BlackJack Chortle’s Edge Shiraz 2024

In ’98, frost destroyed the entire crop at BlackJack. Chortle’s Edge was the result, a Shiraz sourced from neighbouring growers in the region. Now, as BlackJack recovers from the January fires of earlier this year when large quantities of its wines – and many other producers’ wines – were wiped out in the Harcourt Coolstore fire, Chortle’s seems to resonate even more. It’s a wine that represents endurance in the face of disaster: well-priced, well made, delivering a lovely generosity of flavour that speaks powerfully of the winemaking team behind it and their wine philosophy. Bright and lively in ripe black fruits, plums and spice with an earthy, dried leafiness that rises across the middle palate, it finishes on a rising peppery note. Fine yet firm tannins are in place. Plenty of flavour and class here for the money.