2022 Paxton Quandong Farm Shiraz Biodynamic, McLaren Vale

Rich flavours of boysenberry, plum, and black cherry mingling with hints of savory spice and a subtle earthiness. There's a dancing brightness to this wine, which belies its incredible depth of flavour concentration without being inky or heavy. The powdery tannins are firm yet velvety, like the soft glow of embers in a fire pit, and the finish is long and satisfying, with a subtle hint of juniper and rosemary lingering on the palate.

Well, you thought 2021 was good but I bet you hadn’t heard about 2022 yet! With most of the country experiencing extreme La Niña conditions, in McLaren Vale we were hit with the lucky stick and enjoyed plenty of soil moistening rain through the winter but no extreme events. Budburst was a breath of new life after a long cool Winter and conditions were ideal up to flowering where things went a bit haywire. Crazy Melbourne type weather blew a lot of the flowers away before they could turn into fruit… but less fruit, more quality and coming off a bumper 2021 vintage it helped balance things out. We had a lovely cool summer, which helped ripening happen nice and slow, just the way we like it. Vintage was well spread out with fine days through most of March allowing us to choose when to pick and preserve stunning, natural acidity.

A perfumed lift of raspberry, wild cherry, black olive with a hint of floral notes and violets balanced with a delicate dusting of cinnamon and vanillin spice. French oak influence is sophisticated and contributes without being overwhelming.

Medium bodied wine with plum, blueberry and cherry fruit characters. The mid palate has a velvety generosity. Lightly rounded silky tannins offer great length and deliver a smooth velvety finish.