2020 House of Plantagenet Lancaster Shiraz, Great Southern

There's too much oak and too much stewed fruit character here; that's the first impression. It's resinous with woody spice and then fruit scents and flavours are baked, very ripe, gamey and overt. Acidity does it's bit for freshness in the palate, a bit lemony but ok, while tannins feel like coffee powder and sit outside the dark fruit and woody spice of the core of the wine. A discombobulated expression at present, perhaps cellar time will help.

86 points Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

House of Plantagenet Lancaster Shiraz from Great Southern is a bold yet beautifully balanced cool-climate Shiraz that speaks with both regional clarity and varietal intensity. Sourced from select vineyard parcels in Mount Barker—one of the most acclaimed subregions in Great Southern—this wine delivers rich, dark fruit character with a savoury backbone and elegant structure, hallmark traits of Western Australia’s premium Shiraz.

Plantagenet was one of the first wineries to plant vines in Great Southern back in the 1960s, and the Lancaster Shiraz reflects decades of experience and a deep connection to the land. The cool maritime climate, gravelly loam soils, and elevated vineyard sites in Mount Barker allow for slow, even ripening. This results in Shiraz that is deeply coloured, finely structured, and naturally aromatic, with freshness and spice built into its DNA.

Crafted by winemaker Mike Garland, the Lancaster Shiraz is made with minimal intervention to preserve fruit purity and site expression. The grapes are hand-picked and fermented in small batches with gentle extraction, then aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels to enhance texture and complexity without dominating the wine.

In the glass, it opens with brooding aromas of blackberry, dark plum, black pepper, and dried herbs, supported by notes of mocha, cedar, and clove. The palate is full-bodied and layered, offering dense black fruits, ripe tannins, and a fresh acid line that carries the wine to a long, savoury finish.

This is a cool-climate Shiraz that combines power and elegance—ideal for roast lamb, chargrilled meats, or aged cheddar.