Wine & Spirits
Elegant bottles. Collector picks. Reviews that ask if it’s worth opening.
From cellar icons to unexpected pours, Wine & Spirits is where we explore standout bottles: what they deliver, how they unfold, and when they’re worth the splurge.
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021 – Structured, Savoury, and Built for Time
Few Australian reds carry their lineage as calmly as The Signature. Part of Yalumba’s Rare & Fine collection since 1962, it has long stood as a meeting point between Cabernet Sauvignon discipline and Shiraz depth.
Hewitson Strawberry Hill Shiraz 2022 Review – Fruit, Structure, and a Barossa Ease
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Named for the old strawberry patch beside the vineyard, Strawberry Hill is matured for eighteen months in French oak barrels of varying age and origin. Combined with heritage fruit and careful winemaking, it aims to balance approachability with depth.
Teusner Joshua 2023 GSM Review – Bright Fruit, No Oak, All Charm
Teusner’s Joshua is a cult-favourite GSM that skips oak entirely to spotlight the character of its fruit. In a region known for power, this wine stands out by leaning into freshness and texture, offering something brighter and more nuanced.
Lone Palm Hillside Shiraz 2022; Not Bold for Attention—Layered for Discovery
Wrapped in matte black and finished with a gold crest, Lone Palm’s Hillside Shiraz looks like it has something to say—and it does. But instead of shouting with sweetness or oak, it chooses a slower, more deliberate pace.
Manser 100 Year Old Vines Reserve Grenache 2022 Review – A Grenache With Many Sides
Century-old vineyards carry weight in Australian wine; not every bottle shows that story with nuance. The Manser 100 Year Old Vines Reserve Grenache 2022 from Blewitt Springs draws on that heritage, unfolding with air, food, and attention.
Thicker Than Water Legacy Shiraz 2021 Review – Respectable but Not Moving
Thicker Than Water Legacy Shiraz 2021 Review – Respectable but Not Moving We opened this bottle with curiosity, expecting a polished McLaren Vale Shiraz carrying both fruit and oak. What we found was a wine that asked for patience — restrained at first, then gradually revealing more character once given air and food. Appearance Deep…
Dalwhinnie Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 – A Food-First Red from the Pyrenees
Dalwhinnie Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 opens with promise — dark in the glass, quietly fragrant, and unmistakably Pyrenees in character. It’s not a showy wine, but one built on tension: a pulse of fruit sweetness up front that gives way to firm acidity and dry, structured tannins.
Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir 2021 Review – A Cool-Climate Expression with Balance and Polish
Bin 23 represents Penfolds’ exploration of Pinot Noir through a modern lens. The 2021 vintage is a single-region expression sourced from esteemed cool-climate vineyards in Tasmania.
Penfolds Max’s Pinot Noir 2023 Review – A Subtle Finish to the Max’s Red Series
Penfolds Max’s Pinot Noir 2023 Review – A Subtle Finish to the Max’s Red Series Penfolds Max’s Pinot Noir 2023 is a measured, food-ready expression that values structure over show. Oak and spice lead, fruit sits just behind, and there’s enough grip and warmth to keep things grounded. It’s not a sweet or fruity red—more…
Decoy Pinot Noir 2021 Review – A Pinot That Shows Its Hand Early
Decoy Pinot Noir 2021 Review – A Pinot That Shows Its Hand Early We opened this bottle over a weekend lunch, curious about Decoy’s California Pinot Noir. We expected light fruit, soft oak, and a touch of charm—but the wine showed its hand quickly: lean, oak-driven, and reluctant to reveal much else. Appearance A bright ruby core fading to…
Honeymoon Vineyard Shiraz 2014 Review – Aged Adelaide Hills Red with Measured Power
Ten years on, this small-production Shiraz from Honeymoon Vineyard still holds shape. Grown in Echunga, Adelaide Hills, the fruit comes from a cool-climate vineyard at 410–420m elevation on red ironstone clay—its sunny northeast-facing slope often likened to Côte Rôtie in ripening profile.
Château Marsau 2015 Review: Structured, Tannic, and Quietly Confident
Château Marsau 2015 doesn’t open with fireworks—it’s more like a firm handshake and a moment of silence. But give it time, and it starts to reveal a personality: structured, dry, and just a touch off-beat.
Henschke Keyneton Euphonium 2021 Review – Structure Over Showmanship
A bottle of quiet authority. The name alone—Euphonium—signals something layered, sonorous, orchestral. You don’t open a Henschke on a whim; it’s a wine with lineage and structure.
Penfolds Bin 2 Shiraz Mataro 2018; A Steady Hand in a Loud Region
A heritage label from one of Australia’s most recognisable names, Penfolds Bin 2 combines Shiraz’s plush weight with Mataro’s savoury backbone. It’s a style the brand has been refining since the 1960s—never the headline act, but always part of the supporting cast.
