2021 Empire of Dirt Blood Shiraz, Geelong

Shiraz fruit taken from two vineyards in the Moorabool Valley. Cold soaked for 4 days before allowing indigenous yeast to ferment. !00% French oak (20% new) maturation for 9 months.

The name for this wine comes from a few places. It starts with the idea that wine has always been in my blood. My earliest memories of family celebrations always included the popping of a cork or the “christening” of someone with an aged red. I grew up in Orange NSWand my family owned an iconic pub that was a strong supporter of the local wine industry there through the booms and busts. My great grandmother was one of the first women in Australia to hold a liquor licence, and the family ran Kelly’s Rugby Hotel for 96 years.

The name also reflects my love for the Sydney Swans (c’arn the Bloods) and the heartbreak that entails.

Lastly I just love the name because I feel it embodies the deep dark luscious nature of Moorabool Valley Shiraz.

From the cooler, windswept sites around Geelong, Empire of Dirt leans into a more thoughtful, small batch approach, with winemaker Andrew Biscontin focusing on texture, balance and a sense of place. Blood Shiraz is not about brute force, it is a cooler climate take that favours spice, savoury detail and structure over sheer weight.

The 2021 opens with a darker, more brooding tone, blackberry, plum and black cherry layered with cracked pepper, clove and a hint of dried herbs. There is a subtle ferrous note that gives the wine its name, adding a slightly wild, earthy edge.

It moves with purpose, fruit sitting deeper in the frame, wrapped in firm, fine tannins that give shape and grip. Spice builds steadily, pepper and dark spice weaving through, while a line of acidity keeps everything taut and focused. The finish lingers on savoury notes, iron, spice and dark fruit.

This is where you can get a bit creative at the table. Slow cooked lamb shoulder works beautifully, but it is just as compelling with dishes like charred beetroot with yoghurt and spices, or a mushroom and black garlic stew where the earthiness lines up perfectly. Even a smoky eggplant dish with tahini and pomegranate brings out another side.

It will reward a bit of patience, drinking well now with air, but building nicely over the next eight to twelve years.

There is a raw, slightly untamed feel here, a Shiraz that reflects its cooler origins and a winemaker willing to let the edges show.