from sight on the nose, preferring a more subtle approach, while the palate hits you like a freight train – not unlike its canine counterpart. The palate offers so much great Barossa fruit upfront and then a harmonious mixture of Cabernet and Shiraz tannins that follow through to the end. Time has been very generous to this wine and it has many more years still to come. -SG

When I first tried this wine it reminded me of an old Penfold’s Bin 389 – quite earthy, spicy and chewy highlighting the structure of Cabernet with the richness of Shiraz. This is a classic Australian style which combines both fruit and oak seamlessly. -BB