Mount Horrocks Alexander Vineyard Shiraz 2018

That eye-catching colour, you can’t miss it, a kind of iridescent purple-blackcurrant pastille. It glistens in the glass.  And this is a Shiraz that belies its alcohol (14%) and, to a degree, its provenance (Clare Valley) to sing like a cool climate, finely-nuanced version, treated with a soft hand in much the same way as Pinot Noir.

A gentle, fluid wine with cranberry, pomegranate, stewed plums. Sweet-scented with black and blue fruits on the palate with dried herbs; a spice interlude of licorice and cinnamon is followed with chocolate and well-managed oak.  Owner/winemaker, Stephanie Toole, loves her French oak barriques and they are put to excellent use in this approachable, smart, modern-take on Shiraz.