Bec Hardy Garden Series Shiraz 2024

One of the two vineyards in McLaren Vale which provides the fruit for this terrific Shiraz is the Lower Tintara vineyard, originally planted by Thomas Hardy way back in the 1880s. One has to wonder if anywhere else on the planet, which has vines approaching 150 years in age, would ever offer a wine at this price? Fat chance. This is such cracking value. Maturation was for ten months in a mix of French and American oak. A vibrant purple colour here, there is a wonderfully lifted and aromatic nose with notes of violets, plums, chocolate, mocha, coffee beans, cassis and mulberries. This is one of those ever-so-alluring noses that if not careful, you’ll find yourself sitting and smelling the wine, forgetting to drink it. But when you do, it is fresh, plush, finely balanced with silky tannins and really impressive length. Love it and it will surely improve over the coming years, meriting a higher score. Enjoy this over the next ten to fifteen years.