2017 Best's Bin 1 Shiraz, Great Western

I looked at this over three days and a) it didn’t show an inch of oxidation at any stage, and b) all it really did throughout that time was turn increasingly elegant. On the first day I consumed a glass and was surprised at how rich and ripe it seemed; I found myself apologising to my cool-climate-loving friends (they’re Victorians, you know) for serving something so fruit dominant. Of course, they looked at me non-plussed (or with ambivalence, I’m always confusing the two). When I came back the next day and then the day after what really impressed me was the finesse of the tannin, and how seamlessly it sits in the wine. This is a wine of the spotless kind, a trait we can eternally appreciate. Berries mostly, red, blue and black; a hint of florals, some garden mint, the merest suggestion of twigs. It felt glossy and polished at first but over the course it seemed to resemble Best’s shiraz more than anything; it just has that cool-but-warm flow; drinking it is like taking a midday stroll in Spring. The t-shirt I would have printed for this wine simply says: It’s not hard to be a fan.

93 points Campbell Mattinson winefront.com.au

Best’s Great Western as a Shiraz ‘house’ has gathered experience with the variety through the legacy of Best’s long winemaking history dating back to 1866. Bin 1 Shiraz is the wine that often gives people an introduction to the regional style of Great Western Shiraz. Made predominantly from Best’s own vineyards and meticulously crafted with the same attention to detail as the Icon wines, Bin 1 Shiraz represents the essence of Best’s Great Western winemaking ideals and the uniqueness of the Great Western region. Bin 1 is a classic, cool climate, aromatic Shiraz, made in a style that is perfumed, spicy and peppery, yet well balanced with no overt dominance of alcohol.