Barossa way today. Via Adelaide Hills. Winding through the tight valleys to Chain of Ponds at Gumeracha.

Chris Milner is a big Yorkshire lad from Sheffield who hasn't lost his accent but thinks the weather's better here. An accountant (almost cured) he runs this nice, efficient low-overhead operation with Paul Zerella who we knew at Tatachilla in the old days.

Their wines have those bright flavours you associate with the cool hills. Is it cool? Always several degrees cooler. Today in the bright sun, I've a sweater on. Makes a difference to wine. Whereas, this year, everything in The Vale And Barossa is ready to come in, there are Cabernets up here won't be in for 3 weeks.

Then on to Henschke at Keyneton. One of the great original Silesian (was Germany now Poland) ...families of wine who, thankfully, still have their winery. Many consider their Hill of Grace surpasses even Grange. And it's an actual vineyard, whereas Grange, of course, isn't.

Twelve years ago our Henry came here as a poor, teenage 'cellar rat' at Tatachilla and blew his savings on a single bottle of their Mount Edelstone - which he's still got. No rush says Stephen. Stephen and Pru have long been Organic and seriously into Bio-Dynamic which is basically 'back to the old ways'; venerating your land, soils, vines and all the little bugs that do good work for you ...if you look after them.

Finally to Kym Teusner at Nuriootpa. New 'sheddiste' dedicated to saving old vineyards like the 80/90 year old gnarly monsters owned by the Riebke brothers Steve and Leon who farm - very carefully nearbye. And - so the story goes - turned up at Kym's nascent little cellar one day with a truckful of old vine Shiraz.

They'd had a road to Damascus moment on their way to deposit their contracted fruit with... I'll not say, lawyers have enough work...(But very big/also make a lot of lager) decided they'd had enough of their ancient vine fruit being just dumped in with a million tons of Godknowswhat and stopped, thought, said "soddit" and turned into Kym's shed yard. They'd heard there was this young chap really appreciated quality grapes. That was, I think, '03, and the brothers have been back every year since; Kym's major supplier.

We went to see them and look at their antique vines and sheds. The family turned out. Numerous children. And dogs. Never been photographed before. Contented. I think those old vines are safe now.

Visit laithwaites.co.uk