2014 Domenica Shiraz, Beechworth

Domenica sits 460m above sea level atop the granite ridge sweeping away to the south west of Beechworth. Shiraz made with an eye firmly on the style of the Northern Rhone wines. Most often the south slopes provide the base, producing a powerful, savoury, cool climate wine of complexity and longevity. Domenica is soft, still powerful, with a deep core of fruit and the structure to live for many years.

‘It rises in the glass beautifully. It starts well but then gets better and better. It tastes of blueberries, black cherries and violets with licks of dry spice. We’re almost into the gunmetal and graphite realm here. It’s firm with tannin but the fruit slips right on through; the momentum is neither halted nor slowed. It’s no showboat – it’s not even particularly rich – but it’s quite masterful.’ 

Campbell Mattinson, winefront.com