Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz 2018

Michael tends towards the monumental, an Everest of Coonawarra shiraz that demands serious time in the bottle before broaching. In many ways it shares a resemblance to Penfolds Bin 128 except, if anything, Michael is generally the more consistent of the two, the one that makes the firmer statement about the grape and the place. Maybe the resemblance comes from the way oak plays such a major role in both wines. 

Michael 2018 arrives bold and dense in colour. Intense, concentrated fragrance of cedar, black-blue fruits, olive, spice, eucalypt-scented Aussie bush notes. The palate is in that “arms and legs” stage, each component coming together and still very much in building mode. This is typical of a young Michael. Solid blackberry, cassis, ringed in chocolate, aniseed and spice are at the core of the wine, waiting, waiting. This is going to be rather special what with the silky tannins, the intensity of fruit and the sheer depth already on display. If opening sooner rather than later, reach for the decanter.