Wynns Black Label Old Vines Shiraz 2024

There’s a fun bounciness to this Shiraz that’s very endearing. It’s giving… pink fruit pastilles, but eaten by a big man with big hands. Blueberry, chocolate-covered freeze-dried strawberries, Ribena, heavily steeped hibiscus and lavender oil. It will settle in a year or two, but I’ll admit, I’m enjoying how charged and loud it is right now. In the mouth, it comes in stages. First, vibrant blackberry, Japanese salted plums, snapped twigs and blackberry leaf tea, again heavily steeped. Then cool-climate freshness in the form of tart, beautiful acidity. Thirdly, the tannins come; chewy, firm, and there’s ple(eeeee)nty of them. They find their way into the corners of the mouth. Together, all these pieces combine into a long, deliberate line and sustained finish. It might sound cliché, or just typical, but a sprinkle of pepper sits neatly on top. A really powerful wine, with uber amounts of structure… and great value.