2023 Shaw + Smith Shiraz, Adelaide Hills

The epitome of cool climate Shiraz style: medium bodied, a spicy delight, flows smoothly and leaves a lasting impression. Moves briskly, too, and with focus zeroing in on black cherry, plum and dried cranberry fruits spiced up no end in pepper-berry, black pepper, dark spices, dusty cocoa and herbs that come alive on the tastebuds. The producer was an early promoter of Adelaide Hills Shiraz and gets to the heart of what is so good about the style, keeping oak maturation in the background and allowing the fruit to sing, aided and abetted by a bright acidity and fine knit tannins. Hints of a black olive savouriness add to the excitement factor – which is already running high – and help close this smart, super elegant Shiraz. Drink 2026 to 2035.

95 points Jeni Port for Wine Pilot, April 2026

A beautiful, effortless wine that meshes sweet spice, alpine herbal lift and fragrance, gentle game meat savouriness, well-judged woody spice seasoning and a fruit profile that runs through mulberry/boysenberry through to tart red berries. All of this is in a pitch-perfect, medium-weight frame. Tannins are lithe, gently dusty, cinching the wine and drawing it to a long, fine trail of spice that lingers with appealing sweetness and piquancy. Charm and elegance with enough savoury mettle to elevate the wine to the next level. It's a beauty. Drink 2024 to 2035.

95 points Mike Bennie for Halliday Wine Companion, October 2024

This is a savoury affair from the outset, with green bean and black olive opening the perfume ahead of black currant pastille, pink peppercorn, dried violets and charred root vegetable. Black cherry and plum build with air, but whole-bunch influence is the defining hand here. The palate follows suit — black olive tapenade, black cherry, blackberry, black pepper and blood plum, with dried herb, tomato bush and smoked meat tones swirling through before firm, grippy tannins pull it all to good length. Lovers of a savoury, Rhône-inflected style will find much to enjoy. Nicely done.

93 points Tom Kline for Wine Pilot, April 2026

Shaw + Smith was founded in 1989 by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill-Smith MW and makes wines exclusively from the Adelaide Hills. The region's altitude and cool climate make it one of Australia's most compelling places to grow Shiraz. The style is fragrant, medium-bodied and precise in a way that warmer regions simply cannot replicate.

The 2023 season was the third La Niña influenced year in a row. Late start, cool and wet, and the latest harvest ever experienced at the winery. The slow, extended ripening produced excellent natural acidity and fruit with a highly perfumed character. Whole berry and whole bunch fermentation in open vessels, gentle handling and long ferments preserve the tannin finesse and cool-climate perfume. Matured in mainly older French oak for around 12 months.

The result is a wine that leads with violets and baking spice, meeting a hint of black olive on the powerful mid-palate. The tannins are grippy but refined, tapering elegantly on the finish. Perfumed, structured and built to develop further over the next several years.

A simple charcuterie board could be the right thing for on release, something lightly salty and not too heavy. Allow for a year or two to enjoy with Cantonese roast duck or slow-braised rabbit.