Riposte The Cutlass Shiraz 2023

Strictly speaking, this could easily be labelled Syrah such is the wine’s medium-bodied, cool climate, high spice factor. While the taste of the wine makes a persuasive argument for using Syrah as its varietal term, I can only applaud the decision to retain its Australian name and identity. It speaks of its Adelaide Hills roots and the region’s lively, spice-laden aromas: full-on black pepper, acacia, briar, sage, liquorice, black plum, blueberry and black cherry. Inviting, invigorating and fresh, they carry seamlessly through to the palate. Bright, detailed acidity leads the way working in unison with fine, firm tannins laying the groundwork – and drive – for dark fruits, peppery spice, dusty cacao, meaty oak spice and background bramble and leaf herbals. The Cutlass is well named, moving fast with plenty of dash straight to the point, and that is to promote one terrific cool climate Shiraz.

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