Pertaringa Undercover Shiraz 2021

Last vintage, I thought the previous release of this wine might be the bargain of the year. This one goes close again. Undercover is fast becoming one of my favourite reds for great drinking and exceptional value. The name comes from recognition that the McLaren Vale region supplied their best grapes to other districts for decades, where they contributed to so many cracking wines without due recognition – Langhorne Creek would be another region with a similar lack of credit.

The specific vineyards contributing here are found in Lower Tintara, Conte and Klaveniek. The juice went into small open batch fermenters before 15 months maturation in a mix of new and older French oak. The colour is a vibrant deep purple. The nose moves through an array of enticing aromas including cloves, florals, black olives and bitter dark chocolate. There is a wonderful plushness to the wine with notes of cassis, a hint of vanilla, coffee beans, chocolate and oodles of mocha on the palate. Seamless and supple, I’m sure that this could handle the best part of six to eight years in the cellar, but I wonder why you would not jump on to it now.