Heartland Shiraz 2021

Every week, I get to enjoy ham and cheese empanadas at home—a treat I never take for granted. Paired with a wine like this makes the experience even more exciting. Dark purple in colour, it offers an enticing bouquet of blueberry, crushed black pepper, and a eucalyptus lift. On the palate, it’s concentrated and full of plum, blackberry, and black pepper, with a juicy acidity, grippy tannins, and a spicy finish that gives it an opulent presence. Alongside, I serve sausages, prosciutto, coleslaw, and guacamole—each element delicious on its own, but together, they create something even greater. This wine, bold and generous, complements the dish perfectly, coating every flavour with ease. It’s satisfying, flamboyant, and powerful- tantalising my taste buds in the most delicious way. The sort of wine that transforms a simple meal into a colourful experience.

David Stevens-Castro

Wine Critic at Winepilot

David is a wine, beverage & gastronomy consultant. A passionate professional, with rounded expertise: from wine & fruit production as an Agricultural Engineer; marketing, wine trends and wine business as a wine merchant; buying, stock management and financial management as a wine & beverage manager; assessing wines as an international wine judge plus food and wine pairing expert as the co-author of PAIRED Volume 1: Champagne & Sparkling Wines. Find out more about David here at paired-media.com

Wine tasting and teaching