2022 Two Hands Bella's Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley

A barrel selection from Two Hands Barossa Valley shiraz vineyards. The Bella's Garden has always been about fruit density for me. Thick-shouldered plum and blackberry fruits dabbed with baking spice, roasting meats, citrus blossom, olive tapenade, dark-chocolate-dipped cherries and earth. Plush and pure with fine, sandy tannins and a crème de cassis-like unctuousness to the finale. It's consistently a cracking wine.

95 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au

Two Hands Bella's Garden Shiraz from the Barossa Valley is the jewel in the crown of Two Hands’ Garden Series — a powerful, polished expression of Barossa Shiraz that speaks to both vineyard character and the house’s glossy, modern style. The fruit is sourced from a selection of premium vineyards across the Barossa’s western ranges, where old vines, rich red soils and low yields produce deeply concentrated berries.

Winemaker Tim Hower and his team handle each parcel separately, with handpicking, open-top fermentation, and meticulous barrel selection. Maturation takes place in high-quality French oak, with a portion new, to build structure, polish and layering without masking the inherent depth of the fruit.

In the glass, Bella’s Garden opens with aromas of blackberry compote, blueberry, dark chocolate, baking spice and a whisper of crushed violets. The palate is full-bodied and opulent but balanced, delivering dense dark fruit, black olive, espresso and silky tannins that carry through a long, plush finish.

This is a cellar-worthy Shiraz that continues to impress critics vintage after vintage. It pairs beautifully with braised beef cheek, chargrilled ribeye, slow-cooked lamb shoulder or eggplant parmigiana. Decant if drinking young, or cellar comfortably for 10 to 15 years.