Curtis Small Batch Shiraz McLaren Vale 2021

The Shiraz here has received the same treatment as that used in the Grenache Shiraz blend – from 80-year-old vines, destemmed, two weeks cold-soaking, a further two weeks fermentation in a mix of new and two-year-old American oak barrels. Dark maroon hue. This is as good as one would hope for an old vine Shiraz from McLaren Vale from a cracking year. For all those who love this style of wine, and isn’t that almost all of us, this is a must try. Coiled power here – mocha, coffee beans, truffles, dry herbs, black fruits, licorice, beef stock and cloves. Fine balance, generous fruit, silky tannins and very good oak integration too. The flavours might be a fraction upfront if one was to be hypercritical. It might be a cliché but this really does tick all the boxes. Drink for eight to fifteen years plus.