d’Arenberg winemaker Chester Osborne swung through town recently, with a slew of wines in tow and his usual free-wheeling personality on display (along with a number of props to visually illustrate many of the wine names — you have to love these crazy Aussies, and I think most would agree he’s in the running for Most Lovable Crazy Aussie…)

We tasted nearly 30 wines in just a couple of hours, complete with speedy descriptions and backgrounds on each wine. And even though I’m fairly familiar with d’Arenberg’s portfolio (having visited the winery a few years ago and regularly tasted new vintages since), I was still bordering on overwhelmed. It’s just a lot to take in.

The good news is that there’s definitely something for everyone here. With the wide range of prices, grapes, blends, styles and tiers available, if you cannot find at least a handful of wines that suit you, you’re just refusing to learn.

Here are the ones that stood out for me that day:

d’Arenberg 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide The Broken Fishplate ($16). Easy to like for its fleshy, uncomplicated gooseberry, tropical lime and herb notes. Finishes clean. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2007 Viognier-Marsanne McLaren Vale The Hermit Crab ($16). Tropical fruit and honey aromas introduce pretty peach flavors that are livened up with juicy apple, tangerine and honeycomb, finishing dry and crisp. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2005 Shiraz McLaren Vale The Footbolt ($19). Healthy doses of briar and aromatic herbs give this wine a savory edge, with red plum and cranberry flavors accented with roasted coffee and cedar notes that linger on the finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 3-4 years. This wine needs food — think grilled and roasted meats. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2005 Shiraz-Grenache McLaren Vale d’Arry’s Original ($19). Deep, rich, aromatic plum and berry flavors are laced with bittersweet chocolate, sweet cedar and earthy notes that linger on the generous finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2004 Tempranillo-Grenache-Souzao McLaren Vale The Sticks and Stones ($40). Crushed red berry and bright cranberry aromas and flavors lead the way, with licorice, clove and chocolate emerging on the juicy finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2005 Mourvedre McLaren Vale The Twentyeight Road ($35). Ripe and fleshy, with waves of berry fruit — blueberry, blackberry, raspberry — accented with smoke, meat, roasted herbs and toasty sweet vanilla that fold together on the plush finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2005 Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre McLaren Vale The Cadenzia($29). Ripe and fleshy and easy to like, with its plush red berry and cherry fruit, baking spices, toasty vanillin oak and sweet tobacco notes. Long, generous finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2006 Shiraz-Viognier Laughing Magpie ($29). Seems like this is always an appealing wine, with its smooth, aromatic cherry, blueberry, floral, licorice and spice notes that linger on the supple finish. Ready to drink now and over the next two or three years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale The Coppermine Road ($65). Spicy black currant and plum aromas and flavors are complex and layered with licorice, black pepper, dark chocolate and warm earthy notes that come together on a lingering, full-bodied finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 10+ years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2006 Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre McLaren Vale The Ironstone Pressings ($65). Aromatic red berry and cherry fruit is laced with pretty floral and vanillin notes that contrast neatly with doses of earth and cedar. All on supple, fine tannins. Builds in intensity through the plush finish. Ready to drink now and over the next seven or eight years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2006 Shiraz McLaren Vale The Dead Arm ($65). Ripe and perfumed, with red cherry and blueberry aromas and flavors that practically jump out of the glass. Accents include exotic spices, white pepper, tea leaves and a savory edge. Just a baby at this stage, but still tempting. Should age nicely over the next 10+ years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

d’Arenberg 2006 Chardonnay-Semillon Adelaide The Noble ($20, 375ml). Loved, loved, loved this sticky dessert wine, for its resiny complexity and opulent apple and apricot flavors that pick up honeysuckle and a touch of refreshing tropical citrus on the never-ending finish. Ready to drink now and over the next five or six years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Learn more about d’Arenberg and its wines at www.darenberg.com.au.