The Wine Front –

Wine Spectator –

James Halliday – "Deep olive brown; dense spice, plum pudding and raisin aromas; utterly exceptional intensity and length; altogether in another dimension; while based upon some very old wine, is as fresh as a daisy". 100 points, James Halliday, March 2019.

World Wine –

James Suckling – 'Like 100 Christmases in the one glass'. 100 points, James Suckling.

Decanter – Platinum Award Winner

The Wine Front – If you’re lucky, and most of us aren’t, there comes a time in your life when it all comes together. I suspect that’s what’s happened with this Blewitt Springs vineyard, planted in the middle of the Second World War, and the collection of wine people behind MMAD, all of whom have weathered a lot of summers in a lot of places in the pursuit of wine excellence. This wine tastes of a lot of right decisions, and of a lot of time spent in the journey to them. It has texture, balance, flavour and all that, but as my mum would say, ‘any dumb bunny can do that’. More importantly, what this wine has is all the nods and winks. I once wrote, a long time ago, of a moment where union legend David Campese ran straight through a bunch of defenders without breaking stride, or altering course. He did something, something that couldn’t be seen, and made the impossible look effortless. So too here. It has degrees of silk, fruit enough, a spinnaker on the finish, a volume of nuance. If there was such a thing for single vineyard, vintage, Aussie shiraz, this wine would be classified as first growth.

James Halliday – "This is a seriously impressive release, showcasing winemaker Adam Wadewitz’s learnings from the first vintage and the bounty of full viticultural control. The old-vine fruit could easily handle about one-third whole bunch, a Wadewitz favourite. And that impact is profoundly positive, weaving in spicy, smoky notes and complexing tannins to provide exceptional tension without greenness. Red and blue fruits, violet and dusky red florals, coal dust, anise, cacao and roasted coffee bean. Intensity on the palate at moderate alcohol and no heavy mid-palate sweetness nor new oak. Rather, it is poised throughout, with fruit intensity seamlessly meshed into a silky, supple but aptly assertive structure, a ferrous nori/ kelp mineral note underpinning. For a site purchased prizing grenache, this is a revelation." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

James Suckling – Vivid aromas of crushed blackberries, cloves, iodine and dried kelp, lifted by a potpourri of purple flowers. Dense, compact and detailed, with tannic precision. This is a full-bodied wine, yet it is the intricacy of the structure that draw me back to the glass. Long, beautiful and destined for excellent drinking across the mid-term.

Huon Hooke – Very complex Rhône-ish meaty/spicy bouquet of formidable charm and detail. Theres a nicely judged touch of reduction in there, and the wine is fleshy and sumptuous on the palate, smooth textured and glossy, with a lingering aftertaste packed with supple, polished tannins that are in effortless support. An outstanding shiraz. The tannins are formidable and sneaky—they will ensure a long aging career. A stonking McLaren Vale regional shiraz.

James Halliday – Sourced from 48yo vines on the 2.2ha Block 2 on the Hay Shed Hill property in Wilyabrup. Matured 18 months in French oak barriques. The nose presents a classical combination of black pepper, plum, raspberry, cassis and mulberry, backed by spiced oak. The palate follows suit and is further ameliorated by the presence of finely grippy tannins which caress the fruit through the lingering finish.

The Wine Front – "While juicy and thick set it has a good deal of fruit, spice and herbal information, both perfume and palate does dark cherry, choc-mint, sage leaf, blood orange – with fine, firm, al dente tannin in the vein of nerello mascalese or similar. It’s a brooding and deep red, chewy and potent but with levity on its side. Charming in the moodier frame." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

James Halliday – "Glorious wine. Untold depths of the richest blackberry and plum fruit with a magically bright finish ex livewire acidity." 99 Points - James Halliday, The Weekend Australian

Wine Enthusiast – "Medium deep crimson. Intense blackberry, mulberry praline aromas with mocha sage herb garden notes. Superbly concentrated wine with deep set pure blackberry, dark plum, mulberry fruits, fine slinky tannins, attractive mid-palate richness and underlying mocha, vanilla notes. Finishes firm with chinotto, hint marzipan notes. Superb mineral length, vigour and extract." (99 points, Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal)

Huon Hooke – "Medium-deep red with a good tint of purple and a discreet bouquet of subtle spices and berry fruits, a patina of fresh-turned earth and black fruits, licorice and various spices, full-bodied in the mouth with ample tannins adding terrific structure and length. An impressively deep, concentrated and harmonious grenache with the structure to age long-term."

World Wine – Vivino

James Halliday – "Pressed to barrels (30% new) for wild fermentation. All the smart chardonnay techniques in play, 9 months on lees with minimal bâttonage. Lovely ripe flavours, of melon more than peach. Barrel-ferment characters like a touch of gingery spice, while the citrus elements push just a little towards tangy mandarin. Plenty on offer at this price."

Huon Hooke – "Bright, light to mid-yellow colour with a herbal, vegetal, silage and aroma, a strongly-oaked wine with a lot of vegetal notes. Full and soft, round and easygoing in the mouth, with generous Cognac-like oak and cleansing dryness to finish."

World Wine – Vivino