2010 is one of the great John Riddochs. It’s sustained a significant price rise, from $90 two years ago and $130 last year to $150 this year – and it’s worth every cent. At a refreshing 13.5% alcohol, this is a classic Coonawarra cabernet of understated power, tense definition and impeccable class. It’s breathtakingly pure and alluringly evocative, taking days to fully unwind and reveal exacting definition of blackcurrants and crunchy blackcurrant buds on the bouquet. The palate is taut, compact and tangy, presenting red- and blackcurrant fruits set in a brilliantly structured framework of impeccably fine, mouth-embracing and long-enduring tannins. Gravelly, mineral structure and remarkable persistence guarantee a long and inspiring future. $110 at Jim’s Cellars.