A best-barrel selection from the top tier Robert Oatley McLaren Vale Shiraz program steered by Larry Cherubino, here in its inaugural release. The price tells us something of its intentions, and there’s no shirking in their fulfillment. Sourced from 40-80-year-old vines across the region, much of it favoured from Chris and John Hancock’s La Colline Vineyard in the prized central Chalk Hill district. The wine is masterfully crafted, balanced and pure from start to finish, redolent with vibrant fruit more in the crimson to blue berry spectrum than black, seductively spiced after 12 months in French oak, 20% of it new. Medium weighted with sticky tannins that fit unobtrusively into the back palate, defining a finely textured, lingering finish. Stands tall as one of the region’s more elite and elegant Shiraz outings.  
Tony Love

This is exceptional. Quintessentially regional shiraz that neither shirks nor flaunts its warm-climate origins. Sure, there is a lather of toasty, high-quality oak. But at this embryonic stage, it is to be expected. Behind this buttress lies ample Indian spice, blue and black fruit aspersions, licorice blackstrap and soaring violet riffs tuned to high voltage, all the while compressed into a vortex of tension by quality tannins.
Ned Goodwin

With air, notes of spiced plums, violets and bitter chocolate emerge. It engages the senses from the get-go. A ripe and round core integrates fruit with oak seemlessly, signing off with salty licorice tannins on the finish. The fruit's freshness and elegant delivery stand out. The premium fruit source along with clever winemaking has produced an opulent and seductive full-bodied red.