D’Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz 2021

A cracking value McLaren Vale Shiraz from a top vintage, what more could you really want? Open fermenters for small batches which saw foot treading, before spending time in a combination of new and older French oak barriques. This is dark maroon/purple in colour, the aromas swirl through spicy notes, soy, coffee grinds, delicatessen meats, aniseed, vanilla, black olives, black fruits and chocolate. Good balance and impressive intensity of flavour that runs the full length of the wine. Silky tannins and good focus, this is a seamless style which offers a decade plus of good drinking (it really is good value). Cigar box notes emerge more on the finish, I like this a lot.