2022 Maxwell Silver Hammer Shiraz, McLaren Vale

New oak is low here, around 5% (French and American), but there’s likely some more recent fills, with some walnut/hazelnut husk and vanillin notes and structuring, woody grip. This is always the generous but not too overt Maxwell shiraz, offering dark fruit, some rum and raisin spice notes, hints of dark chocolate and anise. So too, here. There’s also a little ferrous minerality, adding savoury detail.

91 points Marcus Ellis winecompanion.com.au

The Maxwell Silver Hammer Shiraz delivers all the hallmarks that make the combination of this variety and the McLaren Vale region so famous.

Rich purple and red in colour. The bouquet is abundant with plum, blackberry and red cherries, coupled with hints of mocha and vanilla. The palate has an abundance of generous flavours, a rich mouthfeel with blood plum, vanilla and complex savoury spices. The mouth filling flavours are well balanced, full bodied with a soft finish. The result is a wonderfully generous and approachable wine with excellent depth of flavour, fine silky tannins and fruit length.

This wine is made to enjoy upon release, however it is expected that it will continue to mature for another 5 - 7 years, assuming satisfactory cellaring conditions.