O’Leary Walker Polish Hill River Armagh Shiraz 2021

The vinous equivalent of yin and yang, with two noteworthy Clare Valley sub-regions singing in total harmony. Polish Hill River is spicy and fine, while Armagh brings the brio and power. It makes for a dynamic duo. Bright, deep purple in colour. Violet, acacia, briar, wild bramble, blackberry and blackstrap liquorice aromas delight, so inviting in their deep mix of fruit, spice, florals and earth. Brings that upfront spice, liquorice and black fruit intensity and energy associated with top Clare Valley Shiraz and then, without skipping a beat, maintains the momentum seamlessly through to a long, long finish. Oak and tannins are totally integrated. It’s in for a long life should you resist the temptation to drink now. There is an effortless quality here, the sign of a good year and some mighty good winemaking. Outstanding.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic