Fox Gordon `The Sicilian` Nero d'Avola 2012 (6 x 750mL), Adelaide Hills.

Here's a confronting bastard of a drink. First sniff's as raw and brutal as Russell Crowe's Hando in Romper Stomper, mainly because you probably haven't smelled anything quite like it before. Give yourself a coupla acclimatisers, and Hando transforms into Earl Driscoll, Rusty's horsetraining character in Hammers Over The Anvil, eyeing off the ravishing Charlotte Rampling in the stable and riding horses naked in the dam. You want vegetal reflections? Think fresh lightning in the pines: all those split trunks and singed needles. Think soft licorice, prunes, dried apple and kalamata. But that's nowhere near portraying its intense angular palate, its brash, raw edginess. While you're hoping it puts the gun down before its nerves squeeze the trigger you'll have a flash of regret that you didn't already drink lots of it with someone you shouldna been seen with. This is a stunning explosion of a wine from the canny Tash Mooney, using fruit from Caj Amadio's front-running vineyard on the cool banks of the South Para Reservoir ... alarming in its savage beauty: drink it before it shaves.

Rating 94 -Philip White Drinkster, April 2014

2012 Fox Gordon The Sicilian Adelaide Hills Nero d'Avola Hearty congratulations to Caj Amadio who had the nerve to plant this variety in the Hills. Many examples from Sicily have a raisin character that lacks appeal, but this wine is perfumed in a fresh muscat sort of way and the vibrant fruit is nicely balanced by acid and muscular, though not overwhelming, tannin. You should try this. Highly Recommended, Excellent Value - Winewise (APR/2014)

Tash Mooney keeps this vigorous Sicilian variety under strict control on the boniest, windiest hilltop she could find in Kersbook at the Barossa end of the Adelaide Hills. The result is a beautifully exotic, spicy and vibrant expression of tangy berry compote, violet perfume and black pastilles. Lively acidity is the signature of nero d’avola and it’s contrasted neatly with fine, grippy tannins. Just 300 dozen were made of this first release. More please. Rating 92 - Tyson Stelzer, Tysonstelzer.com