Hewitson Barrel 1853 Shiraz Mourvèdre 2019

Cabernet Shiraz blends are often seen as the one of Australia’s great exports but the Shiraz Mourvèdre mix sure gives it some stiff competition. This unique wine is a blend of two barrels, one of which comes from the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world while the other is old vine Shiraz material from the same vineyard. I love it thanks to its coiled power and rustic charm – it is not massive but delivers in spades. Leather, blackberry, animal skin, and baked earth aromas with impressive focus are followed by a muscular, robust palate with dense fruit in seamless balance with an impressive tannin backbone. It’s super long, and strong, but needs time to flower.