Kilikanoon Meyman’s Shiraz 2020 Review: Rich at First, Firmer Thereafter
Kilikanoon Meyman’s Shiraz 2020 is a Clare Valley Shiraz positioned toward the more premium end of the winery’s range. With Clare Valley Shiraz often balancing richness against firmer structure and spice, we approached this tasting interested in how the wine handled fruit, oak, acidity, and tannin across repeated sipping and different food pairings.
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Vintage: |
2020 |
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Region: |
Clare Valley, SA |
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Varietal: |
Shiraz |
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ABV: |
14.5% |
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RRP: |
~$50 AUD |
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Format: |
750mL |
Appearance
The wine presents with a deep ruby-plum core and a subtly lighter rim that still feels youthful in the glass. Despite its density, the wine remains clean and bright, with light struggling to pass through the centre. Legs fall at a medium pace, matching its 14.5% body without becoming syrupy.
Aroma / Nose
Without swirling, the wine sits firmly in oak and spice, presenting as measured and structured rather than fruit-led.
With air, darker fruit and a peppery lift surface, bringing more energy to the glass. Oak remains present throughout, but now shares space with the slightly wild fruit notes that emerge as the wine opens.
Palate / Taste
Initial sweetness gives way to richer fruit at the entry. Acidity appears gently at first, while oak settles into the finish and tightens the wine’s shape.
Tannins hold firmly across the palate, reinforcing the wine’s structured profile early on.
As the wine opens, the sweetness retreats. Fruit still appears briefly at the front before oak and structure take over. Acidity becomes more noticeable on the swallow, giving the wine added definition and edge.
Finish
Spice and oak linger through a steady, warming close. Drying tannins leave a structured finish that feels more savoury than fruity, while acidity remains present at the edges.
Food Pairing
This wine changed character noticeably across different pairings.
Camembert
The wine becomes firmer, while the funkiness in the cheese becomes more pronounced. Oak and acidity both feel sharper here.
Persian Fetta
Sweetness and fruit return slightly, softening the wine’s firmer edges. Oak becomes gentler, though acidity still sits underneath the palate. Tannins remain grippy after each sip.
Prosciutto
Sweetness and fruit stay at the front, though oak quickly takes over through the middle of the palate. Acidity sits comfortably in rhythm rather than pushing forward.
Chorizo
Chorizo softened some of the wine’s sharper edges, leaving the oak less dominant and allowing a lightly fruity aftertaste to linger longer than expected.
Fresh Strawberries
Surprisingly easygoing. The wine doesn’t clash with the fresh sweetness or punish the palate afterwards.
Thai Grilled Chicken
Oak leads here, though the acidity stays balanced enough to stop the pairing becoming jarring. Fruit shifts into the background but still provides some softness underneath the structure.
ATC Verdict: Is It Worth the Splurge?
Yes, though Meyman’s 2020 feels far more convincing at the table than it does on its own.
Initial sweetness and rich fruit gradually settle into a firmer, oak-driven shape built around spice, acidity, and structure. At times that structure pushes the fruit into the background, though several food pairings helped soften the sharper edges and bring more balance back into the glass.
What kept the wine engaging was how differently it behaved across the lunch. Certain pairings pushed the structure further forward, while others allowed more fruit and sweetness to re-emerge, giving the wine more dimension than the opening pours initially suggested.
This isn’t a plush or crowd-pleasing Shiraz. It feels more savoury, structured, and deliberately composed than openly generous. For readers who enjoy oak, spice, and firmer Clare Valley Shiraz styles, there’s enough here to make the experience worthwhile.
Structured, savoury, and ultimately more rewarding beside food than in isolation.
Editor’s Note
The wine showed more complexity with food than it did on its own. The shift between sweetness on entry and the firmer, oak-driven structure that followed made it an interesting bottle to work through slowly. Readers who enjoy a savoury, spice-led Shiraz, especially one that responds noticeably to food, may find more here than those chasing a softer fruit-forward style.
Adrian, Editor at All That Is Cool
Please drink responsibly.
All alcohol reviews on All That Is Cool are intended for audiences aged 18+. We support mindful, moderate consumption and only feature bottles we’ve personally tasted and evaluated.