Penfolds Bin 8 Shiraz Cabernet Review: Balanced, Warming, and Quietly Composed
Penfolds Bin 8 is often positioned as the more approachable sibling in the Penfolds family—less prestigious than the numbered icons, but still built with structure and seriousness. This 2021 release delivers on that intent: a bold, oak-forward wine that doesn’t chase sweetness or softness.
Elderton Barossa Shiraz 2021: Rich, Round, and Ready Now
A bold Barossa Shiraz with a heritage name behind it, Elderton’s 2021 expression walks the line between classic richness and structured restraint. Tasted on a rainy winter afternoon, it felt seasonally perfect—deep-hued, brooding, and slow to reveal its character. This isn’t one that rushes to impress. It invites patience—and food.
Penfolds Bin 138 GSM 2020 Review – Balanced but Never Boring
We opened this bottle expecting Penfolds’ take on a GSM to show polish, weight, and spice. What we found was a wine with a bit of everything: oak, fruit, acidity, tannin, and a flash of heat.
John Duval Wines ‘Plexus’ 2022 GSM Review – A Study in Balance from a Barossa Icon
From the former Penfolds Chief Winemaker comes a blend built on structure, not showmanship. Plexus 2022 plays well with food, sparks conversation, and finds common ground between boldness and restraint.
St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Review – Structured and Self-Assured
We opened this bottle on a grey, rainy winter’s afternoon—the kind of weather that makes you crave depth, warmth, and something structured. With a reputation for classic styling and a label that carries weight in the Cabernet world.
Château Yaldara Grand Cuvée Shiraz 2021; Built to Impress. Harder to Love.
Château Yaldara Grand Cuvée Shiraz 2021 is one of the most expensive bottles we’ve opened to date—and it knows it. This Barossa Valley Shiraz arrives dressed for attention, with a bold black label, deep glass, and 15% ABV that hints at both power and polish.
Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz 2023: Grip Over Generosity
We opened the 2023 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz over a long, rainy winter’s lunch—a day made for red wine. The mood called for something bold and comforting, and with its Barossa pedigree and 15% heft, we expected warmth, fruit, and power.
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz Review: Acidic, Grippy, and Unapologetically Direct
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz 2022 carries a quiet reverence within its uniform red-capsule bottles—an homage to Max Schubert, the original creator of Grange. It arrives with understated visual cues, but a reputation that nudges expectations upward. After recently tasting the Shiraz Cabernet from the same range, we approached this bottle with curiosity.
Château Yaldara Grand Cuvée Shiraz 2022 Review: When Restraint Is the Point
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The Château Yaldara Grand Cuvée Shiraz 2022 arrives with a reputation that carries weight. Positioned as a flagship Barossa expression from Château Yaldara and often associated with a high-end retail tier, it signals seriousness and intent from the outset.
Penfolds Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon Review: Structured, Restrained, and Quietly Rewarding
Penfolds Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 was the final bottle in our Max’s trio. After tasting the Shiraz and Shiraz Cabernet earlier in the week, this Cabernet arrived with quiet confidence. The label—Penfolds’ classic presentation with Max Schubert’s profile tucked into the corner—remains as refined and familiar as ever.
d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2019: Power, Patience and a Stormy Evening
A day that began at thirty degrees with early thunder turned restless by nightfall. Storms rolled in, heavy rain followed, and the evening cooled with scattered showers. It felt fitting to open d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2019, a brooding and deliberate expression of McLaren Vale. The name signals intent.
Haselgrove Dileab Shiraz 2020 Review: Structured, Savoury, and Surprisingly Flexible
Haselgrove Dileab Shiraz 2020 Review: Structured, Savoury, and Surprisingly Flexible “Dileab” takes its name from the Celtic word for heritage, a nod to Haselgrove’s agricultural roots and their careful approach to McLaren Vale vineyards. This 2020 release, bottle 3581 of 6018, was drawn from some of the region’s best Shiraz blocks and matured in French…
Brothers in Arms Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Review: A Composed Cabernet from Langhorne Creek
Brothers in Arms Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Review – A Composed Cabernet from Langhorne Creek We opened this over lunch on a cold, rainy winter’s day, drawn to the name, the label, and the warmth of a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 – Fruit in Reserve, Structure in Focus
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Review – Fruit in Reserve, Structure in Focus We opened the Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 expecting restraint and classic Coonawarra structure.
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz Cabernet Review: Grippy, Oak-Led, and Built for the Long Haul
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz Cabernet 2020 belongs to the more accessible tier of the Penfolds range, crafted for drinkers who want structure and polish without stepping into prestige pricing.
Z WINE Julius Shiraz 2022 Review: Oak Over Fruit in the Barossa
Z WINE Julius Shiraz 2022 Review: Oak Over Fruit in the Barossa Z WINE’s Julius Shiraz 2022 arrives as a bold Barossa release, basket-pressed and sitting at 14.5% ABV. The deep maroon and gold label suggests weight and confidence, setting expectations for plush generosity. On tasting, however, the wine reveals something more restrained, with barrel…